NSA responds to The Guardian's article criticising sheep farming

NSA has written a letter in response to an article in the Guardian, titled Conservationists call for Lake District to lose Unesco world heritage status, Saturday 7th June 2025, available to read here.

Dear Editor

Re Conservationists call for Lake District to lose Unesco world heritage status, Saturday 7th June 2025

As CEO of the National Sheep Association many Guardian readers might expect me not to be over the moon about the article in last Saturday’s edition (7th June), under the heading of ‘conservation’, titled ‘Conservationists call for Lake District to lose UNESCO world heritage status’, once again criticising sheep farming in this most revered area of Britain.

If invited I would be very happy to fill the same amount of column space outlining the importance of traditional sheep farming to the Lake District, ecologically, economically, and socially.  These 3 pillars of sustainability - equal in importance - result in outcomes that bring millions of visitors to an area with several designations that surely give evidence to its worth. The Lake District is a National Park, with protected and designated SSSI sites, and awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO. The fact that sheep farming and hefted livestock grazing has been core to its management for over 3000 years suggests it has created something of value. How ironic that rather than celebrate (and acceptably further fine tune) its farmers and graziers and the surrounding rural infrastructure that depends on this primary activity, people like Lee Schofield and his rewilding friends want to see its demise.

I won’t dispute that few farms anywhere have the small-scale diversity they once had, but that is farmers responding to policy and market messages, changing to survive in a world applying more and more pressure on small family farms and what is left of local supply chains. Farmers are living through change and given the right policy framework and a public prepared to put their money where their mouth is and support local food producers, the Lake District’s farmers will be able to continue to adapt and deliver what the public wants – the enhancement of natural resources, a nature rich countryside, and a vibrant society with cultural heritage and a contribution to food security. That surely is what ‘conservation’ should be about, a recognition of the ‘whole’ and not just singular outcomes.

Finally, and maybe controversially, I would just like to make the case that while in today’s modern world sheep farming enterprises in these harsh regions may be financially marginal, if considered within a circular economy where money is recirculated locally, creating jobs and enterprise, and supporting a rural community, then it’s not such a poor performer. That’s what makes the culture and heritage of the Lake District so special. Doing more for nature and protecting water and other resources is, when it’s available, what ‘public support to these farms’ is helping to do. Farmers want to continue looking after the land they have farmed for centuries ensuring public access, balancing farming with nature, managing the landscape in a sensitive and viable way for future generations. 

Yours

Phil Stocker

Chief Executive
National Sheep Association

A shortened version of this letter was published by The Guardian, find it here.