Farmers and conservation groups are pleading for people to respect the Chilterns countryside after one farmer lost the equivalent of 9,000 loaves of bread due to trampled crops.

Leading conservation organisations in the Chilterns have come together with farmers and landowners urging visitors to keep to paths and to keep their dogs under control when walking in the countryside.

The Chilterns countryside is providing much-needed solace and pleasure for people at a very difficult time.

However, it is also a farmed landscape with many paths crossing farmers fields.

The latest lockdown has coincided with a period of particularly high rainfall making paths extremely wet and muddy.

This, combined with far greater numbers of people using their local paths is damaging paths and crops.

Paths have widened to several metres across, with people trying to social distance from each other, or seeking drier ground.

Some people have abandoned the waymarked paths altogether and followed field edges instead to avoid the worst of the mud.

As a result, this is damaging field margin habitats which are important for wildlife.

Daniel Hares, who farms at Buckmoorend Farm near Wendover, has been affected by the increasing amount of visitors.

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Walkers widened a path through one of his wheat fields to 10 metres across, which is the equivalent to losing six tonnes of wheat, enough to make around 9,000 loaves of bread.

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Chilterns farmers played a vital role during lockdown supplying their local communities with fresh local produce such as the seventh generation Lacey family in Lane End.

The land they manage has always been popular with walkers but recently they have experienced a big surge in numbers and issues.

Farmer Ed Lacey said: "We have on-going problems with people letting their dogs off the lead and out of control. We have had sheep killed and injured by dogs."

The Chilterns Conservation Board’s chief executive, Dr Elaine King, said: “It’s great that more people are getting out and enjoying the nature and the beauty of the Chilterns during lockdown, and we want that to continue."

He added: "However, the Chilterns are also a place where people live and work, including the farmers that produce our food.

"We are working with a wide range of farmers, landowners and conservation partners to raise public awareness of this special landscape and ensure that everyone can enjoy the Chilterns safely”.

The Countryside Code sets out some simple guidance to ensure that people can enjoy their visit to the countryside while being safe and respectful of others.

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