Farming & Biodiversity
Useful Links
- Tree Sparrows and Barn Owls Boxes
- Feed the Birds on Farms
- Game Conservancy Council Leaflets: Brown Hare - Grey Partridge
- Farmland Action Plan
- Find out how to help birds on farmland and manage farm habitats to benefit wildlife Advice for Farmers from RSPB
The
mixture of cropping and livestock production and the diversity of farming
landscapes in North East Scotland provide a range of habitats, from
the upland farms on the Cairngorm fringes to the exposed open farmland
of Formartine and Buchan.
These farmland habitats provide food and shelter for a wealth of local wildlife. Farming activities also have considerable influence on the biodiversity of other habitats, such as watercourses. Photo copyright Ian Francis, RSPB
Spring-sown
cereal fields provide short vegetation suitable for nesting Lapwings
and Skylarks, whilst the resulting winter stubbles provide a
source of spilt grain and weed seeds for birds such as Grey Partridge,
Corn Bunting, Reed Bunting, Linnet and Tree Sparrow.
Photo copyright, Caithness Biodiversity Collection
Forage crops such as neeps provide both food and shelter throughout the winter and are often richer in weed seeds due to lower herbicide inputs. Although autumn sown crops are unsuitable for many 'traditional' farmland birds, winter oilseed rape has provided new opportunities for birds such as the Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting, often more associated with tall wetland vegetation.
Grassland,
in particular cattle grazed grass, benefits many invertebrates
and small mammals, which in turn benefit predators such as the Kestrel
and Barn Owl.
Wet grassland offers ideal nesting conditions for Lapwings, provided that the nests are not trampled by livestock.
Photo copyright Ian Francis, RSPB
Unimproved
grassland, wetlands, woodlands and boundary features such as
hedges and dykes are all valuable refuges for wildlife in the farming
environment, as the absence of cultivation and chemical inputs in these
areas has often enabled a wide range of plant and animal species to
survive.
Causes of Declines in Farmland Biodiversity
- Loss of hay field
- Early cutting of silage, and practice of cutting towards the centre of fields
- Changes in crop sowing times and crop type e.g. loss of fodder neeps to intensive grass
- Drainage and ploughing of grassland
- Removal or neglect of hedgerows
- Drainage, pollution, and sedimentation and culverting of water courses
- Inappropriate use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers
The NE Farmland Biodiversity Group is supported by NFU Scotland, Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD), Grampian Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), Scottish Agricultural College (SAC), Scottish Landowners Federation (SLF), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Game Conservancy Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The Group was formed in April 2000 and is committed to maintaining and enhancing biodiversity on farmland in the North East. The Group:-
- provides a link between LBAP and the farming community
- has developed the Farmland Action Plan
- provides advice on agri-environment schemes and sets the 30 priority habitats and species for the Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS)
- encourages farmers to undertake practical projects to help farmland wildlife, such as:-
Farmland Bird Lifeline to conserve dwindling populations of once common farmland birds such as the Corn Bunting, Skylark and Grey Partridge by providing nesting habitats and food.
Wild Bird Cover to re-create elements of habitats that would have once been widespread on farms and acts as a giant bird table of kale, oats, oilseed rape, mustard and/or quinoa. This provides a source of insects, seeds and cover throughout the year, to benefit a range of farmland birds and other wildlife.
Volunteer and Farmer Alliance matches a local trained RSPB volunteer who carries out a free, confidential survey of the birds on their farm, and provides land management information for helping particular species.
Farmland Biodiversity Award for excellence run by NFU Scotland, sponsored by RSPB Scotland in association with The Scottish Farmer, to reward positive management and active protection of a wide variety of wildlife and associated habitats.
NFU Scotland
Tel: 01224 790613 Web: www.nfus.org.uk
Scottish Agricultural College Thainstone, Inverurie
Tel: 01467 625385 Web: www.sac.ac.uk
Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department Thainstone, Inverurie
Tel: 01467 626222 Web: www.scotland.gov.uk
Game Conservancy Trust Couston, Newtyle, Perthshire, PH12 8UT
Web: www.gct.org.uk
RSPB East Scotland, 10 Albyn Terrace, Aberdeen, AB10 1YP
Tel: 01224 624824 Web: www.rspb.org.uk
Ask for RSPB's 'Farming and Wildlife Under Threat', which outlines the implications for wildlife of arable, livestock and organic farming, agri-environment schemes, GM crops, the CAP, agrochemicals, the food industry, farmed nature reserves and our lowland arable farm.