That was the opening salvo from Defra Minister of State, the Right Honourable James Paice MP at a Farmland Birds and Sustainable Intensification seminar staged by the Royal Agricultural Society of England in London recently. Farmers, conservationists, scientists and policy makers were invited to debate the issue of how to increase the numbers of birds on British farms.
'Why are farmland birds still declining when 61% of land in England is in ELS and 9.3% of land is in HLS? The Farmland Bird Index (FBI) is one of the key measures of effectiveness of ELS and HLS and it is recording falling bird numbers. Stewardship needs to be made more effective which we are working on, along with more collaborative working, so areas of land are more joined up as in Defra's new Nature Improvement Areas. How long does it take to arrest the decline in farmland birds? Five years? Environmental Stewardship has been going since 2010 so positive changes should just be around the corner.
Another challenge to overcome is sustainability in the face of population density; we are approaching 70 million people in the UK. Man has had an impact on nature since he started cutting down the wild wood 12,000years ago; we need to take our role in managing nature very seriously and this may mean controlling some species.'
Jim Paice finished with a request for suggestions as to how the current agri-environmental regime could be improved. So if you have any thoughts maybe you should pass them on to Mr Paice.
Some of Mr Paice's questions on why farmland bird numbers have failed to recover were answered by Professor Ken Norris, Director of the Centre of Agri-Environmental Research at Reading University. Unfortunately Mr Paice had a more pressing engagement and failed to stay long enough to hear it.
There is good evidence that farmland bird populations can increase in individual case study situations.
Ken Norris's team has produced a risk assessment system which can be used for the 60 odd species of birds which use farmland. It enables bird species to be characterised according to their ecological needs – the food they eat, the habitats they live in and the nest sites they occupy. The model does the same for agricultural changes – which of those factors does changing agriculture impact on? Then it looks for points of coincidence between the two. Ken Norris believes we could have broadly identified winners and losers years ago using this technique.
The models show that the ELS is not having the impact that we want it to have. The reasons are that not all the right options are being taken up in the right places and we don’t know if this can be achieved without changing the stewardship schemes themselves. Secondly, options in schemes do not have the same impact everywhere so they need to be targeted more effectively. Thirdly some options have the opposite effect to that intended – likely to be due to competition and predation.
Case Studies - Light at the end of the Tunnel?
There was a degree of opimism from the case studies that followed. In particualr they highlichetd what could be achived with targeted use of the most approrpiate habitat for farmland birds. Farmer Peter Richards from the Cotsowlds, a sister project to mine, under the umbrella of the South West Farmland Bird Initiative impressed the audience with the range of biodivserity on his farm and the success they have had following their entry into the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme. The scheme fits well with his business and there are now over 60 species of bird on the farm including birds that have not been seen for many years.
Alistair Leake, Director of Research at the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Allerton Project on a Leicestershire farm echoed the results on Peter Richard's farm. At Allerton, trials have demonstrated that a high level of arable output is possible whilst increasing farmland bird numbers.
The trials show that for farmland bird numbers to increase, the following elements are important:-
’ Provision of suitable nesting habitat;
’ Plenty of insects, particularly at chick hatching;
’ Feed through the winter, early and late spring;
’ Targeted and limited control of predators.
Some of these are covered under HLS - although feeding through the spring is difficult through just growing wild bird seed mixes; supplementary feeding through hoppers and along farm tracks is currently not funded through any schemes despite spring aka the 'hungry gap'often being the most challenging time for all birds. Predator control is also not covered though HLS.
Conclusions
The case studies show that success is possible but requires a number of elements -
1.The Big 3 for birds - safe nesting; summer insect food and winter seed food. Many of the options the birds need most such as unsprayed conservation headlands in cereal crops and sown crops of wild bird seed targeted advice are complicated and unpopular with farmers - thus take up is low through the Government's schemes - hence no improvement in bird numbers.
2.Targeted expert advice is essential to match birds requirements with farmer's businesses. The right options for the birds also need to be in the right place and managed appropriately otherwise the birds will not use them.Phillips Merrick's case study of lapwing productivity highlighted this.
3.Predator control is also important in many circumstances, particualry with ground nesting birds but predator increases should not be blamed for the decline in bird numbers; this is far too simplistic and ignores complex issues of ecology.
4.Payments to reduce production need to reflect cost of providing the habitat and loss of production.
5.Breeding success and productivity should be the focus of schemes - not simply presence or absence of a species in a particular habitat.This is the only way bird numbers will increase.
In the light of Natural England staff and HLS budget cuts and impending CAP reform some of these points could be a challenge for this Government but Jim Paice asked what suggestions we have, well those are mine.
Finally as Philip Merricks farmer and manager of Elmley National Nature Reserve said – “conservation relies on the hands and minds of farmers”.
Thursday 22 December 2011
Wednesday 7 December 2011
A Future for Farmland Birds? Chapter 1
Last week I was lucky enough to attend a seminar organised by the Royal Agricultural Society of England entitled 'Sustainable Intensification and Farmland Birds' held at the Royal Overseas League in London.
It was a fascinating day with some excellent speakers and thought-provoking debate, set against the backdrop of a Defra statistical release that day which stated that breeding farmland bird numbers were at their lowest level ever recorded, at half of what they were in 1970.
There's a lot to say on this subject so I am going to break it down into several chapters...
The Joint Challenge of Food Security and Environmental Enhancement
The day kicked off with Professor Charles Godfray CBE,FRS from the University of Oxford talking about future trends in world population growth and the challenge of feeding 9 billion people with the same amount of land in the light of climate change. Will this mean there is less space for wildlife? Not necessarily, but it will mean that habitat for wildlife needs to be high quality and targeted to ensure maximum gain. For example, plots of wild bird seed mix need to be managed to produce the maximum amount of seed possible from a given area. Similar to what has happened with farming - wheat yields have quadrupled over the last 50 years. It will also mean that the thorny issue of GM crops needs to be revisited and a sensible discussion had about the possible benefits to biodiversity. Before that a great deal of groundwork is needed to educate consumers because currently the British public is very anti-GM foods.
Extent and Causes of Decline in Farmland Birds - Professor Ian Newton OBE FRS
This is a subject well known by many but still useful to have it set out comprehensively by such a well renowned scientist, particularly when Robin Page was in the audience and would no doubt bring up the issue of predators in the discussion section. (see earlier post for more info!)
Causes of Decline
1.A large increase in use of agro-chemicals have meant there are less weeds, therefore less weed seed, less plants for insects to live on and these insects that do survive, many don't survive pesticide sprays.
Net result= less bird food.
2. Loss of habitat; hedges, rough grass etc affecting nest site and food availability
3.Increased land drainage=many less insects (chick food for farmland birds)
4.Decrease in flower rich grassland =less insects
5.Switch from spring to winter cereals = no winter stubbles = no winter seed food or spring nest sites.
6. Earlier harvesting dates means many second/third broods of ground nesting birds like corn bunting are lost
7. Specialisation in farming such as mixed farming to all arable means less varied habitat for birds.
8.Increased stocking density = trampled nests for species like yellow wagtail and lapwing.
9.Decrease in stock kept and fed outside in winter = less grain food for birds.
No one single cause but a cocktail of damaging circumstances depending on the species concerned.
The issue of predators was raised in the discussion; Professor Newton said that the impact of predation on bird populations was very difficult to assess and despite lots of work done, there is little evidence to suggest its a problem. One exception to this is ground nesting birds who, it has been proven do suffer high rates of predation from foxes and crows.
The numbers were depressing; numbers of tree sparrow,grey partridge,corn bunting and turtle dove have declined by over 94% from 1970 to 2010. Its not unreasonable to think that should these declines continue these 5 birds will disappear from our countryside completely.
How fortunate are we in Wiltshire to still see these birds?
In the next instalment i will be looking at what the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, Jim Paice had to say on the subject of declining farmland bird numbers.
It was a fascinating day with some excellent speakers and thought-provoking debate, set against the backdrop of a Defra statistical release that day which stated that breeding farmland bird numbers were at their lowest level ever recorded, at half of what they were in 1970.
There's a lot to say on this subject so I am going to break it down into several chapters...
The Joint Challenge of Food Security and Environmental Enhancement
The day kicked off with Professor Charles Godfray CBE,FRS from the University of Oxford talking about future trends in world population growth and the challenge of feeding 9 billion people with the same amount of land in the light of climate change. Will this mean there is less space for wildlife? Not necessarily, but it will mean that habitat for wildlife needs to be high quality and targeted to ensure maximum gain. For example, plots of wild bird seed mix need to be managed to produce the maximum amount of seed possible from a given area. Similar to what has happened with farming - wheat yields have quadrupled over the last 50 years. It will also mean that the thorny issue of GM crops needs to be revisited and a sensible discussion had about the possible benefits to biodiversity. Before that a great deal of groundwork is needed to educate consumers because currently the British public is very anti-GM foods.
Extent and Causes of Decline in Farmland Birds - Professor Ian Newton OBE FRS
This is a subject well known by many but still useful to have it set out comprehensively by such a well renowned scientist, particularly when Robin Page was in the audience and would no doubt bring up the issue of predators in the discussion section. (see earlier post for more info!)
Causes of Decline
1.A large increase in use of agro-chemicals have meant there are less weeds, therefore less weed seed, less plants for insects to live on and these insects that do survive, many don't survive pesticide sprays.
Net result= less bird food.
2. Loss of habitat; hedges, rough grass etc affecting nest site and food availability
3.Increased land drainage=many less insects (chick food for farmland birds)
4.Decrease in flower rich grassland =less insects
5.Switch from spring to winter cereals = no winter stubbles = no winter seed food or spring nest sites.
6. Earlier harvesting dates means many second/third broods of ground nesting birds like corn bunting are lost
7. Specialisation in farming such as mixed farming to all arable means less varied habitat for birds.
Mixed farming is good for birds (taken near Win Green on Cranborne Chase)
9.Decrease in stock kept and fed outside in winter = less grain food for birds.
No one single cause but a cocktail of damaging circumstances depending on the species concerned.
The issue of predators was raised in the discussion; Professor Newton said that the impact of predation on bird populations was very difficult to assess and despite lots of work done, there is little evidence to suggest its a problem. One exception to this is ground nesting birds who, it has been proven do suffer high rates of predation from foxes and crows.
The numbers were depressing; numbers of tree sparrow,grey partridge,corn bunting and turtle dove have declined by over 94% from 1970 to 2010. Its not unreasonable to think that should these declines continue these 5 birds will disappear from our countryside completely.
How fortunate are we in Wiltshire to still see these birds?
In the next instalment i will be looking at what the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, Jim Paice had to say on the subject of declining farmland bird numbers.
Monday 14 November 2011
Is Robin Page Right to Pick on Predators?
Two weeks ago Robin Page, The Daily Telegraph's 'Countryside Columnist' recently wrote a piece entitled "Time to Prey on Predators". Much as I don't want to give RP any more publicity, for the sake of balance here is a link to the article.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthcomment/country-diary/8866765/Time-to-prey-on-predators.html
Wat really annoys me about RP is that he has a platform to many thousands of Telegraph readers, the majority who will not know the nuances of conservation and land management; and in this case he uses it to misinform.
In his piece he attributes the decline in British wildlife to the increase in predators or 'killing machines' and plays down the increase in 'intensive farming'.As someone whose job it is to talk to about managing their land for farmland birds, who has access to the latest scientific research and expert advice, I think I am well placed to join the argument.(In case RP reads this and has a pop at me!)
Just to be clear,I think predator numbers are an issue, particularly corvids, foxes and dare I say it, badgers. Cats are a real headache too, I love them but couldn't bring myself to have one, being such awesome hunters with no place in our ecosystem.
Last century there were far more gamekeepers than there are now and the lack of them certainly hinders ground nesting bird success in particular. BUT and its a big but, to dismiss intensive farming as a reason for wildlife decline is simplifying the argument in the extreme. Just to blame predators is too easy and too simplistic although it might allow some individuals to sleep better.
What's my justification?
Evidence of success following targeted habitat restoration.
RP states that "there are hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland in various 'green schemes' so why is our wildlife suffering?" YES but the uptake of the more complex options such as those providing food for farmland birds like sown wild bird seed mix, conservation headlands (where the outside of a cereal crop is not sprayed or fertilised), has up until recently been historically low. In the past schemes have suffered from not being targeted enough which is where the South West Farmland Bird Initiative (SWFBI) differs.
http://www.ccwwdaonb.org.uk/projects/farmland.htm
One example of success is with the grey partridge,one of my favourite birds that has declined by over 80% in the last 40 years.There are estates in the the UK who have had great success with bird numbers, one estate in Sussex has had great success with bird numbers over a 7 year period of habitat management.
Since 2003 the densities of red-listed birds as a group have increased by 39% per annum including wild grey partridge up 231% per annum; skylark up 155% and corn bunting up 17%. Legal control of predators such as foxes ands stoats is carried out, yet the estate is home to numerous raptors including marsh harrier,sparrowhawk, kestrel and buzzard which are free to roam and act as the 'killing machines' they have evolved to be.
So what's changed?
Plenty.The estate is no longer block cropped (where large areas are sown to one crop rather than have a traditional 'pathwork quilt' of different crops) and there are many more acres of food for birds in the shape of wild bird seed mixes and conservation headlands, essential for grey partridge. Fields have been sub divided by grass strips down the centre, called beetle banks creating nesting habitat and cover for g.partridge and skylark.There is also always plenty of cover - short thick hedgerows have been planted and lots of kale -gives the birds somewhere to hide from aeriel attack. Before all of this, there was just predator control on the estate and little habitat and g.partridge had almost disappeared.
conservation headland (L) next to barley crop being swept for insects
Climate Change?
Another example is research being carried out by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust on lapwing nesting plots - areas left bare in arable crops for the birds to nest on; the loss of wet grass and traditional fallow have robbed them of somewhere to breed. Obviously any bird nesting on the ground is extremely vulnerable to predation from all quarters and with a vulnerable population this is a real concern. However it seems that lack of breeding success is partly as a result of the chicks starving. Certainly the exceptionally warm, dry spring this year was disastrous for the birds - many insects they depend on were absent. Early dry springs are becoming more common so maybe we have to think about climate change as a factor in wildlife decline too along with changes in farming practice leading to less insects availability.
Finally RP lists the increase in raptor numbers particularly buzzard (545%) and sparrowhawks (99%) now doubt as the reason for the demise of various species. These birds are part of our country's wonderful suite of wildlife; without protection and the banning of DDT they both might now be extinct. Illegal persecution has pushed hen harriers to the brink of extinction in this country as it did with the sea eagle and red kite so to talk of predators in the unbalanced way, RP's article will not do the cause of nature conservation or those farmers and landowners trying to make a genuine difference for wildlife, any good at all.
Isn't it time we had a more balanced debate on this? Pest control is part of the equation but its not the answer for lost and degraded habitat.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthcomment/country-diary/8866765/Time-to-prey-on-predators.html
Wat really annoys me about RP is that he has a platform to many thousands of Telegraph readers, the majority who will not know the nuances of conservation and land management; and in this case he uses it to misinform.
In his piece he attributes the decline in British wildlife to the increase in predators or 'killing machines' and plays down the increase in 'intensive farming'.As someone whose job it is to talk to about managing their land for farmland birds, who has access to the latest scientific research and expert advice, I think I am well placed to join the argument.(In case RP reads this and has a pop at me!)
Just to be clear,I think predator numbers are an issue, particularly corvids, foxes and dare I say it, badgers. Cats are a real headache too, I love them but couldn't bring myself to have one, being such awesome hunters with no place in our ecosystem.
Last century there were far more gamekeepers than there are now and the lack of them certainly hinders ground nesting bird success in particular. BUT and its a big but, to dismiss intensive farming as a reason for wildlife decline is simplifying the argument in the extreme. Just to blame predators is too easy and too simplistic although it might allow some individuals to sleep better.
What's my justification?
Evidence of success following targeted habitat restoration.
RP states that "there are hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland in various 'green schemes' so why is our wildlife suffering?" YES but the uptake of the more complex options such as those providing food for farmland birds like sown wild bird seed mix, conservation headlands (where the outside of a cereal crop is not sprayed or fertilised), has up until recently been historically low. In the past schemes have suffered from not being targeted enough which is where the South West Farmland Bird Initiative (SWFBI) differs.
http://www.ccwwdaonb.org.uk/projects/farmland.htm
One example of success is with the grey partridge,one of my favourite birds that has declined by over 80% in the last 40 years.There are estates in the the UK who have had great success with bird numbers, one estate in Sussex has had great success with bird numbers over a 7 year period of habitat management.
Since 2003 the densities of red-listed birds as a group have increased by 39% per annum including wild grey partridge up 231% per annum; skylark up 155% and corn bunting up 17%. Legal control of predators such as foxes ands stoats is carried out, yet the estate is home to numerous raptors including marsh harrier,sparrowhawk, kestrel and buzzard which are free to roam and act as the 'killing machines' they have evolved to be.
So what's changed?
Plenty.The estate is no longer block cropped (where large areas are sown to one crop rather than have a traditional 'pathwork quilt' of different crops) and there are many more acres of food for birds in the shape of wild bird seed mixes and conservation headlands, essential for grey partridge. Fields have been sub divided by grass strips down the centre, called beetle banks creating nesting habitat and cover for g.partridge and skylark.There is also always plenty of cover - short thick hedgerows have been planted and lots of kale -gives the birds somewhere to hide from aeriel attack. Before all of this, there was just predator control on the estate and little habitat and g.partridge had almost disappeared.
Climate Change?
Another example is research being carried out by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust on lapwing nesting plots - areas left bare in arable crops for the birds to nest on; the loss of wet grass and traditional fallow have robbed them of somewhere to breed. Obviously any bird nesting on the ground is extremely vulnerable to predation from all quarters and with a vulnerable population this is a real concern. However it seems that lack of breeding success is partly as a result of the chicks starving. Certainly the exceptionally warm, dry spring this year was disastrous for the birds - many insects they depend on were absent. Early dry springs are becoming more common so maybe we have to think about climate change as a factor in wildlife decline too along with changes in farming practice leading to less insects availability.
Finally RP lists the increase in raptor numbers particularly buzzard (545%) and sparrowhawks (99%) now doubt as the reason for the demise of various species. These birds are part of our country's wonderful suite of wildlife; without protection and the banning of DDT they both might now be extinct. Illegal persecution has pushed hen harriers to the brink of extinction in this country as it did with the sea eagle and red kite so to talk of predators in the unbalanced way, RP's article will not do the cause of nature conservation or those farmers and landowners trying to make a genuine difference for wildlife, any good at all.
Isn't it time we had a more balanced debate on this? Pest control is part of the equation but its not the answer for lost and degraded habitat.
Friday 21 October 2011
A new way with nectar mix?
I have just visited a farmer with several plots of nectar mix – areas sown with flowering legumes, plants such as red clover, vetches and birds foot trefoil for the benefit of insects and bees. This is normally sown on its own or sometimes with grass although the recommendation now is normally without, as grass creeps in of its own accord replacing the valuable flowering plants and shortening the life of the mix.
This farmer does things a bit differently – he has been sowing a mix of oats and barley with the clover legume mix undersown. The idea is that competition from the cereals increases the growth rate of the legumes, which is particularly useful on the poor soils of this particular farm. By leaving the cereals in situ over winter, it also provides a food source for hungry birds. A similar method is used in forestry with quicker growing conifers acting as a nurse crop to broadleaved species.
The plan is to top off what remains of the cereal in the spring.
So far so good – the clover is coming through well despite challenging growing conditions and poor soils and there is plenty for the birds to eat this winter.
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