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.
