Balfour Winery Sustainability Report 2022 (1) - Flipbook - Page 7
The placement of bird boxes around the estate.
We have put up bird boxes for the local bird life. Bird Houses are often called
nesting boxes because they provide a safe place for birds to build their nests,
protected from the elements and predators. In the winter months, they give
visiting birds a place to snuggle together for warmth away from the cold air.
A diverse and robust community of bird species, from small bird such as Blue Tits
to large predatory birds such as Buzzards is fundamental to the functioning of
the ecosystems in which they live, eating fruit, spreading seeds, and controlling
insect and rodent populations.
The spillover effect for vineyards is the same community of birds can help reduce
pest pressure within the vineyard, by preying on pests that feed on the grapevine
and its fruit. However, there is a balance to be found, as the same birds can also
threaten grapes close to harvest.
Native plants and hedgerows around the estate.
We use native plants and hedging rather than fences and wire where possible.
Native plants are food and habitat for native animals, as part of a biodiverse
ecosystem. Promoting native plants, both in quantity and diversity, is a
foundational pillar of ecosystem restoration and conservation. Re. hedgerows,
their role is well documented, and act in a similar way to field margin strips. They
can be important in linking different habitats whilst also providing a habitat for
specific plant and animal species. They also can act a buffer zone and help to
break up what can easily become an homogenous landscape (as viticulture is a
monoculture).
