CLM20-2 full issue-1 - Flipbook - Page 19
Measuring conservation success on farmland
The low-input non-organic
system works particularly
well for ground-nesting birds,
such as skylark – in organic
systems, mechanical weeding is
highly disruptive to any birds
nesting in the crop, while highinput conventional systems
deplete insect populations
through the use of insecticides,
reducing foraging opportunities.
We firmly believe that birds
should be present across the
cropped land, not confined to
edge features and corners. As
farmland occupies some 70% of
the British landscape, if all fields
The combination of mosaic cropping, the small size of each field and the
presence of natural predators, such as the predatory larvae of hoverflies,
hold dense bird populations we
has helped to supress the abundance of insect pests and avoid the need
will have a landscape bursting
for insecticides. Vince Lea
with life.
The CRT is keen to demonstrate these
benchmarked, however, offers clear evidence of
techniques to any farmers or land managers
our success and also highlights areas where we
interested in achieving similar success, and we are
could do better.
open to visits or discussion from all. Likewise,
Starling is a notable example, with just one
Redlist Revival and the Life Map are available
nesting pair recorded in 2021 at Westfield, and
for any practitioners in land management to
small numbers seen visiting the ’98 Land to
participate in freely, and we hope that readers will
forage. With the knowledge that this species’
register their interest.
numbers on site are perhaps not as healthy as
they could be, we can now consider creating
areas of shorter grazed turf where the birds can
References
Field, R. H., & Gregory, R. D. 1999. Measuring population
forage, while also providing suitable nestboxes
changes from the Breeding Bird Survey. Research Report
to build this small population. Lapwings,
No. 217. British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford.
at 10% performance, could perhaps also
Shrubb, M. 2003. Bird, Scythes and Combines: A History
be improved. This species has only recently
of Birds and Agricultural Change. Cambridge University
colonised Lark Rise Farm, with a small but
Press, Cambridge.
Stanbury, A. J., et al. 2021. The status of our bird
growing population of up to four pairs, but
populations: the fifth Birds of Conservation Concern in
the rate of increase is likely to be slow – unlike
the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man
for some of the highly fecund species, such as
and second IUCN Red List assessment of extinction risk
skylark and grey partridge, which have responded
for Great Britain. British Birds 114: 723–747.
rapidly and positively to our farming practices.
Williamson, K., & Homes, R. C. 1964. Methods and
The inclusion of broadleaved crops, such as
preliminary results of the Common Birds Census, 1962–
63. Bird Study 11: 240–256.
oilseed rape and field beans, could probably
have a positive impact on species such as linnet
Edward Darling (e-mail: edward.darling@
and yellow wagtail, respectively. Research into
redlistrevival.org) is creator of the Life Map
ways to grow these crops in the face of prolific
and CEO of Redlist Revival. Vince Lea (e-mail:
broadleaved weeds and high numbers of pest
vlea@countrysiderestorationtrust.com) works
species (notably cabbage stem flea beetle, but also
part-time for the CRT as the Head of Wildlife
slugs and woodpigeons in some years) is needed,
Monitoring, and coordinates and supports
as these would make valuable additions to our
volunteers involved with monitoring. Tim Scott is
a tenant farmer for the CRT.
mosaic of crops.
Conservation Land Management Summer 2022 | Vol. 20 No. 2 17
