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The Sustainable Farming Initiative: Whole Farm Conservation Plans

 


WildCRU's new Sustainable Farming Initiative aims to restore biodiversity to the UK at a landscape scale*. Previous agri-environment schemes concentrated on existing areas of high biodiversity value, and relied on farmers coming forward to participate; this often resulted in disjointed conservation efforts. Agri-environment schemes have now been revised to allow all farmers to take part, and our project recruits previously excluded farmers whose farms may be key to achieving better habitat connectivity across farms, and, as a result, more effective biodiversity conservation. Our success hinges on engaging farmers, and to do so our team (including WildCRU, FWAG and BBOWT) uses an approach that proved enormously successful in our pilot study on Chichester Coastal Plain; we offer farmers free help including a Whole Farm Conservation Plan and advice on grants that may be available to them. [*see separate profile: The Upper Thames Project – Farming for Biodiversity]


Why is this project important?

Intensive farming pressure over the last 50 years has resulted in fragmentation of habitats on farmland and marginalisation of the wildlife they once supported. The process of habitat degradation and fragmentation is recognised as a major factor in the decline of British biodiversity and in the increase in number of species considered to be rare. Our challenge is to restore wildlife species and their habitats across farmland. We believe that this will be best achieved through a landscape approach that aims to link local populations, by enhancing the connectivity of habitat across neighbouring farms, rather than by working with local populations in isolation.

What are we doing?

The success of this project relies on enlisting the support and co-operation of members of the farming community that are not already participating in agri-environment schemes. Non-participation may be a result of farmers not actively having sought to take part, or because they were not previously eligible. All farmers are now entitled to government grants in return for conservation efforts, but they are still required to come forward proactively. In our successful pilot study on the Chichester Coastal Plain in Sussex (2000-2003), we discovered that the best way to persuade farmers to take part in conservation is to help them, and that financial assistance is a particularly important incentive. Our team of ecologists, and farming and wildlife experts (WildCRU, FWAG, BBOWT) are offering farmers a funded service.




First, we identify and approach farms whose position or features mean that they could contribute to improving habitat connectivity at a landscape level, e.g. farms adjacent to valuable habitat, or farms with important features, such as ponds. Provided the farmer is interested, we arrange a farm visit, at which we conduct an audit of biodiversity and, if required, of farm management practices. We then produce a Whole Farm Conservation Plan (WFCP) including a laminated map showing sensitive habitats and suggesting where proactive habitat enhancement should be targeted. For instance, the work might help improve the connectivity of the floodplain with its backwaters, ponds, wet grassland, marshes, reedbeds and ditch network. Woodland planting schemes, hedgerow restoration and grassland management may also be prescribed. We then offer farmers a free Grant Search service, to highlight potential sources of funding, to which they may be entitled, for implementing our habitat enhancement recommendations. As habitat enhancements are carried out, we will test their effectiveness through comparative trials that measure their impact on biodiversity.

How is this project making a difference?

Deliverables

We aim to make real biodiversity gains through the implementation of Whole Farm Conservation Plans, devised to maximise habitat connectivity on a landscape scale. Findings will be published in both the scientific and conservation press.

Cascade effects

Our results will inform policy and advice given by government agencies and other advisory organisations. Our ultimate goal is to develop guidelines aimed at farmers, land managers and their advisors (FWAG, DEFRA, Wildlife Trusts), on best farming practice for biodiversity.

How can you help?

We plan to recruit 60-80 farms to the Upper Thames Project through a rolling programme initially over five years (2004-2008). We need to be able to offer our entire Whole Farm Conservation Plan service to each farmer at no cost. The full service, including biodiversity surveys and audit, WFCP production and Grant Search, costs £1,600 per farm. You could help us to restore diversity to the countryside by donating funds that enable us to enrol farmers in conservation schemes by offering them this service.

We aim to take a landscape approach to the conservation of mammals by linking habitat between farms

YOU CAN HELP THIS PROJECT
Target to be raised
£1.6K per farm (60-80 farms)

You can find out about the budget for this project by contacting us. See our contact details.

If you are interested in finding out more about the science involved in this project, we would be happy to send you further information.

WildCRU is part of the University of Oxford, a tax- exempt charity. To maximise tax benefits to both donors and WildCRU, please see Donations.

Principal funders of some rib studies
The Tubney Charitable Trust
Mammals Trust UK
Oxford University Research Development Fund
Peoples Trust for Endangered Species
The Esmee Fairbairn Trust
Martin Wills Wildlife Maintenance Trust

Partners
FWAG
BBO Wildlife Trust
DEFRA
The Environment Agency
Oxfordshire County Council
Natural England.