CROPPED LAND ACTION
PLAN
Compiled by the Northamptonshire Farming and Wildlife Advisory
Group
The Farmland Sub Group of the Northamptonshire Biodiversity
Partnership has developed this Action Plan. The Group consists of
representatives from Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group and the BAP Partners.
Key Partners: Private Sector BAP Partners
Voluntary Sector Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group
1 INTRODUCTION
Despite continued urban expansion,
Northamptonshire remains a rural county with agriculture as the major land use.
The actual cropped areas of Northamptonshire are as much a habitat as more
recognised wildlife features. Many species are totally reliant on the annual
disturbance of cultivation for suitable nesting and feeding areas. Others are
heavily reliant on finding sufficient food in fields for rearing young and
winter survival. Almost all forms of wildlife will make use of, or cross,
farmland. Agriculture also has a significant impact on environments ‘beyond the
farm gate’. Water quality in rivers and standing water can suffer as a result
of eutrophication caused by nutrient leaching. Much of south and west
Northamptonshire is classified as a nitrate vulnerable zone and blue-green
algae, exacerbated by high levels of phosphates, is a persistent problem at
Pitsford Reservoir.
Associated Plans:
Field Margins
and Beetle Banks
Hedgerows
Lowland
Calcareous Grassland
Lowland
Neutral Grassland
Acid Grassland
and Heathland
Brown Hare
Grey Partridge
2.1
Definitions
Cropped areas are defined as managed farmland
that is under arable production, or improved grassland leys.
2.2
Local Status
Approximately 80% of the county is in
commercial agricultural production.
3 CHARACTERISTIC SPECIES
3.1
National Priority Species
Brown Hare (Lepus capensis), Skylark (Alauda arvensis), Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra), Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) and Shepherds Needle (Scandix
pecten-veneris)
3.2
Local Priority Species
Broad-leaved
Spurge (Euphorbia platyphyllos) ,
Wild pansy (Viola tricolor) and Blue
pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis).
See Appendix 3 Farmland Priority Species for
full lists.
·
A widespread move to autumn sowing. Autumn sown
crops are higher yielding than spring sown ones and much of the county’s clay
soils are unsuitable for spring cultivation. This change has resulted in the
decline of winter stubbles (which formerly provided a rich source of food for
over wintering birds) and spring crops (which are more suitable for ground
nesting birds such as Skylark and Lapwing).
·
Increased use and effectiveness of
agrochemicals. Historically, arable fields would have provided a rich habitat
with numerous weeds and invertebrates supporting large populations of farmland
birds. Improvements in crop husbandry and technology mean that this is no
longer the case. Populations of once common farmland birds have collapsed and
once problematic arable weeds are now some of our rarest plants.
·
A combination of many factors has led to
increased farm specialisation. Mixed farming has declined in the county as the
arable area has expanded. This has led to the loss of grassland and under-sown
crops and the increase in simplified rotations and the use of block cropping
techniques, resulting in large areas of monoculture.
·
The recent sustained pressure on the economics
of livestock production is a major concern as farmers move to arable
specialisation.
·
Widespread improvement of grasslands. Land
drainage, re-sowing and use of fertilisers have reduced the area of unimproved
pastures and meadows to a tiny fraction of their former extent. Improved,
short-term leys support lower populations of invertebrates and farmland birds
due to their lower plant diversity and increased frequency of disturbance.
·
Widespread moves to silage rather than hay
cutting. Hay meadows would have supported ground nesting birds and provided
numerous feeding opportunities for a very wide range of birds, mammals and
invertebrates. Silage fields do not support as great a diversity of fauna as
traditional hay meadows.
·
Set-Aside. Brought in as a production control
mechanism, Set-Aside has had considerable benefits to farmland biodiversity.
Fixed Set-Aside enables margins to be established or areas of grassland to be
put back into arable landscapes. Rotational Set-Aside allows stubble to remain
undisturbed through the winter and provides ideal nesting bird habitat in
spring. Wild bird cover crops provide a rich source of seeds for wild farmland
birds as well as reared game birds.
·
Increased awareness of the issues. Considerable
research by a wide range of organisations has increased understanding of the
requirements of different species and how they can best be conserved.
·
Consumer demands and retailer requirements.
Many of the large retailers are now encouraging suppliers to consider
environmental issues. This is currently more active in the fresh produce
market, but is likely to expand to produce more relevant in Northamptonshire
(meat and cereals).
·
Increasing interest in Integrated Crop
Management (ICM) and ‘Precision Farming’.
These techniques encourage farmers to tolerate a proportion of arable
weeds in a crop, only resorting to spraying when the weed proportion passes a
particular threshold. ICM in particular emphasises the benefits of active
rotations.
·
Increasing interest in organic production. This
remains a very minor system in Northamptonshire at the moment, but is likely to
expand. Research has consistently found that populations of farmland birds are
higher on organic farms.
·
Advice for farmers from Farming and Wildlife
Advisory Group, Game Conservancy Trust and RSPB.
·
Countryside Stewardship. A pilot Arable
Stewardship scheme is currently being evaluated in specific areas of the
country (not in Northamptonshire). This may make payments available in the
future for systems and operations of benefit to farmland biodiversity (eg.
spring cropping, wild bird food crops).
·
6. CROPPED LAND
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS
|
|
OBJECTIVE |
ACTION |
LEAD AGENCY |
PARTNERS |
TARGETS |
|
6.1 |
Policy and Legislation |
||||
|
|
Objective One: Ensure that BAP species and their habitats
are given an appropriate level of protection in local plans |
Include habitat and species protection
policies in local plans and/or supplementary guidance |
Local Authorities |
|
By 2003 |
|
|
Objective Two: Increase funding for agri-environment schemes that benefit the
biodiversity of cropped land |
Lobby central government and the EU |
BAP Partners |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Country Landowners
Association |
Increased funding by 2004 |
|
|
Objective Three: Increase the contribution that
agri-environment schemes can make to enhancing farmland biodiversity |
Lobby for increased flexibility within
Countryside Stewardship and/or the extension of Arable Stewardship areas and
increased flexibility of set-aside |
RSPB |
Wildlife Trust, Farming and Wildlife Advisory
Group |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
6.2 |
Site Safeguard and Management |
||||
|
|
Objective Four: Conserve rare arable plants |
Establish a nature
reserve for the conservation of arable weeds |
Wildlife Trust |
|
By 2003 |
|
|
|
Identify areas of
the county where potential interest could be highest |
Wildlife Trust |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group,
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
By 2003 |
|
|
|
Increase the
length/area of ‘conservation headlands’ and/or ‘annual cultivation margins’
through Countryside Stewardship |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group |
Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs, Land agents, Landowners |
Increase the length of conservation headlands
by 5 km/yr. |
|
|
Objective Five: Conserve key farmland birds |
Encourage wider use
of spring cropping |
RSPB |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Farmers
and managers |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
|
|
Encourage greater use of wild bird food crops
on Northamptonshire farms |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group/Land
Agents |
Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs |
Increase the length of conservation headlands
by 5 km/yr. |
|
|
|
Encourage flexible use of the existing
Set-Aside Scheme to increase the value for farmland biodiversity |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group/Land
Agents |
RSPB |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
6.3 |
Advisory |
||||
|
|
Objective Six: Ensure that a comprehensive advisory service is available to land
managers |
Increase the availability of low cost, high quality advisory
services to farmers and landowners on cropped land management for wildlife |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group |
Local Authorities, Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs |
Appoint a second Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group advisor by
2003 |
|
|
|
Ensure that independent consultants/ land
agents are fully involved in the county biodiversity plan and are kept
informed of changing priorities |
County Council |
|
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
|
|
Provide training for farmers, possibly
through The new ‘Vocational Training Scheme’ |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group |
Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs, English Nature, Moulton College |
3 events/yr. Starting in 2002 |
|
|
|
Encourage local agronomists and land agents
to value and promote biodiversity |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group |
RSPB |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
6.4 |
Future Research and Monitoring |
||||
|
|
Objective Seven: Develop bird monitoring programmes |
Encourage more farmers to become involved
with the RSPB ‘Volunteer & Farmer Alliance’ project |
RSPB |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, BAP
Partners, Land agents |
10 farms/yr starting in 2001. |
|
|
Objective Eight: Determine the usage of game cover crops by
farmland birds |
Disseminate findings of joint British Trust
for Ornithology / Game Conservancy Trust survey work |
Game Conservancy Trust/ British Trust for
Ornithology |
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, RSPB |
By 2002 and Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
6.5 |
Communications and Publicity |
||||
|
|
Objective Nine: Promote the wildlife value of the farmland
habitat |
Organise farm
walks, events and training courses |
Farming and
Wildlife Advisory Group |
All |
Throughout Action Plan Period |
|
|
Objective Ten: Publicise the progress made in delivering
this Action Plan in a BAP Annual Report |
|
|
BAP Partners |
Annual |