While the addition of new measures on farms to encourage biodiversity is important, it is also critical that existing habitats are also protected. This is often because the retention of existing habitats typically delivers more ecological benefits in comparison to newly created habitats. Therefore, farmers should firstly aim to optimise current habitats before adding new ones.

Wildlife habitats provide important benefits, known as ecosystem services – to agricultural systems. Therefore, farming depends on biodiversity to carry out important services. These include:

  • Nutrient cycling within the soil.
  • Flood retention.
  • Regulation of pests and diseases.
  • Pollination.
  • Carbon storage.
  • Existing habitats should be protected from intensive agricultural management, while some semi-natural habitats may benefit from reduced management, for example, light grazing of extensive grasslands will stop the area from scrubbing over.

    Habitats such as hedgerows benefit from a reduction in management, and changing cutting practices to have a tall hedgerow structure with flowering trees provides many benefits for biodiversity.

    Although you are permitted to cut hedgerow from 1 September, remember that autumn is an important time for wildlife as they build their food stores for the winter. Hedges at this time of year are full of fruit and berries so if possible hold off hedgerow cutting until later in the season.

    Avoiding slurry, fertiliser and herbicide application along field and watercourse margins is also beneficial for biodiversity and water quality.

    If there is a lack of existing habitats on a farm, new measures can be implemented to provide benefits for biodiversity.

    Some keys ways to encourage biodiversity on farm include:

  • Providing link areas for wildlife through green corridors such as field margins, meadows, ponds, trees and hedgerows.
  • Creating a rough margin around fields to provide cover for small mammals and allow rough grass strips alongside streams and rivers to buffer wildlife from agricultural activities.
  • On arable ground, retain winter stubble and consider planting a wild bird cover crop.
  • Planting native hedgerows and trees.
  • Maintaining existing native hedgerows and allowing them to flower.