RSPB Scotland is looking Scotland's most wildlife-friendly farmer

26/02/2009 09:33:43 RSPB launches 2009 Nature of farming competition.

February 2009. RSPB Scotland is looking for wildlife friendly farmers to enter the second annual Nature of Farming Awards. The competition will reward the Scottish farmer doing the most on their land for biodiversity with a cash prize, and they will automatically go forward to the UK finals, with the overall winner receiving £1000.

Mark O'Brien, Farm Advisory Manager with RSPB Scotland said: "The Nature of Farming Award is a chance for farmers to get recognition for doing their bit for rural biodiversity. We want to hear from the thousands of farmers who do a fantastic job of caring for the Scottish countryside and the wildife that relies on it. And of course we can offer advice on simple steps that farmers and land managers can take to provide better habitats for farmland birds."

2008 winner
Last year's Scottish winner, Patrick Bowden-Smith who farms in Fife, had a wide range of measures in place to encourage water voles, otters and invertebrates.

In Scotland, numbers of many farmland birds have reduced as suitable nesting habitat has disappeared and insect rich grassland has declined. However, many farmers have recently taken simple steps which can give wildlife a substantial boost. For instance, populations of corn buntings and corncrake in Scotland are showing some signs of recovery following years of decline. Much of our farmland wildlife finds life challenging and the actions of individual farmers across the UK can make a huge positive difference.

Nesting sites, and year round food
Wildlife-friendly management includes providing the 'big three' necessities of life for farmland birds: safe nest sites, summer food for hungry chicks and a plentiful supply of seeds in the winter. Insect populations can be boosted by creating or maintaining areas of nectar- and pollen-rich plants while all wildlife benefits from appropriate management of semi-natural habitats within farming systems.

Plants
Deborah Long, Conservation Manager at Plantlife Scotland says 'The health of Scotland's farmed landscape for wild plants and flowers is crucial for Scotland's wildlife, all of which depend on our native flora for food and habitat. With the continuing pressure of development and, with climate change, the drive to push more land into production, Scotland's wild plants need all the help they can get to maintain diverse and healthy populations. Farmers have a key role to play in ensuring favourite wild flowers like Cornflower and Devil's Bit Scabious have corners and corridors in which to thrive.'

Butterflies
Paul Kirkland, Director of Butterfly Conservation Scotland, said 'Farmers have a really important role in the welfare of rare and common butterflies and moths in Scotland. Maintaining areas of unimproved grassland, for example, enable populations of Common Blue and Small Copper to thrive. Butterfly Conservation works with farmers across Scotland to take small but crucially important management steps to help Scotland's butterflies.'

Farmland birds in the UK have declined by more than 50 per cent between 1970 and 2004.

Farmers have until March 31st to enter the competition, which rewards those safeguarding birds, bees, plants and butterflies which rely on sympathetic farming.The contest is run with the backing of BBC Countryfile Magazine, Butterfly Conservation and Plantlife, with an expert panel visiting the top 3 farms in Scotland. The Scottish winner goes on to the UK final, with the winner chosen by a public vote.

Examples of what farmers do for wildlife:

lapwings For lapwings, two-hectare areas left fallow and created by ploughing in autumn then leaving undisturbed until mid-July are ideal nesting sites. Short, tussocky, damp pastures are good nesting areas in pasture. Nesting areas should be in large open fields away from tall hedges or woodland, with adjacent damp areas for young to feed. Marking nests means they are not destroyed by machinery

corn buntings For corn buntings, farmers can increase insect numbers for young birds by leaving rough strips around fields to provide seed food in winter. Unharvested mixtures of seed-rich plants, including cereals, will boost winter food. Beneficial insects such as ground beetles will move from these areas into crops in the spring.

skylarks For skylarks, reducing mowing frequency and the amount of grazing on some fields, can help skylarks to nest successfully.

grey partidge Grey partridges, need a combination of rough grass margins and ‘beetle banks' - raised grass banks through the middle of large arable fields. The birds also need weed-rich areas or pastures with a high proportion of native plants for summer feeding, and stubbles or unharvested crops for winter-feeding.

breat butterfly-orchid Greater butterfly-orchid. Found in rough pasture and meadows, within scrub and open woodland. Farmers can manage grasslands through grazing and hay cutting, and open up woodlands through coppicing.

Small pearl-bordered fritillary. The small pearl-bordered fritillary lays its eggs on violets growing in rough moorland, wet flushes, or grassland with patches of bracken. It requires extensive cattle or sheep grazing to maintain medium-length vegetation in open sunny conditions.