That's the question posed by the BTO in the most recent edition of their membership magazine - and the answer is no.
Analysis of BTO/JNCC/RSPB BBS data shows that only three of 19 farmland bird index species increased between 2005 and 2008 - and this week's update on the 2009 results shows that things are worse rather than better I would say. This is despite the fact that now around 60% of farmland in England is covered by Entry Level Stewardship.
The BTO article points out, as often done in this blog, that the uptake of proven in-field options within ELS is poor. It states 'Unfortunately, however, the most popular options are those involving field boundary management, such as hedge cutting regimes and grass margins. These might benefit hedgerow species, but do not help birds that primarily use open-field habitats much: options like skylark plots and conservation headlands were very rare'.
Hundreds of millions of pounds go into ELS, tens of thousands of farmers are involved, very few birds or other wildife species are benefitting. At a time when there are massive changes in the offing for the delivery of wildlife in the countryside and everything is supposed to be on the table, it would be remarkably remiss of Defra not to address rapidly the failings of the ELS.
And, as said before in this blog (I get points for consistency if not for originality!), the ELS is almost a wonderful scheme. It is wonderful because so many farmers have entered it, it is wonderful because it already has mostly the right options and it is wonderful because it is an example of that part of the CAP that aims to deliver value back to the taxpayer for their substantial payments to farming. It's wonderful too because in the right hands, such as on the RSPB's Hope Farm, it works spectacularly well!
ELS is wonderful because it has helped to treble skylark numbers on the RSPB's Hope Farm without affecting wheat yields. Done well, ELS is truly wonderful - but we aren't doing it well enough and that is a fault that this government needs to address urgently. I wonder whether it will?
In contrast, HLS delivers now and delivers well. HLS is the last place to look for cuts.
On the other hand mark RSPB made a lot of noise wanting farmers to cut hedges less often to leave berries in winter for birds which on dairy farms is one thing to claim for for ELS as no corn to leave skylark patches so they perhaps deserve credit for that but have not personally noticed any well done farmers less hedge cutting as Analin said a good compliment goes a long way,surely the birds have benefited from these extra berries or have we been misled by RSPB and everyone else.