Wild Isles – Farming and conservation in England

Main image: Yellowhammer feeding on grain at RSPB Hope Farm (c) Andy Hay/RSPB Images

Did you see the incredible people farming for wildlife on the Grassland’s episode of Wild Isles? Nature friendly farming can help us bring back lost biodiversity across farmland landscapes. Around 75% of UK land is covered by agriculture, and we’ve been working closely with farmers across England to help boost butterfly, bee and bird populations through farmland conservation methods and we practice nature-friendly farming on our own reserves too. 

We’ve been wildlife friendly farming at RSPB Hope Farm in Cambridgeshire for the past 23 years. The 181 hectare farm has proven invaluable as a site for not only demonstrating how it is possible to farm for food and balance the needs of nature, but it’s also been instrumental in developing wildlife friendly farming techniques and influencing farmers to implement them. 

Examples of work include:  

• growing spring-sown crops and implementing nesting plots to help provide feeding sites for Skylark and Lapwing 
• direct drilling into soil and using the plough as little as possible helps to maintain an ecosystem underground, allowing more invertebrates to thrive which in turn means more food for birds 
• running trials of cover crops and compost across 70 hectares of the farm to fertilise and improve organic matter in the soil – putting these methods under the microscope to scrutinise the impact on soil, invertebrates, birds, and farm business  
• participating in a project to investigate the effects of wildflower strips on soil health, crop pest predators, pollinating insects and crop yield  

Agroforestry trial at RSPB Hope Farm (c) Ben Andrew/RSPB Images

What else is the RSPB doing to help? 

RSPB Hope Farm carefully looks at ways in which farming and nature can exist in harmony. Currently the farm is running an agroforestry trial. This involves the planting of fruit and nut trees within strips of wildflowers. It has been shown that planting wildflower strips increase beneficial insects, which could help to pollinate crops and protect them from pests. This in turn may help to remove the need for insecticides. This trial is going to see how the trees may work to diversify the forms of food production on the farm, within these wildflower strips. It may help to create a more diverse farm business and help reduce the farm’s carbon footprint. Outcomes of this trial will all be monitored to support evidence for nature and carbon-friendly farming. RSPB Hope Farm is a prime example of how nature friendly farming can turn a profit whilst working with nature and can be used as an example to leaders and those who make their living from the land to show that nature friendly farming can work, and work really well, in practice. 

How important are volunteers and working in partnership with others to the work at RSPB Hope Farm?

The farm has a number of dedicated volunteers that help with the day to day running of the site. “Volunteers and working in partnership with others, is a huge part of our work to monitor the impacts of nature-friendly farming”, says Site Manager Georgina Bray. “We have amazing groups who help in our agroforestry trial, planting trees and monitoring the impact that our work has on nature. We work with other organisations on multi-site, field-scale trials, to improve our understanding of how we can work with nature to sustainably farm long term across the UK.” 

Skylark on farmland (c) Ben Andrew/RSPB Images

How can I help? 

Together, we have the power to make a real difference to our grasslands and their precious wildlife – as shoppers, farmers, businesses and leaders. Find out more about how buying Fair to Nature food products can help  on our without nature there is no food webpage.  

Want to create a mini garden grassland? We’ve lots of tips and tricks for creating wildflower meadow on our website: Create a wildflower meadow | The RSPB 

Let’s pass our wild isles on to the next generation in better shape than we inherited them.