Improving farmland biodiversity through successful environmental management will help to ensure the longevity of farmland habitats and wildlife.

Farmland biodiversity includes insects, worms, and microorganisms that provide vital ecosystem services, such as pollinating crops and breaking down organic matter in the soil. However, farmland biodiversity also includes birds, bats, reptiles, amphibians, and other protected species.

Maintaining farmland biodiversity is critical for healthy ecosystems. Several funding sources exist to improve/manage site biodiversity, particularly for farms.

Consumers and legislation are becoming increasingly demanding regarding biodiversity requirements. Many farmers must produce biodiversity plans to ensure their products are produced to the highest environmental standards and to help them operate more sustainable farming businesses.

Biodiversity Plan Approach

A biodiversity plan needs to include an ecology survey of the site to assess the ecological features on and around the farm and identify those that need to be protected and/or enhanced to encourage a wide variety of wildlife on the farmland.

The primary habitat survey can be carried out any time of year, but specialist surveys may be restricted to a specific survey period.

Phlorum can help produce a biodiversity plan by identifying management approaches that work for the individual farm business while increasing the availability of resources for wildlife, including food and shelter.

Approaches can include:

Habitat surveys

It is important to care for and manage the wildlife habitats already established on the farm. An ecology survey of the site should be the starting point for any biodiversity plan.

This will help assess what habitats on or around the site need protecting. The biodiversity plan will assess these habitats and provide a plan for maintaining or improving them, including the timing of works.

Field boundaries

Managing field boundaries, including hedges, tree lines and ditches can increase food and shelter for wildlife. Establishing new features can further enhance this.

Varied habitats

Providing varied pastures and flower-rich areas, which can support insects and other wildlife, can boost wildlife opportunities.

Winter bird food

Supplying a winter food resource for farmland birds.

The Team at Phlorum can assist with developing biodiversity plans for farms and other landowners.

Development Biodiversity Plan

Many infrastructure or development projects, including farms, are now required to produce biodiversity plans. These plans instruct the landowner about how the site is to be managed to ensure biodiversity within proposed development.

These documents are often required to obtain planning permission. They include detailed descriptions for contractors to manage the land and timetables for proposed works.

Increasingly, monitoring is required for long term management of these areas.

At Phlorum we are experienced in providing Biodiversity Plans for a range of projects from small residential developments to large energy infrastructure schemes.

Crucially, the biodiversity plans ensure that the development effectively manages the area for both the client’s required outcome and biodiversity within the scheme.