Working with wildlife

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, and it is fundamental to our survival. Maintaining this diversity of species and habitats, as well as the sustainable use of resources is essential to protect the planet for future generations.

In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a concerning special report claiming that we have a decade to enforce greenhouse mitigation measures to prevent a global temperature rise of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Failing this would result in some irreversible impacts including the melting of ice caps and glaciers, and a knock-on effect whereby wildfires, the die-off of trees, the drying of peatlands and the thawing of permafrost release additional carbon emissions, amplifying the warming further.

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On a national scale, the latest State of Nature report revealed that the nation's wildlife is continuing to decline at an alarming rate. This has been driven by a number of factors, including urbanisation, agriculture, pollution and climate change. Since the 1970s, it has been shown that 41% of all UK species studied have declined. On a species-specific level, since the 1950s the number of European hedgehogs have declined by 95%, while turtle doves have fallen by 98% and common toad populations have seen a reduction of 68%. 

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Unfortunately, recreating large expanses of natural habitat is not realistic for most parts of the UK. The Making Space for Nature report by Professor Sir John Lawton called for “more, bigger, better, joined” sites. This report extended conservation thinking beyond nature reserves, and addressed the issue of fragmentation. The creation of corridors and stepping stones allows species and their genes to move between sites as part of a larger ecological network, supporting species survival in an increasingly fragmented landscape. We believe that by taking this landscape-scale approach into consideration, Got Greens Farm will help to contribute to the ability of the wider ecological network to tackle climate change.

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Therefore, we consider our impact on nature with every decision we make, in the hopes that we can be part of the solution. Regenerative agriculture has the ability of reversing some of the damage done to the planet by conventional farming practices and global warming. We aim to optimise the site by increasing biodiversity and making it more resilient to the changing climate, and ultimately creating a sustainable, self-sufficient and regenerative system. We will grow produce using holistic methods that benefit the land, leaving it in a better condition than we found it.

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It is important to acknowledge that the semi-improved grassland site already has valuable features, such as tussocky grassland which is ideal for reptiles, amphibians and small mammals. The hedgerows and bramble are also a vital habitat offering protection for numerous species, such as nightingales, robins, wrens, thrushes, blackbirds, warblers, finches, whitethroats and long-tailed tits, as well as buff arches and fox moths.

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The trees on site provide life to countless species and play an important role in reducing flooding and soil erosion. They also act as carbon stores, slowing the rate of global warming. Finally, they reduce wind speeds and cool the air as they lose moisture and reflect heat upwards from their leaves.

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The common nettle is one of the most important native plants for wildlife in the UK and supports over 40 species of insect, including butterflies, so we leave them be where possible.

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There are a number of plans in the works to enhance the site for wildlife. We have lost 97% of our wildflower meadows since the 1930s, making them one of the rarest habitats in the UK. For that reason, we will create our own wildflower area. By allowing wildflowers to grow and set seed, it will create an important habitat for countless species. For example, common bird’s-foot trefoil alone is a food plant for 160 species of insects, which in turn supports mammals and birds such as skylarks and lapwings. Once the wildflower meadow is established, we will manage it accordingly with the suitable timing of cutting and the collection of grass.

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One of the best ways we can encourage wildlife to the site is through the creation of a pond. Ponds provide a fresh water source and are an important habitat for a number of species including invertebrates, newts, grass snakes, frogs, toads and birds. It will also attract natural pest controllers and pollinators, which will subsequently boost productivity of the market garden.

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We have begun to lay the existing hedgerows of the site using the North Somerset style, and this will continue in the winter months when trees and shrubs are dormant, and birds have finished nesting. Hedgerows provide food sources and nest sites for a huge variety of insects, birds and mammals. They can also help prevent soil erosion, capture pollutants, and allow wildlife to move more freely across the countryside. By managing the hedges by laying, the trees are encouraged to regenerate, thus extending their life, and that of the hedge as a whole. It also creates a constant supply of new, bushy growth, providing cover for a greater number of species.

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We will also be filling gaps in the existing hedges, by planting native whips and with dead hedging using waste green material.

We will be installing a number of refuges for wildlife all around the site:

• Bird boxes

• Bat boxes

• Hibernaculum (underground chambers that amphibians and reptiles can use throughout the winter to protect themselves from the cold)

• Bug hotels

• Hedgehog houses

• Corrugated sheets for slow worms

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Throughout the farm we will incorporate a variety of wildlife friendly plants that will benefit the soil and the wider ecosystem. More specifically, we will grow plants that flower at different times throughout the year to extend the availability of pollen and nectar sources for pollinators. Furthermore, we will plant shrubs that produce berries in winter for birds, increasing food availability in these challenging months.

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Planting an orchard will not only provide a great supply of produce in the long term, they also serve as a beneficial habitat for native wildlife. In 2007, traditional orchards were designated as priority habitats under the UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan. This is because orchards support a wide range of wildlife with the mosaic of habitats they provide, including fruit trees, hedgerows, scrub, non-fruit trees, fallen dead wood and associated features such as ponds and streams.

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We will endeavour to restore the health and microbiota of the soil on the site. This will not only improve efficiency of the market garden but will allow us to sequester large amounts of carbon into the soil, reduce the risk of soil erosion and increase overall soil resilience.

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Alongside these measures, we will be consistently monitoring the wildlife that utilise the site, creating an ongoing catalogue. It will be key to monitor existing wildlife populations to assess change over time. This will allow us to improve our management for nature using evidence-based practice. Some of the surveys we plan to undertake include:

• Trail cams to survey a number of species, such as foxes, badgers, hedgehogs, owls and deer

• Plant survey

• Bat survey - using a bat detector to assess whether bats are present and if so, which species.

• Invite local wildlife groups for specific species (e.g. fungus, plants, reptiles, amphibians) to do a survey of the site

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We aim to create a welcoming space that brings the community together, encourages nature connection and inspires others to grow their own food. We also want to provide the local community with greater access to nutritious food with minimal food miles and to provide an urban green space for health and wellbeing. Ultimately, through public involvement we hope to empower the local community to take action for nature.

We hope to create a food system that will stand the test of time and prove resilient against future challenges the world may face.

 

Do come along and follow our journey from field to farm.

 

Reference List

Hambler, C. and Canney, S. (2013) Conservation. Cambridge [etc.]: Cambridge University Press. UK Biodiversity Action Plan; Priority Habitat Descriptions. BRIG (ed. Ant Maddock).

Hayhow, D.B., Eaton, M.A., Stanbury, A.J. et al. (2019) State of nature 2019. State of Nature Partnership, 107pp.

IPCC (2018) Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty.

JNCC (2019) UK BAP Priority Habitats. https://jncc.gov.uk/our-work/uk-bap-priority-habitats/

Lawton, J.H., Brotherton, P.N.M., Brown, V.K. et al. (2010) Making Space for Nature: a review of England’s wildlife sites and ecological networks. Report to Defra.

Plantlife (2017) Real action needed to save our vanishing meadows. https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/about-us/news/real-action-needed-to-save-our-vanishing-meadows

Regeneration International (2019) Why regenerative agriculture? https://regenerationinternational.org/why-regenerative-agriculture/

Theodorou, P., Radzevičiūtė, R., Lentendu, G. et al. (2020) Urban areas as hotspots for bees and pollination but not a panacea for all insects. Nat Commun 11, 576. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14496-6