Farming with nature: seven ways to boost biodiversity on farms

In this episode we chat with Rob Drummond, NatureScot's Farming with Nature Project Officer, who is also a farmer, and Robert Dale, who manages Lochhouses Farm in East Lothian. We discuss the importance of increasing biodiversity, nature habitats, and species on farms and crofts.

Rob also takes us through seven straightforward ways to increase nature on farms and crofts, and Robert shares the tangible benefits he's witnessed first-hand from ‘farming with nature’ for 30 years.

More Information

Biodiversity Audit for crofters and farmers

Farming with Nature - supporting sustainable food production, climate and nature

Scotland's Agri-Environment and Climate Scheme

Transcript

Kirstin:

Hi, and welcome to Make Space for Nature from NatureScot, the podcast that celebrates Scotland's nature, landscapes and species. I'm Kirstin Guthrie, and in each episode, we'll help you learn more about our amazing natural world. In this episode, Tim Hancox and I chat to Rob Drummond, a Farming with Nature project officer at NatureScot, who's also a farmer himself, and Robert Dale, a farmer at Lochhouse's Farm in East Lothian, about the importance of increasing biodiversity, nature habitats and species on farms and crofts. Rob takes us through seven straightforward ways to increase nature on the land, and Robert tells us about the benefits he's seen first-hand on his farm from farming with nature for 30 years.   

So, hi, Rob. Thanks for joining us today on the Make Space for Nature podcast. Could you tell us why it's important for farmers to increase biodiversity and what exactly does that mean? 

Rob:

Hi, Kirstin. Firstly, thank you for inviting me on. Reflecting on biodiversity and management decisions on farm is important for all habitats and species as loss of nature affects everyone. It helps contribute to a stable climate, crop pollination, preventing flooding, soil erosion and maintains and protects clean waterways. It's important that 70 percent of Scotland's land is managed for agriculture and will be affected by climate extremes. Managing farms alongside nature can help mitigate climate change and tackle biodiversity loss, and brings benefits to the soil, water and produce being grown on-farm.

Kirstin:

Great. The fact is that there's news everywhere about the significant loss of nature, particularly in Scotland. Can we see that in the landscape? Or even in the sounds of nature that we perhaps don't hear anymore? 

Rob:

Yeah. Biodiversity has declined significantly over the last 70 years and in 2019, the State of Nature Scotland report recorded a 24 percent reduction in biodiversity abundance in Scotland between 1994 and 2019. But it's important to remember that thousands of farmers are working to increase nature on their farms and are already integrating biodiversity on-farm and benefiting nature as well as their businesses. It means I meet them regularly.

Kirstin:

Brilliant. And just on that, I mentioned in the introduction that you are a farmer as well as working for NatureScot.  Can you tell us what you farm yourself?

Rob:

Yeah, I run a small organic dairy herd of about 60 Ayrshire cows, and a spring calving grass-based system. All cows are in calf to beef sire this year, so we start calving about the end of February for 12 weeks. So, about to get very busy on that farm front.

Kirstin:

Brilliant. So you certainly know your stuff, you are actually, as I say, a farmer. So, can you tell us what you're doing in your NatureScot role as well, and that can help biodiversity loss on farming.

Rob:

Yes, our team in Farming with Nature are developing a biodiversity audit tool through an app for farmers to use to see what is on their land. That knowledge can help them manage for nature in the future. Robert Dale at Lochhouse's Farm, who you are going to be talking to later, is one of the group of farmers who are helping us test mapping and habitat monitoring using the FarmBioScot app. The farmers I meet are often already increasing nature and seeing the benefits.  But we want everyone to be able to carry out as easily as possible for their farm. The aim is to tie in with future changes to agricultural support that are coming over the next few years.

Tim:

That's great. Thanks so much, Rob. Can you talk us through the seven ways that farmers can increase biodiversity on their land? And are those ways going to be costly at all?

Rob:

Really simple ways don't have to cost much, but funding is available through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme from the Scottish Government and there's also the grant scheme as well for where woodland or hedges might be involved.

Firstly, keeping areas of species-rich grassland and uncut field margins and corners. They support a wide range of food sources for essential pollinators and provide forage for livestock. These areas do need cut and grazed to avoid the build-up of thatched material choking out the following year's growth, so they are still potentially contributing to the farm enterprises. These aren't areas of unproductive, but just contribute in a different way. They will provide space for native plants, and can act as habitat for natural pest controls and store carbon as well.

Flooding is an important issue for farmers as well, so our second way is to retain existing wetland habitats and where possible re-wet or create wetlands in areas of low productivity. This can help reduce localised flooding, even on the same holding, if they are upstream from areas prone. Adding buffer strips to wetlands to protect water from pollutants and provide habitat for waders, amphibians, water-loving insects and diverse plant species adds to the value of these areas.

Number three is looking after our hedges, and if possible, plant new ones. Hedgerows provide vital wildlife habitats and corridors across farmland. They help protect soil and soak up carbon. Filling in gaps in hedges, not cutting annually, and avoiding cutting to the same point year after year helps hedge condition. If you can, plant new hedges with native species. Fast-growing species, like dog rose, is great to fill gaps and add species variety, which can give life-saving shelter to stock during poor weather and food sources for birds, insects and mammals throughout the year.

Tim:

Yes, I was just thinking about the birds, as we'll be heading to spring before we know it, and particularly nesting birds. Are there any more hedge species that you'd suggest?

Rob:

Yes, species with abundant flowering like crab apple, hawthorn and blackthorn are good options, as once established, they'll provide habitat for insects and these in turn support the bird life through the food chain.

So, our fourth way is to introduce legumes and herbal lays into grassland. Use legumes such as clover, vetches or trefoil and introduce herbs to your grassland rotations. Nitrogen-fixing legumes help build soil fertility, reduce the need of artificial fertilisers, lowering input costs and improving farm resilience. Legumes help provide essential habitats for pollinators and support local biodiversity.  Varying the root depth in sword using a wide variety of species in a mix will help soil biodiversity, health and structure as well.

Fifth way is to manage existing woodlands and, if possible, plant new ones using native trees. Woodlands store carbon, help protect soils from wind and water erosion and reduce the risk of floods, and support biodiversity. Planting shelter belts also protect against extreme weather conditions, reduce lamb losses by up to 30 percent. Consider agroforestry and incorporating livestock or crops with trees, but what's maybe easier to begin with is planting low-productive areas and any steeper slopes. If a business is considering this, they should look into the Forestry Grant Scheme for funding support.

Kirstin:

Can I just ask a question on that one actually - so you talk about native trees, is there any particular species again you'd recommend for farmers to plant?

Rob:

It's fairly specific, or maybe location-specific as well. But again, looking at what's already round about, like elder or elm, or, well ash is less appropriate obviously with the issues with dieback, but look at the native woodland that's round about the local area and go with those species, is probably the best advice I could give.

Kirstin:

Excellent, that's good advice. 

Rob:

The sixth point would be to aim to improve your soil organic matter by adding organic material from animals or plants. Soil organic matter supports biodiversity above and below ground. Earthworms are the obvious indicators of good soil quality. Less obvious is microbial life that is vital to soil chemistry. Improving organic matter will help improve soil texture, water infiltration and retention, and carbon storage, potentially supporting greater farm profitability.

Kirstin:

And when you talk about soil organic matter, what is that? What does that mean?

Rob:

It's basically the level of carbon in the soil. The more organic matter that's in the soil, the more carbon it has. To get to the carbon, the organic matter has to be broken down and that's where your soil life, your microbial activity and worm activity helps break down that organic matter and build up the carbon in the soil.

Kirstin:

Okay, brilliant.

Rob:

Our last tip is to protect watercourses by excluding livestock and creating riparian buffer strips for grass margins or even trees alongside rivers and beside ponds. They reduce agricultural runoff of sediments, nutrients and pesticides and will increase water quality.

Kirstin:

Brilliant. That's a great list. So, it's really important just to highlight that that is just seven of the ways that farmers can increase nature or biodiversity on their land. And hopefully these are achievable as you say, for many farmers. So Rob, are you optimistic about biodiversity being increased on farmland in the future?

Rob:

Yes, greatly so. There's a massive amount of work already happening by committed farmers and crofters, and even a few small changes on any holding can make a big difference to the biodiversity on that farm and that adds up across the landscape scale. So, I think there's real reason to be positive about it.

Kirstin:

Brilliant. That's great. Really good to hear. Lovely to chat to you today. And I wish you all the best for your farming work as well. So thanks again. 

Rob:

Okay. Thank you, Kirstin. Thanks for having me. Cheers. 

 

Kirstin:

So we're now going to meet farmer Robert Dale, who's been putting some of these measures into practice, working for over 30 years to increase biodiversity on Lochhouse's Farm by Dunbar in East Lothian, which has been in his family since 1892.

So hi, Robert. Nice to meet you. Your farm's been in the family an awfully long time, can you tell us a bit more about the farm and what you manage there please?

Robert:

Yeah, we're in a coastal area between North Berwick Dunbar. About 480 hectares with about 300 hectares of arable land and 100 hectares of woods. So, the arable crops are mainly wheat, which is mainly used for animal feeding, and spring barley, which nearly all goes for whisky production. The arable land is also let out for turf production, vegetables, and potatoes. We also have a holiday and wedding venue with beach cabins and tree houses near the beach and the sand dunes, which are a Site of Special Scientific Interest for their wildflowers. 

Kirstin:

Wow, that is a really interesting and different business as well. And so, what made you start thinking about biodiversity and climate change? Obviously, you've mentioned the triple SI on the site as well. So obviously that’s a protected area. So, what were the first measures that you took?

Robert:

Well, firstly, in the early 1990s, we created a large pond, mainly as a backup source of water for irrigation. And the clay we dug out was spread on the very sandy land near the beach, which stopped the sandy land blowing in the wind and improved its water holding capacity for crops. I planted trees and shrubs around the pond and was impressed by the wildlife that was attracted. Everything from swans, geese, and ducks to toads and frogs. And the next year we made a second smaller pond and there were similar sorts of benefits to wildlife.

Tim:

That's really interesting and great to see that in practice. Could you tell us more about what you've noticed over a period of time with any other measures you've put in place or how you've seen the increase in biodiversity, and different ways that wildlife or nature have been impacted by those changes you've made?

Robert:

Yeah, we've improved a lot of hedges in the farms by coppicing the existing hedge and filling in the gaps with new hedge plants. We also improved the diversity of the hedges, which were mainly blackthorn, by adding blackthorn, holly, dog rose, and hazel. There are now much better habitats for the songbirds, insects, and small mammals, and access of the links between habitats. Grass margins are left around arable fields, providing us with ideal habitats for insects, small mammals such as voles and hares. They also provide prey for barn owls, nest sites for partridges and corridors for the deer. Waterside margins have similar benefits to the grass margins and in addition help to prevent soil runoff polluting the Peffer Burn. Wild birdseed mixes are sown in about eight different patches around the farm, which are very popular with lots of songbirds. We've also established a wetland area where the land is very near sea level, so very difficult to drain for arable crops, with a sluice gate system and a series of small ponds. So, we’ve seen a rise in the number of curlews, oyster catchers, shell duck, mallard, wigeon, and the common waders.

Tim:

Wow. That's really fantastic. And so interesting and quite an unbelievable array of wildlife that you're able to help with, by taking these measures. Presumably a lot of this, it doesn't happen overnight. Could you give us an idea of how long it takes and, as far as some kind of a timeline to start seeing these sort of results, what you've noticed.

Robert:

The hedges take about five years to bulk up and provide good cover and feeding for birds. The grass margins give a pretty quick benefit for wildlife, especially insects, voles and hares. And the water margins protect the Peffer Burn from pollutants such as soil, pig dung used as a fertiliser, and pesticides. The wild bird seed is quickly farmed by birds, especially to bridge the sort of hungry gap during January and February, when otherwise they might die of starvation. We're also using green manure, which is being established after overwintered stubbles in one field to help soil structure, and to try and fix nitrogen fertiliser to benefit the following wheat crops.

Kirstin:

And how are these adaptations funded? Do they cost a lot of money or how can they be funded?

Robert:

At present I'm in a Scottish Government AECS scheme, which is to promote environmental management. Previously I was in a rural stewardship scheme and a countryside premium scheme, so they go right back to the 1990s. Sometimes there have been gaps between the schemes, but I've usually tried to leave most of the habitats in place.

Kirstin:

Great. That's really useful, and we'll put more information about that on our website. We did talk about that with Rob as well, actually. And, do some of the measures mean lower profits? How does that work out over the longer term? 

Robert:

Often the areas which are best for biodiversity are not the most productive areas for arable farming. For example, the grass margins and waterside margins at the sides of fields which are usually the least productive. Ponds which I've created are in low-lying, so poorly drained, parts of the farm. The wild bird seed areas are often in slightly more difficult corners of fields, which are not ideal for arable cultivation. And the sort of species-rich grassland and wader grazed grassland areas down near the sea are on poor, unproductive land for farm animals, but very good areas for wildlife.

Kirstin:

Yeah, so it's often used in areas that you perhaps wouldn't use for more traditional farming practices that you could actually use to increase biodiversity on the farm.

Robert:

Exactly, and I think that's what we've tried to do over the years, because obviously I am mainly an arable farmer, and apart from perhaps green manure over the whole field in front of a crop of wheat, we've not taken whole fields out. It's usually been the areas which are best for wildlife, which are around the outside of fields and in awkward corners, which is most beneficial to wildlife.

Tim:

And can you describe some of the sights and sounds that you see and hear on the farm today to indicate a healthy biodiversity? And is there anything in particular that gives you special satisfaction?

Robert:

Yes, probably the number of birds we see around the farm. I mean, at the moment there are flocks of bramblings and chaffinches flying in sort of murmurations around the wild birdseed areas, there's hares running across the turf fields. Walk down to the pond and mallard ducks taking off, flying back to the sea. Greylag geese on the overwintered stubbles, skylarks twittering above the sand dunes. Just a lot of wildlife.

Tim:

That's so nice to hear. I'm sure a lot of bird watchers would be delighted to come past and do a sneak peek and see what they can see.  I don't know if you've got a particularly favourite or something that's surprised you or a new plan that you're getting ready to implement this year in the hope of increasing all the good work that you've already done?

Robert:

Well in September and early October we created another six ponds on the farm. They're not big ponds, but they're mostly near the Peffer Burn on areas which are very heavy and not so good for farming. But they're very good for connecting wildlife. And they’ve certainly had plenty of water this winter to fill them up. So, they're looking good.

Tim:

Fantastic. Thank you so much for coming on today, Robert. And we look forward to hearing more about the results and the fantastic wildlife that you've got coming onto your farm as a result of all these biodiversity measures you've put in place.

Robert:

Thank you both. 

Kirstin:

Thanks for listening. If you're enjoying Make Space For Nature, please follow it on your podcast app and leave a review or rating. We'd also love you to tell more people about the series. For more ways to connect with and help protect Scotland's natural world, go to nature.scot.