Buffets for birds, homes for hares: Making farmland work for people & wildlife

Samantha Lee, RSPB Senior Conservation Officer Image: Tom Marshall (rspb-images.com)

Overview Insert pic of farmland with common spp that are in decline?

Image: Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Key principles • Think landscape, think mosaic • Maintain, restore, create

• Do enough (10%) 6 key points of the farm wildlife 1. existing habitats 2. field boundaries 3. wet features 4. flower rich habitats 5. seed rich areas 6. farmed areas

https://farmwildlife.info/ Image: Kevin Sawford (rspb-images.com)

Priority species

Main image: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com) Species images: Andy Hay , Ben Andrew, John Bridges, Chris Gomershall, RSPB, John Thurlow

Turtle dove package • 3 ha seed rich habitat p/100ha TD bespoke seed mix Annually cultivated plots/ margins

• Mature hedgerow & scrub 1000m (or equivalent)

• Source of water e.g. pond, reservoir, lake, scrape • Located within 500m

Image: Jonny Rankin

Nature after minerals

Landfill

Case study: Solar farm •

54.53 ha development, total fenced solar park 37.49ha

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Adjacent to a nature reserve

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Target spp TD, YW, TS, P.

The mitigation package: Maintain & enhance existing tree and hedgerow network Maintain existing, establish more rough grassland Establish: 3 ha P&N targeted at TD 2 ha WBSM targeting CB & TS 3.19 ha flower rich grassland 6m annually cultivated margin around field being retained within arable regime Image: Ray Kennedy (RSPB-images.com)

Case study: Housing development • •

216 ha development site on farmland ensure adequate mitigation for farmland birds

The mitigation package:

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5 range-restricted declining farmland birds TD, CB, G., L. & YW -

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all 4 of the declining generalists: Li, S.,RB,Y.

retain, restore & manage existing scrub & hedgerow Retain, restore, establish & manage areas of rough grassland 21.6ha creation of the following habitat:

8.65 ha WBSM targeting CB

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Habitat creation for 2018 breeding season

8.65 ha P&N flower mix targeting TD 4.3 ha cultivated fallow

Image: Andy Hay (RSPB-images.com)

Scrub up!

Images: Turtle dove (Liz Cutting), Peach blossom moth (David Kjaer, rspb-images.com), White letter hairstreak (Steve Knell, rspb-images.com), Buff-tailed bumblebee (Richard Bedforth, rspb-images.com), nightingale (John Bridges, rspb-images.com)

Contacts Farmland: Samantha Lee, Senior Conservation Officer (Eastern England) Samantha.lee@rspb.org.uk Andrew Holland, Conservation Advisor (Cambs & Norfolk Fens) andrew.holland@rspb.org.uk Kerry Skelhorn, Conservation Advisor (Brecks & Minsmere) kerry.skelhorn@rspb.org.uk Emma Stobart, Turtle Dove Conservation Advisor (Essex) emma.stobart@rspb.org.uk

Planning Mark Nowers, Conservation Officer (Essex, Herts, South Suffolk) mark.nowers@rspb.org.uk

Jacqui Miller, Conservation Officer (Officer) jacqui.miller@rspb.org.uk

Aggregates natureafterminerals@rspb.org.uk / http://www.afterminerals.com/about-us/ Jenny Oldroyd, Business Conservation Adviser jenny.oldroyd@rspb.org.uk

The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home. Together with our partners, we protect threatened birds and wildlife so our towns and countryside will teem with life once more.

The RSPB is part of BirdLife International, a partnership of nature conservation organisations working to give nature a home around the world.