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photo courtesy of www.farm-images.co.uk

Wildlife and farming advisors from across the North West met up today (Tuesday 8th November) to learn how to apply Defra's new Environmental Stewardship options for the benefit of farmland birds.

Experts from the RSPB and the Rural Development Service (RDS) led workshops and presentations at the Lancaster House Hotel, explaining how Entry Level and Higher Level Stewardship schemes can provide the three key habitat features essential for the birds' survival.

The 'Big Three' essentials for a thriving bird population are a safe place to nest, a good supply of edible spring and summer insects and the availability of seed food during the winter months.

Taken together, these provisions ensure that the year round requirements of species such as skylarks, tree sparrows, corn buntings and grey partridge are met.

The event included an introductory presentation on farmland birds and their requirements, followed by a pick and mix selection of workshops and exercises so that delegates from across Cheshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside could attend sessions relevant to the type of habitat prevalent in their region.

Attending the event were advisors from a variety of consultancies and conservation organisations including FWAG (Farming Wildlife and Advisory Group), ADAS, the Environment Agency, wildlife trusts, local agricultural colleges and land agents.

Andrew Gouldstone, Regional Conservation Operations Manager for the RSPB said,

"There has been an alarming reduction in many species of farmland bird over recent years, and we hope that this event will prove to be an important step towards combating this decline.

"Protecting and restoring habitats on a landscape scale is a vital part of nature conservation, but habitats must be managed properly to meet the needs of the species that depend on them.

"Many farmers are keen to incorporate management practices that will benefit the wildlife on their land but need advice in order to do so, which is why this is such a vital event.

"We are working with RDS to provide expert advice for the people who assist farmers with their applications to the new Environmental Stewardship scheme (ES) - both the Entry Level (ELS) and Higher Level (HLS).

Sam Alston, Rural Development Service Area Manager for Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside says,

"We are delighted to be working together with the RSPB on such an important project which has today brought together all the key advisers on farming and environment in the North West.

"The Environmental Stewardship scheme is already encouraging large numbers of farmers and land managers to implement simple yet effective techniques which will provide both year-round food supplies and suitable nesting habitat.

"Farmland in the North West provides habitats for a huge amount of wildlife, and measures such as introducing spring sown cereal, leaving overwintered stubble for seed food in cold weather and leaving tussocky grass margins around the edges of fields or beetle banks in the centre can make an enormous difference.

"We hope that by training the people who work with farmers on a day to day basis we will enable them to maximise the benefits of their Environmental Stewardship applications, while simultaneously delivering favourable habitats for birds."

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