Nature-Friendly Farming in Action

The six key actions described are:

• Enhance existing habitats. Focus on better habitat quality, bigger expanding blocks, more connection with wildlife corridors between blocks, and identifying new potential habitat areas.
• Maximising the wildlife value of field boundaries and margins. Trimming hedges and manage ditches on a long rotation promotes flowering, fruit production and shelter. Tussocky grass buffer strips and flower-rich margins can provide important habitat for beneficials and wildlife, while protecting field boundaries from agricultural inputs.
• Maintain, restore and create wet features. Ponds, scrapes and ditches can provide great opportunities for wildlife on farm if protected from nutrient run-off and pollution.
• Maintain, restore and create flower-rich habitats. Farms can be great environments for native wildflowers, which can in turn support beneficials, making the farm more productive.
• Create seed-rich habitats. Sowing wild bird mixes, leaving areas unharvested or retaining winter stubbles can provide vital feed for seed-eating birds over-winter.
• Sympathetic In-field management to support wildlife. Looking after the soil and soil organic matter, minimising pesticide and fertiliser use, and in-field habitat features such as beetle banks and skylark plots can all be beneficial to wildlife.