Starlyte Posted June 8, 2004 #1 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Crop circles could finally have found their niche with news that leaving fallow patches in cereal fields could help reverse a decline in birdlife. Could crop circles hold the key to reversing the drop in birdlife? Skylark breeding rose nearly 50% when small patches of cereal fields were left unsown, a two-year study found. Now farmers are to be offered government subsidies to clear the areas as part of a conservation push. And the trials showed that despite a rise in weeds on the unsown patches, farmers did not lose any yield. Experts say leaving two small patches bare per hectare could reverse a 52% drop in skylark numbers since 1970. Other species "Crop circles once fascinated the nation; undrilled patches could be the new phenomenon, and one with a worthwhile legacy," said Dr David Gibbons, head of conservation science at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Farmers joining a new scheme in which they are paid £30 per hectare of land are likely to be asked to take part. Environment Minister Elliot Morley said: "I hope farmers across the country will make the most of these patches so skylarks will once again become a common sight on British farmland." Scientists are also looking at other aspects of nature conservation on farmland, such as grass margins and weeds as a food source. These are expected to help other bird species which have been in decline, such as the yellowhammer and grey partridge. The £3.6m Sustainable Arable Farming For an Improved Environment (Saffie) project received £1.5m from the government as well as cash from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Crop Protection Association and Home Grown Cereals Authority. Last year a rare bumblebee species was found on a Saffie site. Jonathan Tipples, chairman of Saffie and a farmer in Kent, said: "I am delighted that Saffie is demonstrating that farmers can improve the environment on their farms at no cost to themselves." Skylark numbers have plummeted by 52% in the UK since 1970 ARTICLE LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sasass Posted June 21, 2004 #2 Share Posted June 21, 2004 - - nice article... - amazing the things we can learn from.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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