Cereal production – benefiting biodiversity

Farmland birds benefit from options under the Countryside Management Scheme and the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme. This winter over 4,900ha of winter stubbles will be retained with the aim of boosting the availability of seed for birds such as skylark, linnet and twite, especially though the winter.  In addition, over 340ha of conservation cereals and over 1600ha of wild bird cover was sown in Spring 07.

Rare arable weeds, such a purple ramping fumitory, will also benefit where cereals are grown under agri-environment scheme arable options.  This species of fumitory is mainly spring germinating favouring hedge-banks, arable land and waste ground, but preferring sites which have recently been disturbed by animals or farm machinery or habitats opened up by summer drought.

William McElroy has been in the Countryside Management Scheme since 2001.  He currently manages 20 hectares of winter stubble on his grassland and arable farm at Upper Ballinderry.  He also has just under a hectare of species rich wet grassland and 1.6 hectares of wild bird cover.

A change in the scheme rules now means that all scheme participants with the retention of winter stubbles option must retain these until 15 February after harvesting. The hectarage entered for retention of winter stubble must be present in each year of your agreement to qualify for payment.  If, in any year, you keep a smaller area of winter stubble than what is included in your agreement, then you must notify DARD by writing the actual amount to be claimed on the next annual management claim form.

Contact your local DARD Countryside Management Adviser for further information.