Enhancing the environment
Agriculture relies on healthy natural ecosystems to produce profitable food. However, despite efforts to improve the environment, the UK Government’s 2018 biodiversity indicators show that the decline in priority species continues.
We have now published Green Horizons Insight Report 2: Enhancing the Environment. This is the second of five Insight Reports that we will be releasing over the course of the next year as part of our Green Horizons Initiative. Please fill in the form below to download it.
Access Insight Report 2
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Resources available
On-demand webinars
Members of our environment and sustainability teams have recently given talks on future environmental payments and carbon calculators as part of our live webinar series. You can view past events on-demand here.
Biosolutions explained
This document has been put together by Agrii’s Technical Team to provide more information about the potential benefits of biosolutions in agronomy programmes, explain the registration situation, give a brief guide to products available and summarise the work being done under our Green Horizons ‘Field of the Future’ Project. You can view it here.
Handouts and videos
In conjunction with our Wildlife Farming Consultant, Marek Nowakowski, we have produced a range of handouts and videos looking at the vast range of biodiversity and natural resources on-farm, and simple practical measures that you can take to improve habitats and ecosystems.
Richard, Lynn and their team have been working hard to ensure all the food they produce has a very low carbon footprint.
In fact, their improvements to soil health and reduction in inputs over time has enabled them to reach net zero, meaning they are absorbing more carbon than they are emitting.
Read more below:
Filling the hungry gap
Filmed over a three-month period, Marek Nowakowski takes a walk through the British countryside (21:06 mins) to show how farmers and nature can better work together to provide free and sustainable food sources for wildlife.
Winter bird food
Marek takes a quick look at why you should consider direct drilling your cover mixes or winter bird food.
Incremental hedge cutting
Marek discusses (02:42) how incremental hedge cutting can make a huge difference to the well-being of the hedge itself and the fruits it provides for local wildlife. You can read more information on incremental hedge cutting in the information sheet here (mentioned by Marek in his video)
What are those webs in the hedge?
In this short video (46secs) Marek explains more about the moth that is behind the proliferation of webs that you might see in your hedgerows.
Bees and the farming environment
Marek gives an overview (07:18mins) of the different types of bee that you might find on your farm and their life cycles. From holes or ‘volcanoes’ in the ground, to brickwork, bees have probably made a home where you might least expect to find them.
Making space for bees on farm
A short video discussing small improvements that can be made to improve habitats for bees on farm.
Succession planning for pollination
Marek discusses the need for continuity in flowering plants in order to provide bees with necessary pollen and nectar from March to September.
Honey bees – a closer look
Marek takes a close-up look at the anatomy of the honey bee’s ‘pollen baskets’.
Ragwort: friend or foe?
Marek takes a closer look at ragwort and the wildlife that uses it (2 mins 17).
Sterile brome
Marek explains why it’s important to close the gap between the crop and tussocky grasses (39 secs)
Scorch on ash
In this video (54 secs) from late spring 2020, Marek takes a closer look at how frost damage can often be mis-identified as herbicide damage.
Cuckoo spit
Ever wondered what cuckoo spit actually is? Watch and find out!(1:01)
Hogweed
In this video Marek Nowakowski provides an introduction to hogweed – an important umbellifer for the shorter tongued beneficial predators.