by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
The numbers of farmland birds in England have fallen to their lowest-ever numbers, according to latest figures from DEFRA, the ministry responsible for farming and rural affairs.
Populations of farmland birds decreased by 3% between 2008 and 2009, taking their numbers to 53% lower than their 1966 starting value.
As far as I am concerned this should seriously tell us something; namely that our farming practices are unsustainable, and more even.
According to the to the farmland bird index, kestrel, lapwing and grey partridge were among six species which saw significant decline over the 12-month period.
Lapwing numbers fell by 12%, while grey partridge numbers fell by 23%.
In total, populations of 12 farmland bird species fell, for many continuing a five-year decline in numbers.
Bird populations are considered to be a good indicator of the state of wildlife as they occupy a variety of habitats and tend to be near the top of food chains.
According to Mark Avery, RSPB director of conservation, the decline may be due to a cold winter and the loss of set-aside.
"Lapwings – known to some as the 'farmer's friend' – are particularly vulnerable and their populations have been steadily falling for more than 30 years, so a decline of 12% in one year across England is really bad news," Mark Avery said.
"Those farmers who are helping to save this bird through the Higher Level Stewardship are achieving some great results. So to cut this important environmental scheme now could be disastrous,” he continued
Dr. Avery said the latest figures also revealed a five-year decline of 10% in farmland birds, showing Entry Level Stewardship as not working as well as it should.
"There are many different options in the ELS scheme but unfortunately we are not seeing the right options used in the right ways," he said.
"Farmland birds need farmers. The NFU and CLA-led Campaign for the Farmed Environment aims to boost wildlife-friendly activities on farms. These results show how crucial this effort is.
"The Campaign has the RSPB's full support and we applaud those farmers who are adapting their farms to care for wildlife as well as producing high-quality food.
"We just need more people to join in."
What we can see from all of this, however, is the fact that our modern farming practices are not sustainable as far as wildlife is concerned and I even wonder as to whether it does not tell us something else too. Namely that the soil no longer supports enough of the food that those birds depend upon.
Unless we change farming practices nothing will make a difference, neither the RSPB and all their schemes and campaigns, not any set-aside. We had masses of farm birds before farming changed to a totally and utterly mechanized and chemicalized (yes, I know that word may not exist, as yet) industry.
We have been chucking chemicals onto the fields for decades now and we are surprised that the bird population is decreasing.
I don't think it is too difficult to see the link between the over-industrialization of farming and this loss.
And we can but wonder what ever else this decline may mean.
© 2010
