Evaluation of cereal field margin options in agri-environment schemes

Contracted to ADAS Consulting Ltd and Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH)

Cereal Field Margins are a Priority Habitat in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). The objective for the UK Cereal Field Margin Habitat Action Plan is to maintain, improve and restore, by management, the biodiversity of some 15,000 ha of cereal field margins on appropriate soil types in the UK by 2010. The Agri-environment (AE) Schemes are seen as Defra’s principle mechanism for delivering its share of the target.

A series of options for the management of arable land were initially trialled through the Arable Stewardship (AS) Pilot Scheme. As a result of the evaluation of the AS Pilot Scheme (1998 – 2000) arable options were introduced to the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) in 2002. These new arable options, in addition to existing CSS (and in a few cases, notably Breckland, ESA) prescriptions for grass margins and cultivated (‘Rare Arable Weed’) margins provide a range of options for the management of Cereal Field Margins for biodiversity.

The project which was let in three phases, spanning three years (Apr 2003 - March 2006) and involved an evaluation of cereal field margin management within agri-environment schemes:

PHASE 1: A re-evaluation of AS pilot area cereal field margin fixed options and conservation headlands for plants and bumblebees.
Arable Stewardship Pilot Scheme Final Report. pdf

PHASE 2:
Part 1. An evaluation CSS grass margins and pollen and nectar strips for plant and bumblebees.
Botanical Assessment of Sown Grass Margins in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme Final Report. pdf
Effectiveness of new agri-environment schemes in providing foraging resources for bumblebees in intensively farmed landscapes Final Report. pdf

Part 2. A re-evaluation of Breakland ESA uncropped wildlife stips.
Re-assessment of Uncropped Wildlife Strips in Breckland Environmentally Sensitive Area (Final report unavailable as pdf at present)

PHASE 3: An evaluation of cultivated cereal field margin options for arable plants
Effectiveness of new agri-environemnt schemes in conserving arable plants in intensively farmed landscapes Final Report. pdf

Monitoring of Cereal Field Margins in DEFRA Agri-environement Schemes 2006 - 2006
Synopsis of Findings Final Report. pdf