game cover mixtures - Countrywide Farmers

More documents

Recommendations

Info

“We have been growing Wild Bird Seed Mixtures for 8 years now and use them for game cover and forstewardship margins. We find them very good at holding birds right through the season as the covers don’tgo flat and are draught free. Because we use a biennial mix it has halved the cost and risk of establishment.It’s fantastic to see the wild birds that are drawn to these mixtures, ranging from finches to grey partridge.They provide great publicity for the estate with the changing array of colours through the season, frombright blue, to vivid yellow to a lovely golden brown.”Mr Mark Wood, Herefordshire November 201124Environmental StewardshipThe Future of Our CountrysideOur countryside has always been a sight to behold, and those of us who spend our lives in this idyllic environmentmight just think that the overall appearance of the landscape could never be improved upon. We have had just alittle over 11 years of Environmental Stewardship in one guise or another and whilst the overall views of what wesee might not have changed greatly, time moves more slowly when nature is involved and there have been manyimprovements which to the naked eye are a little more difficult to discern. Farmers have gradually seen that highinput farming in many instances is not always as profitable as first thought, and that a more considered view asto land management and animal husbandry does have its benefits. We need a vibrant, ecological countryside formankind to continue its presence on this planet. However, man must be very careful not to indulge himself intomaking sweeping changes to the landscape as we know it. It has taken many thousands of years to evolve and has,during that process, given every species whether plant or animal the chance to evolve at its own pace and hencekeep its place in the fragile structure of the planet.Many of the noble aims for the protection of our countryside need time to come to fruition; if we rush this, it willbe at the expense of not only the countryside but also of its people. If we are to halt the advance of global warmingthen it is incumbent on every state to try somehow within the bounds of good husbandry and good environmentalpractice to produce sufficient food for its population. To consider the alternative of importing food as a meansof protecting the countryside will add further strains on an already susceptible planet and will use up its naturalresources far more rapidly; such remedies will just compound the problem. The forecast for world populationincrease will give rise to even further pressure on food production so we must proceed into the future with ameasured step, one which will secure the countryside for future generations and one which will support its people.The current Third Edition Entry Level Stewardship Environmentalplan for England which came into effect in February 2010 has madea number of changes from the original scheme. These are : a newUplands ELS Strand, 2 options under Boundary features, 3 optionsunder Trees and woodland, 2 options under Buffer strips, 3 optionsfor Arable land and 5 options under Protection of soil and water.In addition to this there are 2 amendments to the options for theencouragement of crop types; these apply to 2 options in the oldscheme which have been upgraded for the improvement of a foodsource for wild birds and a clarification of what can and cannot beused under these headings.Higher Level Stewardship has seen fewer amendments and it is justthe addition Management of high environmental ditches SectionHB14 which has now been included. Much if not all of HLS isprescriptive and the Natural England advisors detail the requirementsfor the protection or propagation of endangered species.Organic ELS has similar new options as are agreed for the standardELS scheme. The only differences are 2 new options under Arableand rotational land and 4 Options under Protection of soil andwater. Similarly the old options for wild bird mixtures and nectarflower in grass land are amended.To comply with the legislation within the schemes we have amendeda number of our standard mixtures. The various scenarios in whichthey may be used and the mixture compositions for each selectedcategory can be seen on pages 25 - 27.
Environmental Stewardship Selector25Entry Level Stewardship table with options that are also availableunder Higher Level Stewardship SchemeMixture OptionsStraight OptionsELS & HLS Description Buffer Strip Mixtures Nectar Rich Mixtures Wild Bird Seed Mixtures Not Winter Hardy Winter HardyELSCodeCFEELSOptionHLSCodeDescriptionELS & HLSPoints/haBGM 1 withCocksfootBGM 2 noCocksfootBGM 3 withCocksfoot & CloverBGM 4 withWildflowersBGM 1 RCBGM 2 RCSRG SpeciesRich GrassSRG with 15%WildflowersButterfly &Bumblebee MixtureWF1Pollen & Nectarwith GrassNectar RichBronzeNectar RichGoldDecoy MixturePartridge MixtureWBS 1WBS 2WBS 3Northern WBS 1WBA 1PhaceliaMustardFodder RadishVetchForage RyeBarleyItalian Catch CropSpring OilseedRapeOptions for trees and woodlandEC24 HC24 Hedgerow tree buffer strips on cultivated land 400 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓Options for buffer stripsEE1 HE1 2m Buffer strips on cultivated land 300 ✓ ✓ ✓EE2 HE2 4m Buffer strips on cultivated land 400 ✓ ✓ ✓EE3 HE3 6m Buffer strips on cultivated land 400 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓EE8 HE8 Buffering in-field ponds in arable land 400 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓EE9 HE9 6m buffer strips on intensive grassland next to a watercourse 400 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓HE10 Floristically enhanced grass buffer strips (non-rotational) 485 ✓ ✓Options for arable landEF1 HF1 Management of field corners 400 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓EF2 HF2 Wild bird seed mixture 450 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓EF4 HF4 Nectar flower mixture 450 ✓ ✓EF7 HF7 Beetle banks 580 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓EF22 Extended overwintered stubble 410 ✓ ✓ ✓Options to encourage a range of crop typesEG1 HG1 Undersown spring cereals 200 Grass and legume mixtureOptions to protect soil and waterEJ2 HJ2 Management of maize crops to reduce soil erosion 18 ✓EJ9 HJ9 12m buffer strips for watercourses on culitvated land 400 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓EJ10 HJ10 Enhanced management of maize crops to reduce soil erosion & run off 94 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓EJ13 HJ13 Winter cover crops 65 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓Compatible with current CFE SchemesDISCLAIMER Any Information provided in this table is given in good faith and to the best of our knowledge. If you would like any further advice please contact your local Natural England Advisor
Page 2 and 3: 2WelcomeYOUR COUNTRYSIDE 2012WELCOM
Page 4 and 5: 4Game Cover SelectorCropPageNo.Pack
Page 6 and 7: 6Evaluation of New CropsBIOMASS CRO
Page 8 and 9: KEYSOLAs Game CoverLTAEU OKOK to ap
Page 10 and 11: 10Pests & Diseases in Brassicas & M
Page 12 and 13: 12Game Maize“Choosing the right c
Page 14 and 15: 14KaleKale is still one of the most
Page 16: 16SunflowersSunflowers traditionall
Page 19: Miscellaneous Crops19ArtichokesProv
Page 22: 22Game Cover Mixtures“We have had
Page 28 and 29: 28Make the Most of Environmental St
Page 30 and 31: 30Stewardship Schemes For ScotlandS
Page 32 and 33: 32Glastir Welsh Environmental Schem
Page 34 and 35: 34Forage RapeForage Rape has the ad
Page 36 and 37: 36Kale“Another year on and I am o
Page 38 and 39: 38SwedeCREATE sauce pan iconSwedes
Page 40 and 41: Green Manuring Selector40Green Manu
Page 42 and 43: 42Green Manuring Cropsfor Spring So

game cover mixtures - Countrywide Farmers

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?