Level 2 course: Farming and the Environment

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1 Outline how the Rural Stewardship Scheme can help increase biodiversity, benefit the environment and contribute to farm income. Introduction The Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS) was instigated in Scotland in 2001, superseding two agri-environmental schemes the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme (ESA) and the Countryside Premium Scheme (CPS). It is administered by the Scottish Executive for Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD). Stewardship implies caring and management of property for others. Farmers have become the custodians of the countryside, managing and caring for it not only for human enjoyment but to maintain and encourage a rich biodiversity of species and their habitats. Background The financial roots of the Rural Stewardship Scheme lie in the 1957 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union (EU). The founder members of the European Economic Community recognised that the farming community was most important in the production of food and consequently restricted market prices between predetermined upper and lower limits, thereby protecting the consumer against excessively high prices and the farmer against excessively low limits (Brassley & Lobley 2003). Farmers were offered financial incentives to increase food production through CAP, being paid per head of livestock or per hectare of land growing crops. In order to maximise this financial support, farmers increased stock and crops by enlarging fields and by using more chemicals on the land. Intensive and specialised methods of farming led to environmental destruction, accompanied by a decline in flora, bird-life and wildlife. By the 1980s, overproduction was a major problem not just for the European food market but also for the World food market. The 1992 CAP Reforms put forward by Commissioner MacSharry acknowledged the environmental impact of intensive farming and aimed to reduce overproduction by lowering farm subsidies and compensating farmers for not farming parts of their land known as set aside. The reforms of Agenda 2000 led to the Rural Development Regulation, which required EU countries to implement agrienvironment measures: the concept of public financial support for rural development, harmonised with the appropriate management of natural resources and the maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity and cultural landscapes, is increasingly gaining acceptance (CEC 1996) The United Kingdom was one of the first to introduce agrienvironmental schemes: Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) and Organic Aid, Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) in England; Tir Cymen 1

2 (becoming Tir Gofal) in Wales, and Countryside Premium Scheme in Scotland (CPS) - becoming Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS) in The RSS is funded partly by the European Union and partly by the Scottish Executive. However, agri-environmental schemes are not without their detractors. Written some years ago, The Killing of the Countryside (Harvey 1997) was disparaging of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme stating that: by means of an impossibly bureaucratic process farmers are able [..] to claim compensation for adopting environmentally friendly measures such as cutting back pesticide sprays, looking after hedgerows or maintaining the last remnants of flower-rich meadows. In essence they are paid not to do what they wouldn t have considered doing anyway but for subsidies the government s remedy looks more like a public relations exercise than a genuine attempt to preserve and enhance a living landscape (Harvey 1997) In a report on Land Management Schemes in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park (Park Resources Committee 2002), a number of problems were listed about the RSS, and it pointed out that serious underfunding lead to only a small number of applicants being accepted; some farmers did not even apply in the belief that they would not be accepted. This was perhaps due to the belief that large estates with more conservation possibilities would be more likely to achieve a higher point score and so be accepted in preference to the smaller farms. In contrast, there had been high uptake of the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme (a predecessor to RSS) in the Loch Lomond area, possibly due to its lack of competition and its smaller financial benefits thereby making it less attractive to large estates (Park Resources Committee 2002). Robin Spence of the National Farmers Union for Scotland (NFU) echoed these feelings in his question and answer session at the Crichton Campus in December Three years after its inception, he was only now applying to join the RSS believing his farm would not have been accepted before. He and other farmers felt that there was a need for a simpler, more accessible land management scheme - a farmer undertaking some small form of conservation was better than doing nothing (R. Spence pers. com. 2004). The Rural Stewardship Scheme is voluntary and open to any holder of agricultural land in Scotland. Farmers must follow General Environmental Conditions and the Standard of Good Farming Practice. Applicants must provide SEERAD with an Environmental Audit of their holding, seeking expert advice as necessary from bodies such as Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Forestry Commission, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and Historic Scotland. Applications are ranked according to conservation benefit, and if accepted, payments are made over five years in exchange for managing and enhancing habitats and landscapes in accordance with the prescriptions laid down by SEERAD. 2

3 There are nine prescriptions within the Rural Stewardship Scheme, each with a variety of management options concerning the maintenance and enhancement of a variety of landscapes, including wetland, moorland, woodland, arable areas, species-rich areas and sites of historic and archaeological interest. It seeks to maintain and improve habitats for bird life and other wildlife and to retain traditional rural skills and native breeds of farm stock. With the demise of farm bird populations during the period of intensive farming, many prescriptions (indeed, twenty-eight of the thirty-four management plans mention birds as being beneficiaries) aim to provide habitats and food for birds in the hope of increasing their numbers. Whilst the regulations for maintaining these habitats are broadly similar, with restrictions on use of pesticides and fertilizers and on timings of mowing and cutting, grazing and cropping, attention is paid to the differing habitat requirements of different birds. There is also funding for Capital Works to benefit designed landscapes, field boundaries, ponds and black grouse breeding areas. The RSS is expected to benefit biodiversity and the environment and contribute to farm income. Biodiversity Biodiversity is an important resource it is the national foundation which serves our rural communities and their social and economic well-being. It is the national resource upon which agriculture, forestry, fishing and tourism industries all depend our biodiversity is also just as important to the majority of Scotland s urban population, who rely on it for their quality of life and health. (Abernethy & Scott 2001) The word biodiversity has become synonymous with caring for the environment. All local authorities have drawn up Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAP) in conjunction where necessary with the RSS prescriptions and in consultation with farmers. For example, Dumfries & Galloway Council has included in its Action Plan the Alpine Foxtail and the Black Alpine Sedge, both found in the Moffat Hills it is hoped that with reduced grazing these rare species will increase in number. Bird life The decline of farm birds has long been of concern as it is an indicator of Quality of Life (see Figure 1). Attributed to over-use of fertiliser, herbicides and pesticides poisoning land and water near farms, and to the increase in size of fields by the removal of natural habitats, such as hedgerows, ditches, and trees, there is growing demand to reverse the situation. 3

4 Figure 1: The quality of life indicator: populations of wild birds All species Woodland Farm birds [From: RSPB 2004] The RSS encourages farmers to farm with due regard to the life cycles of birds, by restricting time of mowing, rolling and grazing of fields so as not to coincide with nesting. A knowledge of the feeding and nesting requirements of different species of birds will enable the farmer to decide which RSS prescription would best suit his farm. For example, lapwings prefer to nest in short vegetation or on bare ground and damp grassland provides habitat for invertebrates on which lapwing chicks may feed. The prescriptions suitable to attracting lapwings are Management of Open Grassland (prescription 2), Management of Wet Grassland for Waders (prescription 5) and Introduction or Retention of Extensive Cropping (prescription 25). Skylarks, on the other hand, tend to nest in taller vegetation, but away from trees and hedges, thus prescription 8 (Creation and Management of Species-Rich Grassland) and prescription 26 (Spring Cropping) would be more suitable. Species-Rich Areas The varieties of grasses and flora found in an old-fashioned meadow tend to grow on soils unadulterated with chemicals. Once again, overuse or misuse of fertilisers has been blamed for the decline of meadows. A meadow is not only full of native grasses and flowers pleasing to the human eye, it is also attractive to insects, providing food and shelter. In turn, the insect population, as well as the grass and flower seeds, attract birds and animals such as hare, shrews and voles to the field. The prescriptions for Species- Rich Areas require low intensity grazing in grassland so that flowers may be allowed to set seed and in lowland heath and coastal heath, heather may be allowed to regenerate. The RSS advises which native and local seeds should be used when creating a meadow. 4

5 Moorland Managed moorland has the opportunity to be rich in a diversity of species of plants, invertebrates and consequently birds. Differing intensities of grazing will give moorland a mosaic of vegetation type and height, providing shelter and nesting sites in taller vegetation to birds such as the red grouse, while having berry-producing bushes for food nearby. Prescription 12 (Stock Disposal) lessens grazing, and in areas such as the moors of the Isle of Skye, ewes have been removed because of the reintroduced Sea Eagle preying on lambs (Anon 2004). Occasional burning will suppress heather and bracken domination, allowing other plant species to establish. However juniper bushes will perish in fire and mosses and lichens, high on the list of protection in many Biodiversity Action Plans, should be disturbed as little as possible. Benefit to Environment It has been seen that applications of chemicals to farmland have caused environmental damage to farmland and waterways. Herbicides and pesticides can be indiscriminate, killing not only the weeds, diseases and pests they are aimed at but also innocent species further up the food chain. Fertilisers leach through or run off the soils they are supposed to be enriching and enter waterways, causing algal blooms and depriving the aquatic life of oxygen. Of the thirty-four RSS management plans, nineteen specify restrictions on the use of herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers and/or slurry. These restrictions will not only benefit wildlife but the environment as a whole. Wetland Like moorland, wetland can be rich in biodiversity. Indigenous plants have to be tolerant of damp, sometimes salty conditions and they attract a variety of unusual insects, whilst the heathers and cotton grasses also attract wading birds. The plants tolerate the nutrient-poor soil and can be destroyed if fertilisers are used. In the past, farmers have drained wetlands and then used fertilisers in order to turn the land over to arable use. However, this can be costly to the farmer who may well be advised to manage a wetland area to provide wildlife habitat and possibly facilities for anglers (Gibbons 1986). Now, under prescription 17 (Creation and management of wetlands) the RSS encourages farmers to reverse the procedure by raising water levels in the hope that: there will be natural colonisation by appropriate plant species. Even if there is not a great diversity of species, the wetland site is still liable to be of conservation value providing a suitable habitat for amphibians, invertebrates and a range of bird species (Scottish Executive 2004) 5

6 Field Margins & Boundaries It has been found that a variety of invertebrates will inhabit and overwinter in field margins, such as hedgerows, where fertiliser and pesticide use have been denied or restricted. Insects can be both predator and prey. As predators they act as a biological control in crops (e.g. of aphids) whilst as prey they attract birds. Lessening the use of expensive chemicals on the land and allowing nature to take its course will benefit the environment and reduce costs to the farmer. Contribution to Farm Income If biodiversity is the buzzword in environmental issues, the word diversification is now frequently heard in agricultural circles. In recent years, farmers have seen incomes fall, subsidies withdrawn and have suffered financially during agricultural crises, such as Foot and Mouth Disease, BSE, drought. They have frequently found that the income they receive from farming alone is often insufficient and irregular to sustain farming families. Consequently, some have taken secondary employment outside the farm. Others have used their farms to diversify into other businesses, such as offering holiday accommodation in the form of Bed & Breakfast or Self-Catering Accommodation, producing speciality foods, or opening their farms for recreational purposes (e.g. children s farms, farm trails). Being accepted onto the Rural Stewardship Scheme may well act as accreditation to the farmer s commitment to enhancing the environment of his farm. The payments made to farmers taking part in the RSS may be counted as contributing to the farm income. However, the farmer has to show he is working to conserve, preserve and enhance the environment. Before being accepted on to the scheme he must provide SEERAD with an Environmental Audit of the farm. Once accepted on to the scheme, he is expected to adhere to the RSS regulations and continue the work for at least five years with 70% of the payments being made in the first two years: Annual instalments made to farmers on the Rural Stewardship Scheme Year 1 50% End of Year 2 20% End of Year 3 10% End of Year 4 10% End of Year 5 10% (Scottish Executive 2004) With the aid of RSS, farmers can create and enhance areas of his farm, which not only provide species habitats but can also contribute to farm income through leisure pursuits and green tourism. An example of this is the creation or restoration of a farm pond. As with wetlands, ponds provide a habitat for a variety of wildlife aquatic invertebrates, plants, animals, fish, birds and amphibians - including some rare species such as the 6

7 natterjack toad. Established ponds are of historic value, giving information of previous use, but may need restoration work such as dredging. SEPA gives advice on management and creation of ponds and even use of ponds, such as fishing and boating, which may also contribute to farm income. Maintenance and enhancement of field boundaries attracts payments from the RSS through Capital Works. Like ponds, stone dykes have historical interest owing their existence to the local stone and quarrying methods. Hedgerows offer shelter to farm animals and crops as well as wild plants and animals, so it is in the farmer s interest to maintain these boundaries. Hedge laying and construction of drystone walls are traditional skills, which have been dying out. Consequently, a farmer with these skills may find them in demand from other agricultural businesses, which could again augment the farm income. Designed Landscapes often surround a country house and were created to be aesthetically pleasing. They can consist of many types of landscape and can include structures (dovecotes, walls) and formally laid out parkland and gardens, again reflecting social history. RSS payments are paid for restoration of stonework and replanting of trees and hedges, whilst prescriptions 6 and 8 for Species-Rich Areas would provide grazing land. Since these landscapes were laid out with amenity in mind, they frequently make excellent places for informal public recreation (Scottish Executive 2004) Through this there may be an opportunity to benefit financially. One of the main criticisms farmers have voiced about the RSS is that the larger farming estates will have more areas worthy of conservation and therefore will attract a higher-ranking score. However, prescriptions 33 and 34 enable small units and crofting communities to enhance the environment by following BAP, cropping and grazing controls and pollution controls, and/or keeping traditional and native breeds of cattle. These breeds are hardy enough to withstand poor climate conditions and poor grazing lands, and their non-selective eating habits ensures a variety of habitats for wildlife. The nonfarming community enjoy seeing these native breeds, especially the Highland and Belted Galloway cattle, so opening the farm to the paying public may also be an option to increase farm revenue. Conclusion Over recent years farmers have come in for much criticism for seemingly having little respect for the countryside and for being greedy for subsidies. This criticism may have been too harsh - after all, farmers were following directives from governments. Many farmers do see themselves as custodians of the countryside, and have a desire to enhance it for the benefit of biodiversity, agricultural communities and visitors to the countryside. As one Argyll farmer put it: 7

8 At a time when rural industries, including tourism, are experiencing difficulties, we are all advised to seek simpler solutions than the capital-intensive enterprises many of us have become used to. We need to find answers to problems from within our sustainable resources biodiversity is very holistic science (Abernethy & Scott 2001) Figure 1 shows that the rate of decline of wild birds has slowed in recent years (the 2002 farmland bird indicator being virtually unchanged since 2000). Farms, like the Crichton Royal Farm in Dumfries, which have selected fields to be managed as meadows must surely increase biodiversity as well as being aesthetically pleasing. Despite the criticism of the point system being biased towards larger farms, there has been an annual increase in agreements since 2001: For the whole of Scotland: Year Agreements Area Cost ,422ha 50, ,622ha 4,400,000 For SEERAD Area of Dumfries & Galloway: Year No of Farms accepted onto RSS (Norman 2004) Some of the above figures may be inflated as previous agrienvironmental schemes such as ESA have come to an end and these agreements have been incorporated into the RSS. In July 2004, Alan Wilson, the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Affairs announced that the Rural Stewardship Scheme would be allotted 38.6 million to fund 1,755 projects to support wildlife conservation on farms and crofts, covering 612,000 hectares in Scotland (The Megalithic Portal 2004). However, unless changes are made to the point system so that it takes into account all possible conservation plans, it is doubtful whether the RSS contribution to the income of small farms would be significant. This is because of the work the farmer has to undertake, the restrictions of some of the prescriptions and the penalties to be paid should the restrictions and regulations not be adhered to. Perhaps, rather than considering the contribution to farm income, the farmer should consider the financial savings made by using fewer chemicals as highlighted in most prescriptions and the capitalising on skills he possesses. 8

9 The introduction of the RSS handbook states, the Rural Stewardship Scheme is expected to evolve over time As other agri-environmental schemes are absorbed into the RSS, maybe some of the ideas in these schemes could be adopted by the RSS, so that even small projects that offer to protect biodiversity and enhance the environment are encouraged. References Abernethy V and Scott M (eds) (2001): A Flying Start Local Biodiversity Action in Scotland. Scottish Executive, Edinburgh 5: 24 Anon. (2004). Where Eagles Dare. farmingscotland.com, 15: 4-5 Brassley PW and Lobley M (2003). The Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union. In Soffe RJ (ed) (2003): The Agricultural Notebook. 20 th Edition, Blackwell Science Ltd, Oxford CEC (1996). In Soffe RJ (ed) (2003): The Agricultural Notebook. 20 th Edition, Blackwell Science Ltd, Oxford 256 Gibbons R (1986). Down on the Farm The Living Countryside. The Reader s Digest Association Limited, London Harvey G (1997). The Killing of the Countryside. Random House, London Scottish Executive (2004). The Rural Stewardship Scheme. Scottish Executive, Edinburgh Websites Park Resources Committee (2002). Land Management Schemes in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Accessed December 2004 RSPB (2004). The UK Quality of Life wild bird Indicator for_p2_master_tcm jpg Accessed December 2004 The Megalithic Portal (2004). Green farming finds room for growth Accessed December s Norman, Peter (Biodiversity Officer, Dumfries & Galloway Council), (peter.norman@dumgal.gov.uk) 8 December 2004 Bibliography Fuller, D. Farming and Wildlife. In Soffe RJ (ed) 2003: The Agricultural Notebook, 20 th Edition, Blackwell Science Ltd, Oxford