Many people are very quick to blame farmers for the state of the countryside and for the decline in our wildlife. However, many of these people neglect the fact that British Farming itself has been in a very tight spot for sometime and farmers have been guided down certain lines in terms of crop production and livestock management.

However, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform in 2003 means that there should be some major changes occurring in our countryside. No longer are subsidies given per head of stock or for the over production of crops, which ought to mean a down turn in the intensity of farming in Britain.

The knock on effect of this will hopefully aid wildlife that in the past has suffered in the over grazed, monoculture environment created since the end of the Second World War.

Following the CAP Reform, DEFRA - the government department for environment, food and rural affirs - claim that farmers now have more freedom to farm to the demands of the market because subsidies are no longer linked to the production of certain crops and livestock.

Farmers will still receive subsidy payments, but claimants will now have to meet new baseline standards for agriculture and will be contributing to a higher degree of environmental protection.

The new payment for this “Cross Compliance” is the Single Payment Scheme (SPS).

Along with the SPS, that all farmers should receive, the Old Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Area Schemes have also been reviewed and replaced by the Environmental Stewardship Scheme. Farmers join these schemes voluntarily and receive higher payments than the basic SPS.

The primary objectives of the Environmental Stewardship Scheme are to:

• Conserve wildlife (biodiversity)
• Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character
• Protect the historic environmental and natural resources
• Promote pulic access and understanding of the countryside
• Natural resource protection

Within the primary objectives it has also has the secondary objectives of:

• Generic conservation
• Flood management

Built into these objectives are recommendations for managing rough grassland margins and putting up owl and bat boxes. Now we just have to wait and see what a difference it makes.

In most parts of England, Barn Owls have just had their best breeding season for decades, if these schemes take off as hoped, perhaps we’ll begin to see more of these “baby booms” in the future.

Jenny Holden

Registered Charity Number: 1055489 Limited Company Number: 5296745

The World Owl Trust is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA). The Trust relies on a dedicated membership, visitors, donations and legacies.