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The following letter was published in Farmers Weekly on 19 March 2010 following a letter saying that this study showed that agri-environment schemes in Scotland were not achieving anything additional, as farmers were already doing the conservation work...
I was pleased to read the report 'Producers are already raising farm biodiversity' which raises questions about agri-environment schemes and their effectiveness.
The report referenced in your article was carried out over a short time frame (a 3 year response period), and with limited resources for biodiversity monitoring. For example, butterfly numbers were estimated from a single 15-minute survey. With these limitations, the study could not be expected to show dramatic changes in biodiversity.
Longer-term RSPB assessments of targeted agri-environment management have shown benefits for a wide range of birds (e.g. corncrake, breeding waders, corn bunting and cirl bunting) on farms with agri-environment management relative to those outside schemes. In many cases, this monitoring has also helped to identify ways in which agri-environment management could be further improved.
There is a need to ensure long term funding is in place so that farmers have the opportunity to carry out management for wildlife. There are now large numbers of farmers applying to Scotland’s Rural Priorities scheme who are keen to help wildlife, but too little funding to meet demand. We believe that the work farmers are carrying out is of key importance for species recovery and would not wish them to be discouraged by the idea that the management they carry out does not deliver.
Yours,
Dr Jeremy Wilson
Head of Research, RSPB Scotland
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