Let us recognise the contribution of Scotland’s farmers and crofters this Earth Day (Saturday 22 April) writes NFU Scotland Environmental Resources Policy Manager Sarah Cowie.
The global event aims to bring together people from diverse backgrounds, countries, and industries to increase awareness of environmental protection. The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, but the importance of issues like clean air and watercourses, reducing pollution and waste, and protecting biodiversity, has never been more acute. Indeed, at no other time in history have these issues gained so much traction among the public and political consciousness.
Farmers are stewards of the natural environment; producing food and delivering on biodiversity is something we have done for generations.
This Earth Day we are encouraging our farmers and crofters to celebrate the many ways they contribute to a rich and diverse landscape, for example:
- 5.64 million hectares of Scotland is actively farmed – 40% of this land is classified as ‘high nature value farmland’ due to biodiversity on farm.
- ~50% of human-made CO2 emissions are removed by our vegetation, soils, and oceans. Farmers play a key role in supporting carbon capture.
As well as this, we know that some habitats would simply not exist if it were not for the way farmers and crofters manage the land. Machair, for example, is a distinctive coastal grassland habitat. Over 70% of machair worldwide exists in Scotland. The high nature value of machair is a specific result of its continued use for low-intensity agriculture.
Farmers and crofters’ longstanding management practices are an ideal formula to create habitat for many wildflowers, pollinators, insects, birds, and small mammals. For example, field margins and hedgerows provide a reliable source of food and shelter. As well as this, multi-species grassland can provide a habitat that is suitable for ground nesting birds. Introducing clover can provide natural nitrogen, and reduce the need for chemical fertiliser, due to its nitrogen fixing abilities. Wetland and on-farm ponds can also bring a variety of benefits for wildlife.
However, to be able to do all of this and deliver on the Scottish Government’s priorities of: High quality food production; Climate mitigation and adaptation; Nature restoration, then farmers and crofters need certainty and clarity on what future policy will look like.
The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy which the Government published at the end of last year still does not contain clear information on what is expected from farmers and crofters to address biodiversity loss.
If the Government is serious about a twin biodiversity and climate crisis, our habitats and wildlife deserve the same attention and commitment as we have seen recently with greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration.
If farmers are to play their critical role in addressing biodiversity loss and protecting the natural environment, they need confidence, certainty, and consistency from Government policy to do this.