Farm families across Waterford and around the country have planted over 80,000 hedgerow shrubs and native Irish trees across the country since December, almost meeting the two-year target for the first phase of Glanbia Ireland’s nation-wide Operation Biodiversity plan in just five months.
Over 81,000 whitethorn, green beech, blackthorn and oak trees have been planted on farms since mid-December under the Glanbia Ireland subsidised initiative. These will provide shelter for wildlife and create special environments for biodiversity on farms and in gardens.
Phase two is just underway, championed by a Portlaw farmer, with the aim of boosting clover cover in grazed pastures to improve grass and milk yields and the environmental credentials of family farms.
Pollinator-friendly seeds and colourful farm pollinator mixes, including Poppy, Crimson, Clover, Buckwheat and more, are available benefitting bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects from spring through to early autumn. They are suitable for permanent pastures and can contribute to improved soil health and sustainable farming practices.
Dairy farmer in Portlaw, Co Waterford, Shane Fitzgerald, has long been a biodiversity champion and last year transformed a bank by a new shed into a massive wildflower bed.
“We sowed wildflower seeds last June to create a habitat that would encourage varying species of flora and fauna to create their own natural eco-system. They flowered straight away and the bank was a hive of activity for weeks. It didn’t take anything away from our milk production system and it created a home for new species of wildlife that has further increase our on-farm biodiversity. We’re adding other similar areas around the farm this year and have plans for multi-species swards on two hectares and to plant native hedgerows along a fence from next year,” he said.
Glanbia Ireland Chairman John Murphy, said farmers are eager to increase the biodiversity value of their farms and improve soil nutrition in a natural, sustainable way:
“Operation Biodiversity II is all about maximising grass growth, incorporating clover and creating biodiversity spaces, including around farmyards, farm laneways, field margins, arable margins, watercourse margins, field corners and roadside verges. It’s a win-win for farmers as they can increase the biodiversity value of a farm, while maintaining productivity,” he said.
Glanbia Ireland Senior Sustainability Manager, Thomas Ryan, said the benefits of clover are clear:
“The inclusion of clover into perennial ryegrass swards has many benefits for grass and milk production. From a sustainability standpoint, clover has the ability to improve the environmental credentials of our farms, reducing input requirements and reducing nitrous oxide emissions, as well as the having the added benefit of contributing to water quality improvements,” he said.
Measures to enhance pollinators on your farm:
· Avoid ‘over-neatness’. Remember bees and other wildlife see and need a very different landscape to humans.
· Allow native hedgerows such as whitethorn to flower each year and consider less frequent cutting. Cutting annually stops the hedgerow flowering and fruiting.
· Leave at least one mature whitethorn/ blackthorn tree within each hedgerow.
· Consider maintaining some nesting habitats for bumblebees, mining solitary bees and cavity nesting solitary bees.
· Keep nesting habitats free from pesticides.
