Agricultural land released from food production through yield increases can contribute to targets to increase biodiversity according to a new study published in Nature.
Increased yield production, demand reduction practices and more traditional, sustainable, low-intensity farming play an important role within the agricultural sector of the restoration economy, by improving the environmental performance of farming and increasing areas of ecological value alongside the support of greater numbers of wildlife on existing farmland.
Within a restoration economy, biodiversity gains generated through spared land and changes to a lower intensity farm practice can provide an additional income stream to landowners as any biodiversity gains will deliver conservation credits which are sold to compensate for impacts to biodiversity.
Guardian Article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/16/land-sparing-farms-could-revitalise-uk-bird-populations-study-says
Link To Paper:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-018-0138-5
Rob joined the Environment Bank team in 2018 and works on biological impact assessments, offset site searches and delivery. Rob also has experience in botanical surveying and in creating habitat management plans which he helps to monitor and advise on for Environment Bank’s offset sites.
Rob has over 6 years experience working as an ecological consultant in the private sector.