Biodiversity on the Agricultural Landscape · Ecosystems Ecological Goods and Services Species and Population s Wildlife-vertebr ates only Current scope of biodiversity management

Biodiversity on the Agricultural

Landscape

Peter Austin-Smith

Biodiversity Stewardship Coordinator

March 13-14, 2019 Water on the Farm

Biodiversity

Ecosystems

Ecological Goods and

ServicesSpecies

and Population

s

Wildlife-vertebr

ates only

Current scope of biodiversity management

Endangered Species Act

-applies to all species

-once designated at-risk

Current legal authority to

address biodiversity

Invertebrates

Bacteria & fungi

Plants

Stewardship

The responsible use and conservation of natural resources in a way that takes full and balanced account of the interests of society, future generations, and other species.

The term shared stewardship describes the work ethic necessary to achieve the vision, where government and interested groups work together and all Nova Scotians benefit.

Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation Plans

Landscapes in Eastern Canada sustain bird populations while

providing ecological, social and economic benefits to society.

Habitat retention of functional waterfowl habitat and the protection

of suitable habitat for other bird species in perpetuity

NAWMP and EHJV

Focus on wetlands and waterfowl

❖ Biodiversity assessment of farm landscape


❖ Complements the Environmental Farm Plans

❖ Looks at the farm as a complete unit and identifies the habitat

components/biodiversity within the farm operation

❖ Provides the producer with a different perspective of the farm

landscape

❖ Provides recognition for farm activities currently supporting

biodiversity

❖ Identifies potential activities that may improve biodiversity and

also benefit the farm operation

❖ Identifies potential partners/funding/information sources



Improved water quality

Water absorption and storage

Flood control

Protecting streambanks

Shade

American Eel

Brook Floater

Striped Bass

Barn and Bank Swallows

Chimney Swifts


WetlandsMarshes

Swamps

Bogs

Fens

Salt marsh

Cleans water run-off

Water Storage

Protection from flooding and drought

Help reduce greenhouse gases

Beneficial insects and pollinators

Waterfowl

Song Birds

Bank and Barn Swallows

Chimney Swifts

Snapping Turtles


Cover Crops

Field Margins

Grassy Strips

Reduced Till

SoilsInsects and spiders - Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

Monarch Butterfly

Birds – savannah sparrows and Meadow Larks

Snakes and small mammals

Uplands - Croplands


Uplands – Hay lands

Hay fields provide important habitat

for a variety of species such as

grassland birds. Unfortunately,

practices like cutting hay sometimes

come at the expense of some of

those species.

Delay Haying

Late maturing cultivars

Flushing bars

Changing mowing pattern

Raising cutting height

Field Margins

Bobolink

Meadow Larks

Short-eared Owl

Wood Turtle

Deer

Snowshoe Hare

11Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation Plans

Uplands – Pasture

Deer and other wildlife use

small pastures and

openings as a food source

and for rearing young.

Landowners can either help

or hinder wildlife by how

they manage their land.

Rotational Grazing

Protected Fencerows

Fence livestock away from water

Provide ungrazed borders

Meadow larks and song birds

Small Mammals

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

American Eel

Brook Floater


Uplands – Shelterbelts: recharge soil moisture

Reduce wind and snow damage to crops

and adjacent buildings

Shelter livestock from wind, promoting

weight gain

Provide food and shelter to edge dwelling birds

Provide important habitat corridors

Good for pollinators and predatory invertebrates

Perches and roosts for raptors – Short-eared owls


Uplands – Other habitats PondsRock and brush piles


Uplands – Woodlands

Species At Risk in the Agricultural Landscape

• 71 Species at risk as of 2017

• NS Endangered Species Act (ESA)

• SARA (Federal SAR Act)

• ESA can apply to any listed species• Prohibitions apply to all land tenures

American Eel

Brook Floater

Striped Bass

Little Brown Bat

Northern Brown Bat

Tri-coloured Bat

Barn Swallow

Bank Swallow

Chimney Swift

Common Nighthawk

Whip-poor Will

Bobolink

Eastern Meadow Lark

Short-eared Owl

Monarch Butterfly

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

Eastern Ribbon Snake

Snapping Turtle

Wood Turtle

Black Ask

Eastern White Cedar

Biodiversity Landowners Guide

http://www.farmbiodiversity.ca/

http://www.farmbiodiversity.ca/

Documents

Biodiversity on the Agricultural Landscape · Ecosystems Ecological Goods and Services Species and Population s Wildlife-vertebr ates only Current scope of biodiversity management