Enhancing wildlife in the margins of intensively managed grass fields

Published source details Pilgrim E.S., Potts S.G., Vickery J., Parkinson A.E., Woodcock B.A., Holt C., Gundrey A.L., Ramsay A.J., Atkinson P., Fuller R. & Tallowin J.R.B. (2007) Enhancing wildlife in the margins of intensively managed grass fields. Acrocephalus, 293-296.
Share Tweet Email

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Plant nectar flower mixture/wildflower strips for birds Action Link
	Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture Action Link
	Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture Action Link
	Reduce management intensity on permanent grasslands (several interventions at once) Action Link
	Plant nectar flower mixture/wildflower strips Action Link

Plant nectar flower mixture/wildflower strips for birds

A randomised, replicated, controlled trial on four farms in southwest England (Pilgrim et al. 2007) found that 50 ´ 10 m plots of permanent pasture sown with a grass and legume seed mix attracted more birds, and more bird species than control treatments in both summer and winter. Plots were established in 2002, re-sown in new plots each year and monitored annually from 2003 to 2006. Legumes sown included white clover Trifolium repens, red clover T. pratense, common vetch Vicia sativa and bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus. There were twelve replicates of each management type.
Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture

A randomised, replicated, controlled trial on four farms in southwest England (Pilgrim et al. 2007) (same study as Defra 2007) found that 50 ´ 10 m plots of permanent pasture sown with a mix of crops including linseed and legumes attracted more birds, and more bird species than control treatments, in both summer and winter. Plots were established in 2002, re-sown in new plots each year and monitored annually from 2003 to 2006. Legumes sown included white clover, red clover, common vetch and bird’s-foot trefoil. There were twelve replicates of each treatment.
Plant wild bird seed or cover mixture

A randomized, replicated, controlled trial from 2003 to 2006 in southwest England (Pilgrim et al. 2007) found that plots of permanent pasture sown with a mix of crops including linseed Linum usitatissimum and legumes attracted more birds, and more bird species, than control treatments, in both summer and winter. Three plots (50 x 10 m) were established on each of four farms in 2002 re-sown in new plots each year and monitored annually from 2003 to 2006. Legumes sown included white clover Trifolium repens, red clover T. pratense, common vetch Vicia sativa and bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus. There were twelve replicates of each treatment. This study was part of the same experimental set-up as (Defra 2007, Potts et al. 2009, Holt et al. 2010).
Reduce management intensity on permanent grasslands (several interventions at once)

In the same randomized, replicated, controlled trial as (Defra 2007) in southwest England, (Pilgrim et al. 2007) found that 50 x 10 m plots of permanent pasture cut just once in May or July or not at all during the summer and left unfertilized had a greater total diversity of invertebrates than control fertilized plots cut in May and July. There were twelve replicates of each management type, monitored over five years (2002-2006). This study was also part of the same study as (Woodcock et al. 2007, Potts et al. 2009)).
Plant nectar flower mixture/wildflower strips

A randomized, replicated, controlled trial from 2003 to 2006 in southwest England (Pilgrim et al. 2007) found that plots of permanent pasture sown with a grass and legume seed mix attracted more birds and more bird species than control treatments, in both summer and winter. Three plots (50 x 10 m) were established on each of four farms in 2002, re-sown in new plots each year and monitored annually from 2003 to 2006. Sown legumes included white clover Trifolium repens, red clover T. pratense, common vetch Vicia sativa and bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus. This study was part of the same experimental set up as Potts et al. 2009.