Managing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes Conservation, restoration and rewilding

Description

Despite recent efforts, agricultural production continues to threaten biodiversity, disrupt delivery of key ecosystem services and contribute to climate change. A more regenerative approach is required to enable farmers to restore and work with the ecosystem services that underpin sustainable farming and food production. Biodiversity lies at the heart of this process.

Managing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes: Conservation, restoration and rewilding considers the range of techniques that can be implemented to improve biodiversity in farmland. It synthesises current research on the best ways to plan, implement and monitor ecological restoration projects as well the role of government agri-environment schemes. The book also assesses what we know about the use and impact of individual conservation practices, such as field margins and hedgerows, and ways of successfully rewilding farmland.

Table of contents

Part 1 Principles

• 1.Key concepts in biodiversity management within agricultural landscapes: Andrew Bennett, La Trobe University, Australia
• 2.Integrated farm management (IFM) plans to promote biodiversity and other environmental benefits on individual farms: Geoff Squire, James Hutton Institute, UK
• 3.Understanding and improving the involvement of farmers and rural communities in implementing ecological restoration projects: Theodore Alter, Penn State University, USA
• 4.Implementing sustainable land use change programmes: Liz Lewis-Reddy, ADAS, UK

Part 2 Farmland and conservation practices

• 5.Soil health and ecological restoration: David Johnson, University of Manchester, UK
• 6.The design and impact of field margins/flower strips in promoting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes: Jane Morrison, Bishop's University, Canada
• 7.The design and impact of hedgerows in promoting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes: Ian Montgomery, Queen’s University of Belfast, UK
• 8.The design and role of silvopastoral systems in promoting biodiversity and other benefits in agricultural landscapes: Sara Burbi, Coventry University, UK

Part 3 The role of government and the private sector in promoting on-farm conservation practices

• 9.Developing the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) for English agriculture: Ruth Little, Defra, UK
• 10.Developments in agri-environment schemes (AES): North America: Gordon Rausser, University of California-Berkeley, USA
• 11.Developments in agri-environment schemes (AES): Australia: Dean Ansell, Australian National University (ANU), Australia

Part 4 Habitat rewilding

• 12.Restoring wetlands in agricultural landscapes: Ruurd van Diggelen, University of Antwerp, Belgium
• 13.Rewilding grasslands/rangelands: Thomas Jones, REE-ARS, USA
• 14.Reforestation of agricultural landscapes: David Lindenmayer, Australian National University (ANU), Australia
• 15.Key issues in animal rewilding: Adrian Manning, Australian National University (ANU), Australia
• 16.Animal rewilding in theory and practice: Australia and New Zealand: Chris Dickman, University of Sydney, Australia

Part 5 Conclusions

• 17.Challenges and opportunities for enhancing biodiversity conservation in agricultural systems worldwide: Nick Reid, University of New England, Australia