ELEMENTS OF FARM PRACTICE: FOR TEACHING ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE
1 Introduction 1 11 Conservation on farmland – why? 1 Species Box 11: Starfruit Plant (Damasonium alisma) 3 12 Historical relevance of on-farm conservation 4 13 Legislation and policy 6 14 Impact of agricultural policy on the environment 7 15 Further afield 14 References 17 2 Mixed farming 19 21 Introduction 19 22 Conventional cereal crop production 20 23 Life cycle 21 24 Crop establishment 21 25 Nutrient requirements 23 26 Disease and pest control 26 27 Weed control 28 28 Harvest and crop quality criteria 29 29 Organic agriculture 30 210 Organic conversion 30 211 Soil fertility and crop rotations 31 212 Summary 33 Case Study 21: Down Farm 34 Species Box 21: Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus) 38 Species Box 22: Skylark (Alauda arvensis) 44 Species Box 23: Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum) 47 213 Arable Flora 48 Species Box 24: Night-Flowering Catchfly (Silene noctiflora) and Small-Flowered Catchfly (Silene gallica) 49 214 Elveden estate 51 Species Box 25: Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) 52 Case Study 22: STEEP Programme in the Pacific North West 53 Case Study 23: Cholderton Estate 63 Case Study 24: Blueberry Hill Farm, Maryland, US 71 215 Chapter summary 73 References 74 3 Grasslands 77 31 Introduction 77 32 Cultivated grasslands for grazing domestic stock 78 33 Breed selection 79 34 Making more of native grasslands 99 Case Study 31: Prairies 100 Species Box 31: Prairie Chicken (Tympanicus cupidus) 103 Species Box 32: Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) 104 Case Study 32: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) 106 Species Box 33: Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) 111 Species Box 34: Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) – Also Known as the Peewit 112 Case Study 33: UK Uplands 113 Species Box 35: Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) 126 35 Grassland ecosystems around the world 126 36 Temperate grasslands 128 Case Study 34: Sheltering Rock-Tuckaway Farm 129 Species Box 36: Plains Wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) 135 References 138 4 Forestry and conservation 141 41 Introduction 141 42 Forest management 144 43 Forest management techniques: the UK model 145 44 Coppice 146 45 Coppice and wildlife 148 46 Wood pasture 153 47 Commercial forestry 154 48 High forest 155 49 Planting 155 410 Harvesting 156 411 Sustainable forest management 158 Case Study 41: Sunart Oakwoods Initiative 159 Species Box 41: Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) 179 Case Study 42: Longleaf Pine 180 Species Box 42: Long Leaf Pine (Pinus palustris) 185 Species Box 43: Red Cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides boralis) 189 Species Box 44: Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) 192 Case Study 43: New Hampshire Woodlands 193 Case Study 44: Malaysian Tropical Forests, Forestry Industry and Enrichment Planting 196 Species Box 45: Dipterocarpaceae 197 Species Box 46: Bornean Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi ssp borneensis) 199 412 Summary 215 References 215 5 Farming and the aquatic environment 219 51 Water 219 52 Water framework directive 219 53 Part 1: On farm ponds, watercourses and riparian strips 220 Species Box 51: Curlew (Numenius arquata) 230 Case Study 51: Kuenzler Farm Wetland Restoration Programme 231 Species Box 52: Bob White Quail (Colinus virginianus) 232 Species Box 53: Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans) 233 54 Part 2: Fens, marshes and wetlands 234 Species Box 54: Large Copper Butterfly (Lycaena dispar) 236 Species Box 55: European Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) 237 55 Part 3: Estuaries, coastal and marine 238 Species Box 56: Natterjack Toad (Epidalia calamita–Formally Bufo calamita) 239 56 Part 4: Aquaculture/fish farming 240 Case Study 52: Dragon Feeds Ltd 243 Case Study 53: Loch Duart Ltd Scotland 246 Case Study 54: Offshore Fisheries in New Hampshire, US 252 References 259 6 The future of farming and its implications for conservation 261 61 Introduction 261 62 Industrial-scale farming and monocultures 261 63 Science and technology 263 64 Precision farming 263 65 Biotechnology 264 66 Tissue culture 268 67 Implications of reduced crop and stock diversity 269 68 Subsistence farming and emerging economies 270 69 Sustainable use of water, energy and waste 271 610 Agri-environment schemes 274 611 Conclusion 276 References 276