Land Based Industries and Their Influence on Game Management

Primary Land Use Statistics in the UK and England

• Top Three Land Uses in the UK (by industry):

  • Agriculture: $63.1\%$

  • Forestry, open land and water: $20.1\%$

  • Residential gardens: $4.9\%$

• Land Uses in England (2022 Data):

  • Total land area: Just over $13,046,000\,hectares$.

  • Developed use: $8.7\%$

  • Built-up area: $10.5\%$

  • Protected land: Just over $37.4\%$ ($4.9\,million\,hectares$) is protected against development by natural designations.

    • Recognized natural designations include National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).

Environmental Impacts of Land-Based Industries

• Drivers and Pressures:

  • Expanding population and economic growth create a necessity for increased food production.

• Negative Environmental Impacts:

  • Habitat Loss: Removal of hedgerows, ponds, and woodlands reduces space for wildlife.

  • Intensive Use: High-intensity crop production and livestock/forestry management can damage habitats and reduce biodiversity.

  • Chemical Inputs: Pesticides and fertilizers can damage ecosystems, specifically reducing food sources for wild birds and polluting water courses.

• Custodianship and Mitigation:

  • Farmers can act as custodians by adopting sustainable methods, reducing inputs, and conserving habitats.

  • Sustainable forestry practices can encourage species diversity and provide wildlife refuges.

  • The 2026 DEFRA Land Use Framework provides a strategy for the proportional allocation of land use in England over time.

Global and Future Context (Opoku, 2019)

• Population Growth: Global population is predicted to reach $12.5\,Billion$ by $2065$.

• Inevitable Impacts: Intensification and infrastructure development (e.g., HS2) lead to unavoidable losses of woodlands, hedgerows, and SSSIs, necessitating remedial impacts from industries.

Trends in UK Agriculture

• Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA): Decreased by $0.5\%$ to $17.1\,million\,hectares$.

• Crop Area: Total crops decreased by $0.9\%$.

• Uncropped Arable Land: Increased by $33\%$.

• Historical Context: Management remains influenced by shifts occurring post-industrial revolution.

The 2024 National Food Strategy

• Core Goals: Seeking nature-positive and carbon-negative food systems.

• Key Discussions:

  • Food consumption patterns and the national obesity crisis.

  • Alternative proteins and the "protein transition" (Chapter 13).

  • Land use and emissions (specifically $CO_{2}$ and methane).

  • The political unfeasibility of meat consumption taxes.

  • Carbon Footprinting: Evaluation of food production including imported goods; accepting lower standards elsewhere undermines domestic progress and values.

The 2026 Land Use Framework for England

• Vision: Addressing how England can remain $60\%$ food sufficient while facilitating nature recovery.

• Land Use in 2024 (by Percentage):

  • Arable and horticulture: $39\%$

  • Improved grassland: $16\%$

  • Semi-natural grassland: $9\%$

  • Mountain, heath, and bog: $15\%$

  • Broadleaved woodland: $11\%$

  • Coniferous woodland: $2\%$

  • Coastal and water: $1\%$

  • Urban: $7\%$

  • Solar energy: Negligible relative to larger categories.

• Change Categories for 2050 Analysis:

  • Category A (Land Management Change): Changes in farming methods without new habitats (e.g., cover crops). Not in scope for land use change analysis.

  • Category B (Changes in Agricultural Practice): Food production remains primary, includes environmental benefits (e.g., field margins, agroforestry). Covers $480,000\,ha$ ($4\%$ of England, $5\%$ of UAA).

  • Category C (Land Use Change toward Climate/Nature): Environment/climate is primary (e.g., woodland creation, peat restoration). Covers $788,000\,ha$ ($6\%$ of England, $9\%$ of UAA).

  • Category D (Renewables 2050): Projected to require $155,000\,ha$ ($1\%$ of England, $2\%$ of UAA).

  • Category E (Urban Expansion): Development and housing. Projected to require $168,000\,ha$ ($1\%$ of England, $2\%$ of UAA).

Implications for Game and Fisheries Management

• Specific Impacts:

  • Potential restrictions on gamebird release beyond existing controls for Special Protection Areas (SPAs).

  • Grouse Shoots: Estimated to manage $3.3\%$ of England's land.

  • A perceived lack of acknowledgment in official reports regarding the benefits of land managed for shooting.

• Scientific Research Context:

  • Fletcher et al. (2010): Predator control effects on ground-nesting moorland birds.

  • Gallo and Pejchar (2016): Mixed consequences of game habitat improvement for general biodiversity.

  • Sage et al. (2020): Pheasant and Partridge release impacts on habitat and wildlife.

  • Howden et al. (2013): Balancing water quality, food security, and nitrate pollution.

Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS)

• Principle: "Public money for public goods."

• Goals: Achieve 25 Year Environment Plan goals and net-zero emissions by $2050$.

• Paid Public Goods: Clean air, clean/plentiful water, thriving wildlife, protection from environmental hazards, environmental beauty/engagement, and climate change adaptation.

• The Three-Tier Approach:

  1. Tier 1 (Sustainable Farming Incentive - SFI): Adopting sustainable practices; paying for actions rather than outcomes. Replaces outgoing Countryside Stewardship (CS) and Basic Payment Schemes (BPS).

  2. Tier 2 (Local Nature Recovery): Locally targeted outcomes (e.g., tree planting, flood mitigation, habitat restoration).

  3. Tier 3 (Landscape Recovery): Large-scale, transformational projects (e.g., peatland restoration).

Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) Specifics

• Funding Actions: Protecting soil, restoring hedgerows, and boosting nature recovery.

• The "Pick and Mix" Approach: Farmers select actions suitability for their land.

• Limited Area Actions: Certain actions are restricted to a maximum of $25\%$ of a farm system to avoid excessive reduction in production and ensure intended efficiency.

• Restricted Actions (SFI 2023/2024 Codes):

  • CIPM2: Flower-rich grass margins/strips.

  • CAHL1: Pollen and nectar flower mix.

  • CAHL2: Winter bird food on arable land.

  • CAHL3: Grassy field corners/blocks.

  • CIGL1: Taking improved grassland corners out of management.

  • CIGL2: Winter bird food on improved grassland.

  • WBD3: In-field grass strips.

  • AHW1: Bumblebird mix.

  • AHW9: Unharvested cereal headland.

  • AHW11: Cultivated areas for arable plants.

• Status Update: Noted suspension of NEW applicants on $13th\,March\,2025$; existing applications will be honored.

Countryside Stewardship (CS) Details

• Core Elements:

  • Capital Grants: Focused on hedgerows, boundaries, water quality, and woodland.

  • Middle Tier: Simple, effective environmental benefit options.

  • Higher Tier: Target environmentally significant sites/woodlands.

• The Mixed Farming Offer Requirements:

  • Minimum of $3\%$ of Agreement Land must be entered.

  • Agreement duration of $5\,years$.

  • Must select at least one option from each of three categories.

• Example Payment Rates for Management Options:

  • AB1 (Nectar flower mix): $\pounds 511/ha$

  • AB9 (Winter bird food): $\pounds 640/ha$

  • AB11 (Cultivated areas for arable plants): $\pounds 532/ha$

  • AB12 (Supplementary winter feeding): $\pounds 632/tonne$ (per every $2\,ha$ of AB9).

  • SW1 ($4m$ to $6m$ buffer strip): $\pounds 353/ha$

  • AB4 (Skylark plots): $\pounds 18$ ($\pounds 9$ per plot, minimum 2 plots).

  • AB5 (Nesting plots for lapwing/stone curlew): $\pounds 524/ha$

Management Techniques and Features

• Skylark Plots: Uncropped patches in fields.

• Conservation Headlands: Areas with limited pesticide use to encourage rare arable weeds and insects.

• Beetle Banks: Raised grassy strips providing habitat for predatory insects.

• Hedgerow Maintenance: Crucial for connectivity and nesting.