Chance to save our farmland birds

Farmland bird populations have seen alarming declines over many years, so its fantastic news that the Wales Rural Development Plan has been approved. This is a vital step to securing agri-environment schemes, such as Tir Gofal, which offer the best hope for the future of farmland birds in Wales.

Among the birds in decline are many specialist farmland species such as the corn bunting and turtle dove (both on the verge of extinction in Wales), yellowhammer and tree sparrow. Waders such as lapwings and curlews have also seen steep declines – curlews by 81% between 1993 and 2006, and lapwings by 77% between 1987 and 1998.

The Welsh Assembly Government has a target to stabilise or reverse declines in wild bird populations by 2010, as well as a target to halt biodiversity decline by 2010 with recovery by 2026. Survey evidence shows that the declines continue unabated, and these targets will surely not be met.

The review of agri-environment schemes is a golden opportunity to re-shape the current schemes and develop a structure for agri-environment which will help tackle biodiversity declines and the climate change challenge.