Improving soil health, net zero and water quality

Question 1

How to improve soil management and health

Answer 1

reduced cultivations and direct drilling
Using manures, compot and digestate
Woodland establishment
Under sowing cereal crops with grass
Utilisation og legume and herb swards to improve soil fertility

Question 2

How to improve biodiversity for birds and pollinators

Answer 2

Management of hedgerows and hedgerow creation
Leaving unsprayed/unfertilised headlands and field corners
beetle banks
creation of species rich grassland
Managing grass with low inputs
Establishments of nectar mizes
Supplementary winter feeding or farmland birds
Move to haymaking

Question 3

Improving water quality and sediment management

Answer 3

buffer strips around ponds and next to water courses
Over wintered stubbles to reduce sediment run off
Development of soil management plan to identify risk and putting suitable control measures
Yard improvement works- concrete yard renwal to reduce sediment run-off
Covered muck stores/sprayer wash down areas
Creation of hardened livestock and machinery tracks
Fenncing off water courses to exclude livestock