Algriculture and nature

This desire of farmers to be part of the solution in the uplands, rather than a ‘service provider’ for the national environmental agency, was explored further in the workshop that followed the interviews. About half of the interviewed farmers attended this workshop which was also attended by the local environmental scheme officer and the national park officer. In this setting the farmers were prepared to discuss what a new scheme might include, such as the creation of new habitats, management of landscape features, mechanisms for developing mutual skills in farming and environmental management. The framework for such a new scheme was to be based around discussions, a collective approach and a business focus that included an audit of each farm to show their biodiversity and landscape assets and potential. The emphasis here was that if the scheme could be locally developed, then they would be more willing to go further in the environmental management. As these three farmers put it:

All of the farmers had entered the farm into agri-environment schemes during the preceding 20 years. All farms had also been affected by the introduction of the Single Farm Payment, the decoupled support introduced in 2005, which, as explained earlier, removed the link between farm support and stock numbers. In response to these two factors, many farmers had adjusted the farming system. For others, a move to fewer hardy hill stock has been a response to the payment opportunities presented by agri-environment schemes as reductions in stocking levels per hectare, notably on the moorland areas of the farm, are required under the schemes. The reductions have been significant with three farmers no longer grazing the moor and a further four reducing their livestock by at least half. As one farmer put it ‘having a few stock on the moor, now, it just isn’t worth it – labour or stock-quality wise’. Decoupling, and the introduction of an area-based payment that is not linked to production, has also increased the relative attractiveness of this option. In almost half of all interview cases, the consequence of this has been a significant change in the emphasis of the overall land management.

With regards to the environmental schemes, the balance of opinion is sympathetic, although most farmers admit that a key reason for joining these schemes is financial and to maintain incomes. Nevertheless, there is some resentment that the top-down prescribed management is in some ways too restricted and lacks flexibility. Many claimed that whilst initial destocking had brought some benefits for heather and other upland habitat, continued management with only very low levels of sheep or cattle grazing was now leading to farmers’ impoverishment. Some suggested that there was a lack of understanding that reversing business decisions about stock numbers would not be easy, for farmers. As one farmer said ‘you can’t keep your stock waiting on a washing line and drop them down as and when required.’

New Zealand also has a dedicated judicial system to contest decisions made under the RMA. While this system has delivered several notable “wins” for the environment (e.g., ), many local actions escape scrutiny. In practice, biodiversity protection by rural landowners occurs mainly on small, voluntary, set-asides of residual unproductive land (known as covenants) and through patchy predator-trapping and stock fencing activities, supported by limited local and national funds. It appears that the laissez-faire approach to the agricultural sector does little to safeguard the environment.

Forestry and natural resources workers need an understanding of the relationships between humans, the environment, and natural resources. Water resources and management, soil conservation, wildlife preservation and management, forest and fire management, and lumber production are all related to the conservation, use, and protection of our natural resources.

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