Saving arable plants

The agricultural revolution of the last 50 years has been so effective at controlling arable 'weeds' that of the 30 species that have shown the greatest decline across Britain, 60% are found in arable and other cultivated land. A combination of improved seed cleaning, increased fertiliser use, high yielding crop varieties and the introduction of herbicides has all contributed to their decline.

Poppies and Corn Chamomile
©James Peat /Plantlife

In response to these losses Plantlife is running the Arable Plants Project in partnership with the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG). The project targets farms which historically have had rich assemblages of arable species, encouraging the owners to choose the appropriate options when entering into new agri-environment schemes.

This work is particularly important at present with thousands of farmers entering into new Entry Level and Higher Level Stewardship agreements and with the help of Britain's new wave of environmentally conscious farmers we can return colour to the arable landscape.

The Arable Plants website

Many populations of rarer species have been recorded from particular fields for decades or even centuries with their fluctuations reflecting the trends in arable farming over time. This combination of site fidelity, with the ability of the majority of species to lay dormant in seed banks for many years, means arable plants can respond positively to appropriate management more quickly than plants of any other habitat.

For more information on the Plantlife Arable Plants Project and all you need to know about arable plants including the species that could be found in your area see www.arableplants.org.uk