Environment
Environment
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Agriculture, Conservation, Earth and Leaf, Economics, Education, Environment, Latest Posts, Slider Posts
Sustainability in Farming
When I talk about sustainability in farming, which I do a lot, I don’t just mean looking after the environment and reducing global warming. I mean making sure farming communities see sustainability in farming.
They need to earn a decent living whilst caring for our precious countryside.
And currently, in the UK, farming patently isn’t sustainable at all. The average age of a farmer has been rising steadily for years and is now about 65. That tells you something is wrong.
I met this tree alone in a field in Dentdale in July 2023. It is vast. A Sycamore, the girth 4 metres plus, putting it at about 450 years old. It is grazed to the base yet one or two epiphytes cling to its upper branches. It should be the centre-piece of a rehabilitated woodland, surrounded by Sessile Oak, Hazel and Birch. I registered it with the Woodland Trust that night. They were unaware of its existence.
The exact definition of sustainability bears some consideration;
“The property of being environmentally sustainable; the degree to which a process or enterprise is able to be maintained or continued while avoiding the long-term depletion of natural resources”. {OED}
That process or enterprise includes the farm, the farmer and the farming system.
In time our Shepherds of the Trees project aims to provide exactly what we are talking about – “Sustainability in Farming“
We also have a website dedicated specifically to the project at “www.shepherdsofthetrees.org”
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Net Zero and Carbon Credits Exposed for all to See!
Net Zero and Carbon Credits are both concepts that allow polluters to continue to pollute. Fact.
Both ideas have been drawn up to not rock the boat, yet to appear as though governments are doing something about global warming. The glaring problem with Net Zero and Carbon Credits are the words “net” and “credits”.
https://www.efeca.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/UK-RTSS-APR-2021.pdf
I’m writing this because today I learned that an estate in Leicestershire will earn £120,000 by farming sustainably. Every farmer should be farming sustainably. There’s a dark side to the £120,000 though. The farm in question is selling the carbon credits. Some are being bought by the Mercedes Benz formula one team so that they can claim in time to becoming a net zero racing outfit. In other words Mercedes Benz are buying Net Zero and Carbon Credits to improve their status whilst still producing the same level of CO2. And remember CO2 production is cumulative not annually turned over. Net Zero and Carbon Credits are misleading.
Im typing stuff just for the sake of typing the words net zero and carbon credits. Well boo its worked 605 waords
We must also realise that the carbon capture calculations on the farm do not include the sale off farm of carbon as meat. Lambs and Beef. Additionally the Methane produced by those beef animals and sheep is not counted in the equation.
Claims in farming that well managed pasture for example on a dairy farm absorb as much carbon as the rainforest each year may indeed be true, but it is not the full picture. In fact it is grossly misleading. Why? Carbon is also output from each hectare of land. It intensive dairy farming large quantities on nitrogenous fertiliser are used to make the grass grow faster. As the grass grows faster it absorbs more carbon. That is good isn’t it? Of itself yes, but that grass is removed, harvested to make silage or grazed for milk. The milk, meat and animal carcasses are removed from the farm and as they are consumed Carbon Dioxide is released. At the input end, the nitrogenous fertiliser is made from Oil. This releases huge amounts of CO2.
There’s more. The cows spend the winter indoors, some are indoors all year round. Their diet is made up from grass and supplementary concentrate rations. The major protein source in these rations is Soya. In a typical year each cow may eat about 400 kg of soya. Ten UK cows eat about one hectares worth of Soya each year. That’s a hectare of rainforest or Cerrado. Have a look at Net Zero and carbon Credits undressed (below). Imported animal feed farcically ain’t included in the UK Net Zero calculations.
And then there’s the Methane. Its a big part of the problem not covered by Net Zero and Carbon Credits. I have written other posts on Methane; Methane Emissions Must be Eliminated as a No 1 Priority; Bottom Trawling Destroys the Seabed and Must End Now
Net Zero and Carbon Credits Undressed
The Royal Society explain neatly what Net Zero is – What is net Zero?
Not included in the UK Net Zero calculations – Aviation, Foreign Imports and Finance. Oh dear. We are a net importer, especially of food. We are a major world player in Aviation, London is a world finance capital responsible for almost half of our GDP. Net zero here then by 2050 means nothing.
Lets look at another youtube video for Carbon Credits – What are Carbon Credits?
There we are – Net Zero and Carbon Credits Exposed for what they are, just empty political words.
The claim that it stores as much is simply incorrect.
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Is Biomass Really a Sustainable Fuel ?
Is Biomass a sustainable fuel ? That’s the question.
Ash trees must not be used for firewood.
There is a good biomass case study right on our doorstep here in Yorkshire. Drax power station.
Drax was responsible for three per cent of the UKs total carbon emissions last year.
Our last coal fired power station at Ratcliffe on Soar was responsible for a quarter of that. This power station closed on Monday 30th September 2024.
Frankie Mayo, an analyst at Ember, said: “Burning wood pellets can be as bad for the environment as coal; supporting biomass with subsidies is a costly mistake.”
Fact – burning wood pellets for power generation releases more emissions for each unit of electricity generated than burning gas or coal
Is Biomass a Sustainable Fuel ?
There are some biomass articles in our Document Library relating to Drax:
If you want to learn more about what you can do change our world, join Earth and Leaf
Is Biomass a Sustainable Fuel ? – Q and A
Question
Where do the Drax biomass wood pellets come from?
Answer
North America and Canada, a little from the UK
Conclusion
How much Carbon Dioxide does Drax produce each year?
Drax directly produces 11.5 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide per year.
This figure does not include the millions of tonnes of CO2 released by felling the forests. It certainly does not include the CO2 generated building the MV Ultra Yorkshire whose sole purpose in transporting pellets from North America to the UK. Not sustainable!
How much of the electricity used in the UK does Drax produce?
Drax produces 6% of the UK electricity demand.
The jury is out. However if we spent the subsidy on home insulation we might not need the 6% of electricity produced from Drax.
I conclude in answer to the question – Is Biomass a Sustainable Fuel ? No !
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Bottom Trawling Destroys the Seabed and Must End Now
Lets examine the reasons why bottom trawling destroys the seabed and must end. Ill start with this report from New Scientist – Bottom Trawling.
This article jumped out at me last night. I now won’t be eating fish caught by bottom trawling. My overarching concern about trawling is the utter destruction – trawling destroys the seabed, so similar to burning down the rainforest. Now this, no surprise here:
So What are the 3 Reasons why Bottom Trawling Destroys the Seabed and Must End?
First of all – sheer bloody destruction. Bottom trawling destroys the seabed tearing up corals, anenomes, sea grass, kelp and anything growing in its path.
Secondly it stirs up sediment on the sea floor. This releases huge amounts of methane and carbon dioxide. Carbon is sequestered in sediment on the sea bed.
Lastly it doesn’t just kill the fish we take to eat. It also kills crustaceans, by catch, immature fish and molluscs. This is why the gulls follow trawlers.
and whilst on the subject of boats I won’t ever be on a cruise either
And then today, 3rd June 2024 we learn that Scampi isn’t what we think it is and it certainly isn’t fished in a sustainable manner https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9wwrzv2ryjo
3 Unquestionable Reasons Why Trawling is Bad – see this article on trawling and the EU
NEWSFLASH 24/09/24 – Protected areas in Scotland still at risk
If you want to know more about Earth and Leaf click here
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Two Rivers and a Water Authority
The Severn and the Trent make up the two rivers and a water authority.
No other country in the world has a fully privatised water supply and waste water system. Not one. As a matter of fact even this statement is not entirely true. It is just England and Wales. In Scotland and Northern Ireland it is still in public ownership.
The news a few days ago that Severn Trent is to pay out £300 million in dividends is a shock – read here. This on top of making £200 million profit. This money must be reinvested in the infrastructure.
Two Rivers and a Water Authority – A Personal Tale from the Riverbank
Many years ago I worked on a big dairy farm near the Trent, one of the Two Rivers. Franny, our tractor driver and I worked overtime to try and empty the slurry store one year. It was never ending. One Sunday morning we turned up for work early to be greeted by one of the two brothers who owned the farm. There had been torrential rain overnight. The store was empty. It was all in the Trent.
I’m here to help support farmers, but sometimes and it is far too often, they do not help themselves.
Away from the Two Rivers, In a different part of the country great work is being done by Matt Staniek on Windermere
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Planting trees is not enough
Why is it that simply planting trees is not enough. Firstly, a farmer is the right person to be planting trees on a farm. Secondly, the right person to look after those newly planted trees is, wait for it, the farmer.
Frequently we see ranks of trees planted on farms in narrow bands and straight lines, the same distance apart and all the same age. They are always too close together. Additionally there are just trees, no shrubs like Gorse, Broom, Blackthorn, Brambles and Dog Rose to name just a few. Finally there are no open spaces.
I wander through fields that often contain a lonely Oak or Sycamore. The urge takes me to plant companions for them. I would surround each with thickets of Blackthorn and Crab Apple and plant Oak or Sycamore saplings with them.Planting trees is not enough
Sometimes you see these isolated trees with remnant bluebells or Dogs Mercury lingering around their roots. These trees need help, fencing out and more cover needs planting. Specifically any areas in grass fields with ancient woodland indicators should be replanted urgently. Use shrubs a lot more than trees. They must be native. Planting trees is not enough.
A lone Wild Garlic plant on the bank of the River Noe in Derbyshire If you have any areas with indicator species you must plant next to them. Planting trees is not the end. Care for them too! Mix meadows with scrub and trees and introduce farm animals at low level stocking.
Wildflower meadows fit into this network. Preferably they are cut for hay in late July or later. Low level sheep and cattle grazing follows until late April. And guess who should look after this wonder world. The farmer.
Not enough thought goes into what is planted and where. Lets explore the topic!
So Why is it that Just Planting Trees is not Enough ?
Just planting trees is not enough. There is more to it. A forest is a complex mix of plants of different ages, fungi, insects, invertebrates, birds and animals. Complex habitats like this store vast amounts of carbon. Planting trees is not enough. We now know that the trees and plants live in complex harmony with underground communication through fungi. When a forest is cleared most of these fungi die. Clearing a forest releases vast amounts of Carbon Dioxide, heating our planet. Burning the wood makes things even worse. Have a look at another post about our very own Drax power Station just here.
Deciding where to plant/re wild is an important first step. Indicator species are one starting place, they may be in hedgerows ironically often at roadsides, hiding in plain sight. Old existing trees are focal points. They need companions. Do not simply plant in blocks, in straight lines. Leave open areas, marshy areas, consider blocking field drains and damming ditches.
Forests need open rides, clearings, dead wood, ponds, large animal herbivores, animals that dig. Animals that die there should be left. See “Why culled deer carcasses in Scotland should be left to rot, according to experts” in our document library.
Ancient Woodland Indicators
Dogs Mercury, Wild Garlic, Blue Bells, Dog Violet, Wood Anemone, Pink Campion, Lily of the Valley, Greater Stitchwort, Wood Sorrel, Golden Saxifrage, Yellow Archangel. Here are some pictures:
What are others saying about planting trees?
“Instead of focusing on planting huge numbers of trees, experts tell Vox, we should focus on growing trees for the long haul, protecting and restoring ecosystems beyond just forests, and empowering the local communities that are best positioned to care for them.”
This is the aim of our proposed “Shepherds of the Trees” project. Have a look at our proposals right here!
The Woodland Trust can help. Visit them here
We must do more, simply planting trees is not enough.
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Inspiring People and Awesome Organisations
These inspiring people and awesome organisations have encouraged us to form the Earth and Leaf Community Interest Company and do something positive in the environment and farming sector.
Number One
The inspiring Sally Phillips from Buy Land Plant Trees
There is an article in our document library highlighting her work. Sally Phillips bought Low Fell in the Lake District three years ago through her company Buy Land Plant Trees. Read on here … about the first of our inspiring people and awesome organisations.
Number Two
Wicton Farm are doing dairy differently, its refreshing
Number Three
Matt Staniek.
The article in our document library highlights Sally’s work.
Number Four
Dave Blackledge, the Hero of Hodbarrow
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Sheep Farming in Wales, Its Time for a Change
Lets Revolutionise Sheep Farming in Wales and continue to shape the character of the nations environment. A lot of upland Wales is unsuitable for any other type of farming. I have spent quite a bit of time in Wales over the years, working in the farming sector. I always found our Welsh farmer customers open to new ideas and far more interested in marketing and new tech than others in the UK.
So here we are. Farmer protests at the Senedd. Earth and Leaf wants to work with farmers. The Sustainable Farming Scheme is a great move towards restoring habitat across Wales. This is a great article by Dr Malcolm Smith. He makes some excellent points about subtle changes that would help farmers. The scheme also needs explaining better to farmers.
Lets Revolutionise Sheep Farming in Wales and Benefit its Rural Communities too
This mirrors the same structure found in England and Scotland. Hill ewes such as the Welsh Mountain are kept on high ground. Draft ewes are sold at market to farms lower down the hill to be crossed with Blue Faced Leicesters and other breeds to produce mules. These are again moved further down the hill to be crossed with terminal sires to produce fat lambs.
https://meatpromotion.wales/en
Time for Change
We need to look at this traditional structure of the industry. The hill and draft ewe system is no longer necessary except to maintain communities. So, we must use just transition to help maintain a thriving countryside. This is what we should do !
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Time to Take Action on Nature Decline
It is time to take action on nature decline. A report today by the Office for Environmental Protection states; “If action is not taken England risks an irreversible spiral of decline in its nature”
Here’s the report from World at One:
Government remains largely off track to meet its environmental ambitions, finds OEP in annual progress report. It is time to take action on nature decline.
18.01.2024
Government remains largely off track to meets its environmental ambitions and must speed up and scale up its efforts in order to achieve them, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has found in its annual progress report.
The OEP report provides an assessment of government’s progress towards legally-binding environmental targets and the goals of its Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP). It covers the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. It also includes content on selected cross-cutting themes, such as nature-friendly farming, and a more in-depth assessment focused on government’s apex goal of achieving ‘thriving plants and wildlife’.
Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair of the OEP, said: “While some progress has been made, substantial challenges remain. Our assessment is that government is largely off track to meet its ambitions and its legal obligations.
It really is time to take action on nature decline and it is so very simple. I dug a pond on my allotment. Six months later I took this photograph of a female Southern Hawker dragonfly laying her eggs at that pond.
It really is time to take action on nature decline.
You can read some of our book here at www.shepherdsofthetrees.org
You can also learn about Shepherds of the Trees here
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Interesting Stuff Going on at Home
Wickham Fen
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-67933864
Knepp Castle Estate is leading in re-wilding projects in the UK in West Sussex. Here’s a short film on their beaver reintroduction project:
Finally, there are also lots of interesting things going on around the world. Click Here!
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Interesting Stuff Going on Around the World
Wow
https://orangutan.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e1bedc0d32dbb4e95a8fc9748&id=97a6777442&e=1154216cea Rain at last in North Sumatra
Ive re-watched Earth. It really is an important must watch for everyone
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0fpwlny/earth-series-1-2-snowball
The Rainforest Alliance protects rainforests and helps farmers and indigenous communities.
This is a great project in Borneo
https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/documents/2484428-regrow-borneo-pilot-year-impact-report
Finally, there are also lots of interesting things going on at home in the UK. Click Here!
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Time for Another Agricultural Revolution
It is Time for Another Agricultural Revolution
