Wild Bird Population Stabilising

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Tuesday, 02 December 2003

The wild bird population of England has begun to stabilise after 20 years of decline, although some of the most common species such as the sparrow and starling continue to drop in numbers.
A survey found that when farms, bogs, mudflats and heaths were properly managed the wildlife returned, and that some schemes had been able to arrest years of decline.
The environment minister, Elliott Morley, who launched the Biodiversity report yesterday, said reducing the use of pesticides and fertilisers was crucial.
"Application and farming practice is the key to all this, both in pesticide and fertiliser use," he said.
"There have been changes in trends and there's a lot less pesticide being used in the countryside these days than a decade ago. The problem is that, although a lot less is being used, what is being used is a lot more effective... so there are less insects and seeds for birds to eat."
Source The Independent via www.soilassociation.org