Wild flowers of wheatfields

Wild flower conservation

Crop yields have improved dramatically in the last century. Yet at the same time, numbers of wildflowers, mammals, birds and insects living on arable land have declined. Changes in farming aimed at increasing our food supplies and eliminating weeds have all reduced the amount of wildlife on arable land.

New conservation strategies and Government initiatives (including Biodiversity Action Plans for 12 arable plants and also for field margins) encourage farmers to convert parts of their
land into ‘mini nature reserves’. Many conservation projects around the country are helping to save our wildflowers including the Millennium Seedbank Project at Kew, the Species Recovery Programme and Plantlife’s ‘Back from the Brink’ campaign, both funded by English Nature.

As crop yields are low in field margins, wildflowers, birds, insects and mammals can be encouraged and protected at no loss to the farmer. In fact, abundant wildlife helps to control many pests.

More plants

Back up to: Wild Flowers home

On to: Conservation at Kew