Biodiversity

Introduction

Biodiversity is essential to healthy and resilient agricultural systems. As agriculture faces continued pressure to increase production while maintaining economic and environmental sustainability, understanding biodiversity is becoming an increasingly important part of sustainable land management. As a working commercial farm and a centre for agricultural education and research, Harper Adams Future Farm provides a valuable opportunity to demonstrate how productive farming and environmental stewardship can work together. Through habitat management, ecological monitoring and participation in environmental land management schemes, the farm contributes to the enhancement and conservation of biodiversity across the wider landscape. 

Habitats and Wildlife

Harper Adams Future Farm encompasses a range of habitats spanning arable land, permanent and temporary grasslands, hedgerows, woodland, ponds, ditches and watercourses. Together, these habitats provide food, shelter and breeding opportunities for a variety of wildlife. Farmland birds such as linnets, lapwings, curlews and yellowhammers can be found alongside pollinating insects, mammals and amphibians. The diversity of plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms found across these habitats also contribute to key ecosystem functions and services from pollination, nutrient cycling to pest regulation, water management, and soil health.

Stewardship and Environmental Management

The University farm has participated in agri-environment schemes for more than 20 years through Countryside Stewardship Entry-Level Stewardship (ELS) and Higher-Level Stewardship (HLS) schemes and more recently the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme. These schemes have supported habitat creation, restoration and management projects across the estate including hedgerow planting and restoration, woodland management, nectar and pollinator strips, wild bird seed plots and grass margins. 

These activities contribute to biodiversity conservation, improving habitat connectivity, supporting soil and water management objectives and helping to demonstrate how environmental enhancement can be successfully integrated with modern agricultural systems. The farm continues to build on this legacy through participation in current environmental land management schemes and ongoing habitat management initiatives. 

Research and Education

As a working commercial farm within a university setting, the Future Farm provides opportunities to study biodiversity in a real agricultural landscape with ecological monitoring helping to build an understanding of the habitats and species present across the estate. The farm also provides a setting for students to develop practical skills and explore the relationships between farming, biodiversity and land management. By bringing research, education and farming practice together, the Future Farm can help inform approaches to managing agricultural land for both production and nature.