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one black and two white Suffolk lambs beside a fence

Suffolk lambs. Photo by John Comont

When we think of wildlife, we often think of wetlands and woodlands. But farms also add to our local biodiversity. Bees pollinate crops. Grasses feed sheep and other grazing animals. Birds and mice build their homes in hedgerows. Ground-nesting birds hide their chicks in the tall grasses along field margins. Livestock droppings provide food for some insects and fertilise the soil for emerging flowers.

But did you know that biodiversity also includes crops and livestock? Modern crops and farm animals are all descended from wild – and in many cases extinct – relatives. Have you ever wondered why a Cox apple is different from a Russet? Or why some cattle are raised for meat and others for milk? It’s because farmers have over the centuries carefully selected and bred these species, creating varieties for different uses. The result was a huge array of plant and animal breeds. Today only a small group of plant and animal varieties dominates our fields. Sadly, many of the old varieties are now rare or extinct.

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