Nature and farming: sustaining native biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, by David Norton and Nick Reid. Melbourne, Australia, CSIRO Publishing, 2013. 304 pp, AU$69.95 (paperback). ISBN 9780643103252
We have come to expect hostility between ecologists and farmers; agricultural landscapes appear to be the antithesis of native biodiversity. This is a welcome book that avoids rehearsal of this negative and mutually damaging discourse. Instead, the authors are more circumspect, providing a convincing demonstration of how biodiversity can be brought into mainstream farm planning and, in the process, adding value and future proofing production systems. They emphasise this must be to the benefit of both nature conservation and agriculture. Within an agricultural matrix that accounts for 11% of the land area in Australia and 50% in New Zealand, the challenge is to sustain biodiversity and to improve ecosystem services such as environmental quality and pest management. If ecologists and farmers share their skills and show mutual respect, this will represent a new paradigm for nature conservation on farms.
It is refreshing that the starting point of this book is not an environmental critique of past or present agricultural practices. Instead, the authors provide an historical perspective of changes to native habitats and disturbances (vegetation clearance, burning, cultivation, fertilisation, irrigation and ungulate grazing) that have been brought about by agricultural systems in New Zealand and Australia. Farmers are the custodians of these landscapes with a strong stewardship ethic, and it is the responsibility of ecologists to demonstrate that there are also economic advantages of incorporating native species into production landscapes.
This book is genuinely accessible to students, farmers, ecologists and the lay reader. Cleverly, and unusually for a textbook, there is almost a complete lack of graphs, histograms and tables of information; the text is conversational but not unnecessarily wordy. Each chapter section is bite sized, with an excellent selection of photographs. There is also a strong human dimension with an almost Country Calendar-like approach to real-life storytelling. The book is based on a large number of case studies, which the authors convince the reader they have a genuinely wide and direct personal knowledge. The authors also draw on a wealth of information from scientific literature, reports, interviews and practical experience. Numerous examples illustrate how ecology has improved agricultural productivity and efficiency, many from the practical observations of farmers through management of their own livelihoods. Remnants of native habitat embedded in an agricultural matrix are shown to be immensely valuable. Ecological knowledge is used in the book to evaluate how to deal with fragmentation of native habitats, and how to manage corridors, differing patch sizes and paddock edges. This is a win-win for native plants and animals, and for agriculture.
The authors argue that an awareness-raising programme is required to raise the profile of farmland as a habitat for native biodiversity. We must appreciate that managing these natural resources is a service provided by farmers to society. Most importantly, they point out that knowledge is a key driver for change. The case studies are almost entirely drawn from New Zealand and Australia. Whilst the concepts and ideas are applicable to other parts of the world, it is to these countries that the book will find its real value. This book is essential reading for students and practitioners of agriculture and ecology, but will also grace the coffee table and provide interest for the general reader.
N Dickinson
Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences Lincoln University
Email: [email protected]
© 2013 N Dickinson