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Bayer Crop Science

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FWAG has been working in partnership with Bayer CropScience for the past 8 years. During this time FWAG have been working with Bayer staff at both their Field Trial Stations near Cambridge.

Each of the farms cover 20ha of land but have huge differences in soil type, layout, history and landscape.

The Chishill Field Station is situated on a gently undulating clay plateau to the south west of Cambridge. Whilst the surrounding agricultural landscape is very open the field station is bounded by mature hedgerows with trees giving the site an enclosed feel.

Above:  Historic farm pond at Chishill 

Formerly an orchard producing both apples and plums much of the farm has been converted into trial plots for combinable crops. The site does however still retain a diverse range of habitats. These include:

• Plum and apple orchards
• A number of small woodlands and ponds
• Trees and a pattern of old hedgerows
• A network of grass margins and beetle banks

The Shelford Field Station is essentially one field divided to separate trail sites by a network of tracks, margins and beetle banks. Mature hedgerows bound the site, to the south of Cambridge, on three sides with a belt of deciduous woodland forming the northern boundary.

The open nature of the site is beneficial to many target conservation species and there is a known population of Skylark. The nature of the soil, sandy loam over chalk means that a range of crop trails that includes both spring and wintering cropping can be supported; this adds to the overall diversity of the site.

There are several key habitats on the site, these include:

• Areas of woodland and trees.
• A recently extended pond that is complemented by an area of native grasses and wildflowers.
• Well managed perimeter hedgerows.
• An excellent network of grass margins, tracks and beetle banks.

Above:  Aerial view of Chishill site

At both sites these non-cropped areas are actively managed to promote wildlife without detriment to the overall purpose of the farm as a field trials station.

In 2006 FWAG completed Conservation Reports and Action Plans for both sites. These documents drew together a wealth of information, some of which such as species survey records, already existed. This work was undertaken in partnership with the farm staff and gave a new direction to Conservation work on both sites.

As a result of this work Bayer CropScience launched both sites as Biodiversity Centres in May 2007. The core aim of these centres will still be to undertake field trials work but this will be combined with extended species monitoring as well as carrying out workshops and educational visits for farmers, agronomists, schools and a wide range of non farming organisations to show that farming and biodiversity can work hand in hand.

For general information on Bayer visit their website at http://www.bayercropscience.co.uk or for further information on the farm plans for Bayers biodiversity centres click on the link below  These plans were written by FWAG in conjunction with Bayer farm staff.