Pollinator-friendly farms: advisory materials for farmers
Regenerative Agriculture, Carbon Action
Pollinators are the cornerstone for food production
What is a pollinator-friendly farm, and how can farmers increase pollinators on their own farms? This project provided farmers with the knowledge needed to enhance the conditions for pollinators on their farms. The main output was a practical guide (Finnish and Swedish) for farmers.
Official name
Pollinator-friendly farms: advisory materials for farmers
Duration
1–12.2021
Persons in charge
Project lead: Traci Birge, Dept of Agricultural Sciences (agroecology), traci.birge@helsinki.fi, Advisory team: FM Eija Hagelberg (Carbon Action/BSAG), FT Juho Paukkunen (Luomus), MMM Lotta Kaila (Luke & University of Helsinki), and MMM Juuso Joona (Tyynelä Farm).
Consortium
University of Helsinki, BSAG
Funder
Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation
Pollinator-friendly farm concept
Pollinator loss has been documented around the world and is part of the wider biodiversity crisis. Agriculture is responsible for pollinator decline but can also provide solutions. The main pollinating animals in Finland are bees, hoverflies, and butterflies. Pollinators need foraging plants as well as nesting and overwintering spots. However, landscape simplification such as bigger fields and fewer meadows, as well as use of plant protection products, all take their toll on pollinators.
Pollinator-friendly farms concept is a way to communicate the best practices for pollinator conservation to farmers and to raise public awareness about pollinators and farming. The project will develop the concept for Finnish farms through scientific literature review and interviews with researchers in Finland. The concept directly supports the aims of the national pollinator strategy and regenerative farming.
PROJECT PHASES / PROJECT GOALS
Guide
Pollinator-friendly farm
The literature review and expert interviews will form the basis for robust and practical advisory materials for farmers. Advisory materials will also benefit from lessons learned and examples from other countries – especially from the Nordic region – and will include cases from Finnish farmers about their own activities for pollinators on their farms.
Video
Beetle bank
Establishing and maintaining a biodiversity or a beetle bank is easy and it is a big benefit for the entire field ecosystem. The project will arrange a video-recorded farm day showcasing actions for pollinator conservation.
Webinars
Webinars of the project
The project will arrange webinars including experts and results of the project.
PROJECT PARTNERS
