author : Jake Fiennes

The British countryside has some dire problems, much of it caused by intensive and insensitive farming. Fiennes argues that, rather than blame and vilify farmers, they are the very ones who can solve the problems. They just need the right information, and the right incentives. He also argues that land can be improved for all – people and wildlife alike – not by simply leaving nature to take its course, but by farming it sensitively and sustainably. For example, grazing animals in meadows provide fertiliser, and their trampling can break up the land in a way that creates space for other species. If allowed to go back to nature, the land would quickly revert to scrub, and eventually woodland, with potentially less biodiversity, and no income.

Part autobiography – from running wild as a child, to farming in Australia, and gamekeeping in the UK – and part examination of his current work at Conservation Manager at the Holkham estate in Norfolk, this book provides a clear and impassioned argument for changing farming practices.

Some of the changes suggested need government support to provide the right incentives: farming is a very low profit industry, and a large proportion of the profit comes from subsidies. He goes into some detail about recent government reports and initiatives, which clearly demonstrate how complex the whole process is. He also points out that ‘food security’ is not just about growing the food we need; it also requires consideration of the entire supply chain of fertilisers, pesticides, farm machinery, and so on.

Some of the changes needed are informational. Farmers savagely chop their hedges to heights too low for animal shelter or bird nesting: this is expensive and appears to be purely for neatness, or tradition, so why not leave them to grow? Properly managed habitat restoration – wildlife also needs to be ‘farmed’ – can even improve yields. Gamekeepers also have a role to play here, actively managing semi-natural habitats to help raise their birds. Fiennes suggests reimagining their roles as wardens or rangers, with the birds they raise providing surplus protein, and keeping the carrying capacity of the land in a better balance.

Certain points he makes seem counter-intuitive. For example, applying certain herbicides to kill off leaves above ground can be more beneficial than ploughing them up: it disturbs the ground less, and leaves the carbon-sequestering roots in place. I was also interested to learn that British cattle have a much lower carbon footprint than the average usually quoted: they are not intensively farmed, but rather allowed to graze outside, usually on land that is not of sufficient quality to crow crops profitably. And there are certain choices of grasses that result in less methane production, too. When compared to highly proceed food, the product can be both better for us, and has a lower carbon footprint.

Feinnes focuses more on the increase in biodiversity resulting from his actions, rather than on the changes in productivity of the farmland; I would have liked to have seen more of that side, too. However, this is a fascinating book, with much interesting material showing how complex, and counter-intuitive, many aspects of farming are, but also how farming can be made the solution rather than the problem.