How can farmers protect biodiversity and conserve the countryside, and what are priority species and protected areas?
The roles of NIEA and DARD, how farmers can minimise their impact and improve biodiversity, hedging plant species, the meaning of priority species with named examples, conservation through sustainable agriculture, and the role of ASSIs and AONBs.
A focused CCEA GCSE Agriculture and Land Use answer on conservation and the countryside, covering the roles of NIEA and DARD, how farmers can improve biodiversity, hedging species, priority species, conservation and sustainable agriculture, and ASSIs and AONBs.
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What this dot point is asking
CCEA wants you to know the roles of NIEA and DARD, describe how farmers can reduce their impact and improve biodiversity, name hedging species, define priority species with named examples, explain conservation through sustainable agriculture, and explain how ASSIs and AONBs affect land management.
Roles of NIEA and DARD
Improving biodiversity on the farm
Farmers can minimise their impact and improve biodiversity by:
- Preventing soil erosion (keeping ground covered, not overgrazing).
- Restoring and establishing hedges (habitats, food and wildlife corridors).
- Minimising soil compaction (healthy soil life and roots).
- Creating and managing habitats (ponds, field margins, woodland).
- Reducing reliance on chemicals (protecting wildlife and beneficial insects).
- Protecting plant and animal species, especially priority species.
Hedging species that can be planted include hawthorn, hazel, dog rose, guelder rose, holly, rowan, oak and cherry.
Priority species
Named examples you should know: yellowhammer, Irish hare, red squirrel, lapwing, curlew, barn owl and marsh fritillary butterfly. Each is linked to particular habitats, and protecting those habitats helps the species recover.
Conservation and sustainable agriculture
Those working on the land support conservation through sustainable practices such as crop diversification and using animals to maintain soil and vegetation quality. The benefits of biodiversity initiatives reach farmers (financial incentives, healthier land), the public (recreation) and future generations.
Protected areas: ASSIs and AONBs
- An Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) is land protected because of its special wildlife, plants, rocks or landforms; designation places restrictions on land use and management to protect it.
- An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is protected for its landscape and scenery; designation influences how the land can be developed and managed.
Examples in Northern Ireland include Lough Neagh and its shoreline, the Foyle Basin, Cranny Bogs, Peatlands Park and Magilligan sand dunes.
Examples in context
Example 1. Joining an agri-environment scheme. A farmer joins a DARD agri-environment scheme that pays them to manage field margins, maintain hedges and protect a wet area for breeding waders such as the curlew. The scheme gives the farmer a financial incentive while protecting priority species and improving biodiversity on the farm.
Example 2. Managing land within an ASSI. A farmer whose land lies within an ASSI on the Lough Neagh shoreline must follow restrictions on drainage and management to protect the special wetland habitat. This conserves the habitat for the birds and plants that depend on it, even though it limits how the land can be farmed.
Try this
Q1. Name two ways a farmer can improve biodiversity on their land. [2 marks]
- Cue. Restore hedges, create and manage habitats, reduce chemical use, prevent soil erosion, or protect species (any two).
Q2. Give one named priority species in Northern Ireland. [1 mark]
- Cue. Yellowhammer, Irish hare, red squirrel, lapwing, curlew, barn owl or marsh fritillary butterfly.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of CCEA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
CCEA Unit 1 style6 marksDescribe how farmers can minimise their impact on ecosystems and improve biodiversity on their land.Show worked answer →
Six marks for several clear methods, ideally with brief explanation.
Farmers can improve biodiversity by:
Preventing soil erosion, for example by keeping the ground covered and not overgrazing, so soil and habitats are not lost. Restoring and establishing hedges, which provide habitats, food and corridors for wildlife. Minimising soil compaction so soil life and plant roots are healthy.
Creating and managing habitats such as ponds, field margins and woodland to provide homes for more species. Reducing reliance on chemicals (fertilisers and pesticides) so wildlife and beneficial insects are not harmed. Protecting plant and animal species, especially priority species, by leaving habitats undisturbed.
Markers reward several distinct methods from this list, each linked to how it helps wildlife. Simply writing "be kind to animals" is too vague.
CCEA Unit 1 style3 marksExplain what is meant by a priority species, give one named example, and explain how an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) helps conservation.Show worked answer →
One mark for the definition, one for an example, one for the ASSI point.
A priority species is a plant or animal that needs conservation action because it is in decline, rare or important in an all-Ireland or UK context.
Named examples include the yellowhammer, Irish hare, red squirrel, lapwing, curlew, barn owl and marsh fritillary butterfly (any one).
An Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) is land protected because of its special wildlife, plants, rocks or landforms. Designating it as an ASSI places restrictions on how the land can be used and managed, protecting the habitat and the species that live there, which supports conservation.
Markers reward the decline/rarity idea, a correct named priority species, and the protective role of the ASSI.
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