Continually monitoring a representative species or habitat justified in environmental terms is essential to the SIZA Environmental audit with the LEAF Bolt-On. Monitoring a representative species serves as a key indicator of on-farm biodiversity and an indicator of the effectiveness of Integrated Farm Management (IFM) practices that conserve and enhance biodiversity over time. By measuring the frequency of representative species/habitat sightings, a measurable indicator is provided as a proxy of ecosystem health that may help indicate improvement thereof or provide early warning signs of potential negative impacts that go beyond the standard testing of water, soil, and crop resources.
Environmental benefits of biodiversity on-farm
The environmental benefits of biodiversity within the context of agricultural production cannot be understated. Specific species/habitats are essential to the biological functions that underpin ecosystems. Species and habitats achieve this by aiding in nutrient cycles that enhance soil fertility, water quality, and reduce erosion risks. Furthermore, they are essential in providing ecosystem services (services that nature offers to farmers free of charge), including natural pollination, natural pest management, and nutrient cycling. This not only reduces the input demand for farmers, thereby saving costs in the long run (i.e., reduced fertiliser, pest trap, and pollinator costs), but also enhances the resilience of such natural processes in the face of climate change, thereby inducing future cost savings.
Requirements
The requirements of the environmental audit with regard to the continual monitoring of a representative species/habitat include:
- That the monitored species/habitat is environmentally justifiable (i.e., should be an indicator of ecosystem health applicable to the farm context).
- Monitoring records should be available to show the presence of the chosen species/habitat, including visual inspections, electronic records, and/or written records (i.e., apps, satellite images, photos, scouting reports, etc).
Monitoring methods
As the environmental audit allows for monitoring to be done in a wide array of methods, some popular choices are highlighted below:
- iNaturalist: The iNaturalist app is a free-to-download app designed to keep a record of biodiversity sightings. It is used widely by top conservationists as well as casual bird watchers. When observing the representative species/habitat, one must take a picture via the iNaturalist app to log the sighting, which is then recorded digitally.
- Scouting reports: Scouting for pests is a common practice on farms and is already embedded in the SIZA Environmental standard. Some producers have adapted their scouting procedure to scout for beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, praying mantises, and pollinators, to indicate ecosystem health.
Overall, monitoring a representative species is not only essential as a requirement for your audit, but is also a useful indicator of ecosystem health. One should consider the prevailing season and climate in the monitoring context, with long-term monitoring providing the most accurate baseline for assessing the presence of the representative species/habitat. Records of sightings should be kept, which are facilitated via apps such as iNaturalist and by integrating monitoring practices with other on-farm procedures, such as scouting.
