Reduce chemical inputs in permanent grassland management

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

0%
Certainty

10%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Reducing chemical inputs into permanent grasslands is often used in conjunction with reducing the mowing height or delaying the first mowing or grazing date on grasslands. Studies that examine several of these interventions at once are discussed in ‘Threat: Agriculture – Reduce management intensity on permanent grasslands’.

Study locations

Key messages

A randomised, replicated, controlled study from the UK found that no more foraging birds were attracted to pasture plots with no fertiliser, compared to control plots.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A randomised, replicated, controlled trial on four farms in southwest England, in 2003-6 (DEFRA 2007), found that no more foraging birds were attracted to 12, 50 ´ 10 m plots of permanent pasture with no fertiliser impact, compared to 12 control (conventionally managed) plots. Experimental plots were managed in the same way as control plots except for the lack of fertiliser, and all plots were cut twice in May and July, and grazed in autumn/winter. This study also discusses several other interventions including ‘Reduce management intensity on permanent grasslands’.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Defra (2007) Potential for enhancing biodiversity on intensive livestock farms (PEBIL). Defra report, BD1444.

Please cite as:

Williams, D.R., Child, M.F., Dicks, L.V., Ockendon, N., Pople, R.G., Showler, D.A., Walsh, J.C., zu Ermgassen, E.K.H.J. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Bird Conservation. Pages 137-281 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Bird Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Reduce pesticide or herbicide use generally Action Link	Likely to be beneficial	9	Synopsis Link
Provide buffer strips around in-field ponds Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	0	Synopsis Link
Reduce chemical inputs in permanent grassland management Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link