[ad_1]
Last year I went on safari with the aim of seeing the ‘big six’ animals: storks, wild horses, longhorn cattle, red deer, fallow deer, and the mighty pig. It might not surprise you to hear that this safari didn’t take place on the plains of Africa, but rather here in the UK, at Knepp Farm in Sussex.
Knepp, which was intensively farmed up until 2005, has been a leading site for biodiversity and, perhaps less intuitively though, climate action. The farm not only houses many of the animals or micro-organisms that support the healthy operation of the countryside but it also boasts healthy soil, thanks to land fallowing. This means that the farm has a carbon count of approximately four times that of neighboring properties.
Land fallowing – leaving soil unplanted for a period of time – can significantly benefit the environment. Soil and trees act like a carbon sink, trapping CO2 out of the atmosphere. Micro-organisms help to ensure that the soil remains rich for future harvests. Over-farming is a threat to this ecosystem. It drains the soil of nutrients and reduces its ability to absorb carbon.
Unfortunately, while it’s clear intensive Farming needs to be avoided, it’s easier said than done to allow land to go fallow – especially when consumer demand for produce is so high. The key to solving the problem lies in reducing land use. Food waste. We can reduce food waste. FarmersThey are less likely to produce as much and can therefore let more land fallow, conserving biodiversity. Look at the possibilities when land is allowed to return to its natural state.
Imagine if we could drastically reduce food consumption overnight. This would have huge benefits for the rural landscape as well as society in general. The reality is that we can – simply by not throwing the amount of food away each year we currently do. One third of all food that is produced for human consumption is currently being thrown away.
Knepp Farm and its fallen land are just one example how rural regeneration can be possible, and the wider benefits that this can bring. This potential should be a beacon of hope in the midst of all the negative reporting about climate change. We must remember, however that sometimes nurturing the big six can be more important than nurturing large business.
[ad_2]
