The Services and Disservices of Wildlife in Agriculture
Wildlife can provide farmers and ranchers with ecosystem services such as pollination, pest removal, decomposition, and nutrient application (yes…poop!). Farming systems dominate the landscape in most parts of the world, so finding ways to improve and enhance habitat within, and around, agriculture can be extremely beneficial for wildlife as well as farmers. It would be naïve of me to say that all wildlife benefit agriculture, so I acknowledge the disservices of wildlife in farming systems as well.
The following links to websites and scientific literature provide resources for folks wanting to improve wildlife habitat on private lands, as well as address some of the disservices of wildlife. I will update this list periodically as I find new research. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.
Nest Boxes Installing nest boxes for birds and roosting boxes for bats is an easy way to attract beneficial wildlife to a farm or ranch. Providing nesting and roosting habitat is also incredibly important for many birds and bats.
Plastic nest boxes designed by Mark Browning (barn owl, American Kestrel, bluebird, screech owl) and lots of great info on barn owls removing rodents)
Here are a couple of links to companies that sell pre made wooden boxes for owls and songbirds- Hungry Owl Project, JCS Wildlife
Bluebirds and swallows eat caterpillars and are great to attract in farms and vineyards- Building Bluebird Boxes
Bats eats a lot of insects! And their poop is great in the garden. Here is a link to building your own bat house and some info on bat conservation
Wildlife eating Pests Barn owls eat rodents, lot of them! And small song birds eat a lot of insects on farms here in North America, and in coffee plantations further south. Check out these links for more information!
Scientific paper on pest removal on small organic farms (email the author if you want to read the whole paper)
Decomposition/ Nutrient Cycling Winter flooded rice is a prime example of wildlife benefiting farmers and farmers, in turn, benefiting wildlife. Geese and ducks depend on flooded rice fields in California and in the Lower Mississippi Delta region as wintering habitat.
Here is an informational sheet explaining the rice/ geese relationship in Mississippi- FWRC
This scientific paper explains the nutrient cycling and decomposition benefits- Bird et al. 2000