Article 28 · Biodiversity & Farm Life
Making Room for Wildlife While Protecting Your Crops
Plan boundaries, habitat and crop protection so farms can support wildlife without ignoring safety or crop losses.
Our work with wildlife biologists reflects an important part of the 19AGRO approach: understanding the farm beyond its cultivated beds.
Coexistence still requires practical crop protection. Begin by identifying which animal is involved, what it is doing and when the damage occurs.
Record the pattern
- Which crop and growth stage are affected?
- Where are animals entering?
- Is the damage occasional or repeated?
- Are stored feed, waste or water attracting activity?
- Is there an existing movement route or habitat nearby?
Avoid approaching unfamiliar animals or disturbing nests to obtain a closer look.
Choose protection for the actual problem
- Protect vulnerable planting with appropriately designed barriers.
- Inspect fencing and netting for entanglement risks.
- Keep stored produce and animal feed secure.
- Maintain useful habitat without deliberately drawing wildlife into conflict areas.
- Review deterrents to see whether they work or simply shift the problem.
Thorny hedges do not guarantee exclusion of large animals. Deliberate feeding or sacrificial borders can attract more visitors rather than protect the crop. Predator perches may be useful in some settings but do not guarantee rodent control.
Species-specific conflicts may need wildlife specialists or the relevant authorities. Do not handle, trap or relocate wildlife as a routine garden response.