As the summer season is fast approaching, one can easily spot farmers out in the field, preparing their soil for planting a diverse selection of produce.
Many Deltans look forward to reaping the benefits of this preparation, through the purchase of farm goods at the popular Ladner Village Market, or perhaps by making visits to local farms to pick their own fresh fruit.
However, there is one less-visible benefit farmers provide all year long. Many farmers in Delta supply valuable wildlife habitat by planting hedgerows on their farms.
What exactly is a hedgerow? Generally, it is described as a grouping of trees and shrubs, usually arranged in (but not limited to) a linear fashion. The Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust, a local non-profit charitable organization, offers farmers an opportunity to establish nativeplant hedgerows through its Hedgerow Stewardship Program.
Planting hedgerows can be extremely beneficial to achieve long-term wildlife conservation. Flowering plants in the late-spring and summer seasons create songbird feeding and nesting habitat; tall trees offer cover and hunting perches for raptors; and an abundance of flowering vegetation provides pollinator habitat for a suite of bees.
Farmers also have the potential to gain from the establishment of hedgerows. Native trees and shrubs can act as a buffer zone between farm fields, or on fields bordering a roadway. Hedgerows can also assist farmers in maintaining their soil by acting as a physical barrier against soil erosion during heavy winter rains.
The Delta Farmland & Wildlife Trust, in partnership with local farmers, has established over six kilometres of hedgerows in the Fraser River delta. Funding support for the Hedgerow Stewardship Program is generously provided by the Vancouver Foundation and private funders. The trust also wishes to acknowledge the significant support of the following organizations for other stewardship programs: Delta Agricultural Society, Ducks Unlimited Canada, B.C. Waterfowl Society, Corporation of Delta, City of Richmond, Environment Canada, and Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.
For more information, visit www.deltafarmland.ca.
