Managing field margins for the conservation of the arable flora.

Abstract

The margins of arable fields are of great value for the conservation of endangered plants. Changes in farming practices during recent years have resulted in the severe decline of many species including some which were once very common, and some have even become extinct. There is therefore an urgent need for guidelines for the conservation management of these species and their communities. 'The Wildflower Project' carried out between 1987 and 1990 showed that herbicide and nitrogen use were very important factors that could be easily manipulated within modern farming practice. The second phase of this project is designed to test these factors in practice and to provide some indication of the costs of management for the conservation of endangered arable plants.