Possibilities of cooperation between birds and people during farming

Ecological Farm and Bird-Nest Box Station, Romonya
Published: 09 January 2023
Last edited: 09 January 2023
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Summary

I run an organic farm in Romonya, where I practice chemical-free farming. I deal with herbs, medicinal plants, wild berries and fruit trees, including indigenous varieties.

Part of the farm is an extensive Bird-Nest Box Station, where I help the lives of the species that settle here with dozens of animal protection tools. Just a few examples: A,B,C,D bird boxes, nesting boxes, swallow's nestes, bird feeders, drinkers, bird baths, etc. In addition, in order to help and increase biodiversity, I also installed dozens of other species-supporting tools: bat houses, insect hotels, butterflies houses, ladybug farms, futrinka hatcheries, lirad castles, wasp garages, etc.

Thanks to this interconnected, mutually supportive system, I was able to develop a farming practice in which, with the help of birds and other animals, I not only improved the state of the ecosystem, but also made the farming sustainable and environmentally friendly, in such a way that the quantity and quality of the harvest also increased.

 

Classifications

Region
East Europe
Scale of implementation
Global
Local
National
Ecosystem
Agro-ecosystem
Agroforestry
Area-wide development
Cropland
Grassland ecosystems
Orchard
Rangeland / Pasture
Temperate grassland, savanna, shrubland
Urban ecosystem and build environment
Theme
Access and benefit sharing
Adaptation
Agriculture
Biodiversity mainstreaming
Connectivity / transboundary conservation
Ecosystem services
Erosion prevention
Food security
Genetic diversity
Habitat fragmentation and degradation
Health and human wellbeing
Invasive alien species
Land management
Mitigation
One Health
Outreach & communications
Pollution
Restoration
Science and research
Sustainable livelihoods
Traditional knowledge
Waste management
Other theme
Animal protection
Attitude formation
Circulation systems
Environmental cooperation
Human and animal relationships
Principle of mutual benefit
Species Conservation and One Health Interventions
Species Status Assessment
Wildlife Health Surveillance (to capture biodiversity, health, disease, and pathogen surveillance)
Species Monitoring and Research
Invasive Species Management/Removal
Species Conservation Planning
Risk communication, community engagement and behaviour change
Risk assessment
One Health
Biodiversity-health nexus
Food systems
Good governance of landscapes
Health effects of climate change and pollution
Challenges
Desertification
Drought
Erratic rainfall
Extreme heat
Increasing temperatures
Land and Forest degradation
Loss of Biodiversity
Salinization
Shift of seasons
Erosion
Ecosystem loss
Invasive species
Pollution (incl. eutrophication and litter)
Unsustainable harvesting incl. Overfishing
Changes in socio-cultural context
Health
Lack of food security
Lack of public and decision maker’s awareness
Sustainable development goals
SDG 3 – Good health and well-being
SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production
SDG 13 – Climate action
SDG 15 – Life on land
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals
Other targets
Ecosystems restored and resilience enhanced
Awareness increased
Biodiversity values integrated
Sustainable agriculture
Invasive alien species prevented and controlled
pressures on vulnerable ecosystems reduced
Ecosystems and essential services safeguarded

Location

Romonya, Szőlő Utca, 7743, Baranya County, Hungary

Impacts

I was able to create an animal-human relationship based on reciprocity and cooperation, which is useful and beneficial for both parties. Thanks to all of this, in recent years, species diversity and natural defenses have greatly increased, the state of the environment has improved, and farming has become not only easier, but also more effective.

Due to the increasing presence of birds, I do not use any chemicals for pest control, not even products approved for organic farming. I base it exclusively on the living community of the natural environment, and on the fact that all elements of the food chain function properly thanks to the established system. The extent and severity of the damage is decreasing every year, thanks to the growing and more diverse bird population and the active presence of pollinators.

I use intensive mulching solutions to minimize erosion and maximize precipitation conservation. I deal with weeds with sufficient awareness: I use the appropriate species as food or medicinal plants, I use the mown plants as ground cover, and I compost the other weeds (especially those that have already set seeds) in a separate device, so everything is returned to nature. As a result of the introduced practice, the species composition of the plant population in the area is many times that of the beginning, the number of species living in and around the farm also shows a multiple increase. 

Contributed by

miskolczi.boglarka_42377's picture

Boglárka Amrein Tamásné Miskolczi Ecological Farm and Bird-Nest Box Station, Romonya