Flood Plain
AGRICULTURE ON THE FLOOD PLAIN
In the past the flood plain was extensively used to graze beef cattle
during an extended Summer season and left fallow during the Winter to do
its job of storing floodwater. This long-standing practise was very
advantageous to wildlife as cow-pats support an insect population which in
turn supports the bird population. The grazing of cows also encourages
a diverse plant life that supports butterflies and many small insects,
which again encourages more varieties of birds. In the jargon there is
BIODIVERSITY.
At present the grazing of cattle has become an unpopular practise due
to the poor returns. The farmers are being encouraged to grow non-food
crops, which allows them to apply for setaside grants. This leads to
ploughing and the use of agri-chemicals, which turns the flood plain into
MONOCULTURES of crops such as hemp or turf.