• Environment

A results-based scoring system to improve habitat management and developing a system of monitoring field scores

The EIP project investigated innovative ways to improve habitats while addressing the challenges of labour-intensive conservation efforts and low farm incomes. A key part of the project was creating a simplified results-based scoring system. It encouraged farmers to actively manage their land, improve their scores, and take actions like providing water, managing scrub, and reintroducing grazing. Each land parcel received a quality score based on available ortho-imagery, drone-captured imagery, and multi-spectral data collected by GeoAerospace. The project also involved a group of farmers who scored their land, testing whether this approach could be helpful for future agri-environment programs. The results were promising, suggesting that using ortho-imagery and farmer scoring could play a role in future habitat classification and conservation efforts. Additionally, the project explored the possibility of farmers harvesting wildflower seeds as a new income source. Seeds were collected using hand collection, suction techniques, and custom-built seed collectors. While all methods worked depending on the type of seed, aftercare—such as immediate drying—was a challenge.