On Base farms, biodiversity is not something separate from farming — it is part of the engine that makes land productive, resilient and profitable. Biodiversity includes the life above and below ground: soil microbes, earthworms, insects, birds, plants, livestock and the habitats that support them. When managed well, this living system works for the farmer, not against them.
Soil Biology: The Foundation
Healthy soils are alive. Bacteria, fungi, protozoa and earthworms break down organic matter, release nutrients and improve soil structure. Practices such as reducing soil disturbance, keeping the soil covered (armour for the soil), and feeding the soil with diverse living roots help build this biology. Strong soil life improves trafficability, drainage, drought tolerance and nutrient efficiency — all critical in Ireland’s climate.
Different Systems, One Living Farm
Across our members, arable and grassland farms express biodiversity in different ways, but both rely on managing the whole living system — above and below the surface. In arable systems, where crops come and go, biodiversity is often built through crop diversity, minimal soil disturbance where possible, continuous green cover and the careful integration of non-cropped habitats (hedgerows, forestry, grass margins etc). These choices support not only soil microbes and earthworms, but also insects, birds and beneficial predators that depend on flowering plants, residues and less disturbed ground. Grass-based systems can express biodiversity through permanent cover, diverse multi-species swards, grazing animals and dung cycling, creating habitats for soil life, pollinators and farmland wildlife. While the tools differ, BASE Ireland farmers share a common approach: trying, where possible, to work with natural processes across the entire farm so that soils, crops, livestock and wildlife function together as a connected system.
Cover Crops: Keeping the System Working
Cover crops keep land green and growing outside the main crop cash crop rotation. They protect soil from erosion and nutrient loss, improve structure, capture nitrogen, and feed soil microbes. Flowering species also provide late-season forage for our pollinators. For livestock farmers, cover crops can deliver valuable grazing, extending the grazing season and reducing feed costs.
Multi-Species Swards: Diversity Above and Below Ground
Multi-species swards (including grasses, clovers, herbs and deep-rooting plants) bring together productivity and biodiversity. Different root depths improve soil structure breaking through soil pans, help improve nutrient cycling, offer a wider mineral balance, while legumes also reduce reliance on chemical nitrogen. These swards support pollinators, soil life and animal health
Companion Cropping & Diverse Rotations
Growing crops together — such as cereals with legumes or oilseed rape with companion species — improves nutrient use, suppresses weeds, supports beneficial insects and reduces disease pressure. More diverse rotations break pest and disease cycles, improve soil health and spread risk, while supporting farmland wildlife throughout the year.
Livestock as a Biodiversity Tool
Well-managed grazing can play a positive role in biodiversity on farms. Rotational and adaptive grazing encourages deeper roots and creates varied sward structures that benefit insects, ground-nesting birds and soil life. Integrating livestock into arable systems returns nutrients to the soil and closes natural nutrient cycles. Grazing animals help drive biological activity rather than simply removing grass. Dung is an important part of this system. Dung beetles and other soil invertebrates break down dung pats, recycle nutrients and move organic matter into the soil. This leads to better grass re-growth, improved soil structure and a more efficient nutrient use, while also helping to reduce parasite pressure
Habitats That Work for the Farm
Hedgerows, field margins, wetlands, scrub and trees are not wasted space — they are working farm assets. They provide shelter for stock, regulate water, reduce wind, support pollinators and natural predators, and enhance landscape resilience. Sensitive management, rather than removal, strengthens both biodiversity and farm performance.
Resilience, Not Restrictions
In Ireland, biodiversity-friendly farming is about building resilience — to weather extremes, rising input costs and market pressures. By working with natural processes, farmers can reduce dependency on inputs, improve system stability and protect the land for the next generation.
Biodiversity on Irish farms is not about stepping back from production. It is about farming smarter, using nature as an ally so that profitable farming, healthy soils and thriving wildlife go hand in hand.