Pests & Predators Podcast, Ep 22: Biodiversity benefits: on the farm and beyond!

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Along the lines of think before you drink and call before you dig, farmers should be scouting before they… tear out old fence lines and shelterbelts or fill in potholes.

OK, we’ll admit the tagline needs work, but current Prairie ecosystems don’t always have huge areas to host biodiversity, and even small pockets of brush, sloughs, and fence lines can be vital to fostering beneficial insect populations that overwinter here.

Nevin Rosaasen, sustainability and government relations lead for Alberta Pulse Growers, says that there’s real value in understanding the importance of biodiversity to pest cycles, and how supporting habitat supports that biodiversity.

Undisturbed areas and vegetation, including woodlots, wetlands, and even stone piles can all serve as habitat for species that play important roles in life cycles. For some crops, healthy biodiversity can even mean higher yields, as is the case with a species like canola that benefits from pollinators.

In this episode of the Pests & Predators Podcast, listen as Rosaasen explains the role of habitat and biodiversity in supporting crop production and beneficial insect populations:

Tap here for all episodes of the Pests & Predators podcast!

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