Farmer Dru Rivers says “Don’t hesitate, we can’t wait any longer to do this work of providing habitat." The farm, located in the Capay Valley of northern California, has woven nature into its 400 acres of produce, flowers and livestock pastures.

Watch video about Diversify Your Farm to Support Birds

The urgency, in part, Dru says is because it takes five years for the hedgerows to become mature. Each 10-12-acre block is surrounded by habitat, which ensures beneficial birds and insects are close by providing their pest control services.

Dr. Olivia Smith's research examines the relationships between crop and livestock practices, landscape features surrounding the farm, and crop contamination by birds. In this video she describes how birds on farms with natural areas are the lowest risk to food safety, whereas birds on farms surrounded by high intensity livestock production are a much higher risk.

Learn more about Dru Rivers and Full Belly Farm

You can watch our other videos and learn more on WFA's Beneficial Birds Multimedia Story Platform.

If you are interested in installing a hedgerow and would like assistance, please contact us!

Download this useful resource Hedgerows and Farmscaping for California Agriculture written by Sam Earnshaw and Community Alliance With Family Farmers (CAFF).

Visit WFA's Hedgerows to the Moon and Back Program