Ensuring biodiversity in dairy farming Ben Tyson, Central Connecticut State University, USA; Liza Storey and Central Connecticut State University, USA; and Christine Unson, Southern Connecticut State University, USA

Ensuring biodiversity in dairy farming Ben Tyson, Central Connecticut State University, USA; Liza Storey and Nick Edgar, New Zealand Landcare Trust, New Zealand; Jonathan Draper, Central Connecticut State University, USA; and Christine Unson, Southern Connecticut State University, USA

1 Introduction

2 Impacts of dairy farming on biodiversity

3 Biodiversity enhancement

4 Strategies for engaging farmers in biodiversity enhancement

5 Case study 1: the effects of grazing on the bog turtle (USA)

6 Case study 2: impacts of organic dairy farming on biodiversity (Ireland and New Zealand)

7 Case study 3: riparian enhancement (New Zealand)

8 Case study 4: mixed methods for biodiversity enhancement (New Zealand)

9 Case study 5: three catchment case studies (South Island, New Zealand)

10 Conclusion

11 Where to look for further information

12 References

In the context of reviewing the impacts of dairy farming on biodiversity, it is important to provide a definition of what is meant by ‘biodiversity’. Jeffry D. Sachs states that biodiversity includes the variability of life within a species, the diversity of species within an ecosystem and their various relationships, and the diversity of species across ecosystems (Sachs, 2015, pp. 448-9).