Nature
natural & semi-natural habitats
significant species identified on our land
hectares of protected areas
hectares of water habitats
natural habitats per hub by 2030
total percentage of natural habitats in 22/23
Protecting and enhancing biodiversity
As we strive to farm with nature, biodiversity is high in our priorities. Actually, ”Protect and enhance biodiversity” is one of our five 2030 commitments and encompasses:
- Enhance and protect the natural environment
- 10% natural habitats
- 1% water habitats
- Monitor threatened species and ecosystems
Natural regeneration on Riverlea farm
In March 2020 and again in March 2023 brief forest surveys were undertaken in the newly fenced blocks of Riverlea farm.
The results speak for themselves: with livestock excluded, the bush is regenerating at an incredible pace.
Move the slider from left to right to see the transformation in the photos taken at the same spot, three years apart.
Biodiversity monitoring
Diversity of species, genetics and habitats facilitates a healthy local ecosystem, which in turn provides a wide range of services such as pollination, biological pest control, freshwater provisions and soil accumulation on which agriculture is dependent.
Monitoring biodiversity on-farm helps Ingleby Farms maintain a healthy local ecosystem and where possible, identify opportunities to improve conditions, ensuring the continued production of healthy nutritious food and conservation of a diverse range of habitats on-farm and the species they contain.
As part of our vast production and sustainability reporting data, we monitor and track several measures of biodiversity:
- Natural and aquatic habitats
- Bird monitoring
- Significant and threatened species
Bird monitoring in Romania
Wildlife monitoring in Romania
total of countries with regular on-farm bird monitoring
total species that are given conservation priority
Protected areas
Protected areas on-farm ensure the maintenance and restoration of core habitat areas which give native species the space they need to thrive. In total, Ingleby Farms has 2,815 hectares of protected areas across our farms and forest which equates to 3% of our total land area.
On our farms we have 1,544 hectares of protected areas which have been designated by external bodies. For example, Natura2000 in Romania and Lithuania, and QEII in New Zealand.
We also designate our own Ingleby Protected Areas (IPAs) for sites that we have deemed significant for environmental, recreational or cultural reasons. IPAs have a management plan as part of their creation which states why the site is important and plans any monitoring or restoration work to be undertaken. As it stands, we have 1,272 hectares of IPAs with more added every year.
Wildlife monitoring
Wildlife monitoring
Protecting tropical dry forest
Our newest Ingleby Protected Area (IPA) covers 67.3 hectares of tropical dry forest in Motupe, Peru, which has recently been added to Restor.
Restor is an interactive mapping platform which aims to restore nature at a global scale by connecting people and projects to data, funding and each other to accelerate learning and action.
As a trial, Ingleby Peru has added their IPA to Restor in the hope of connecting with other restoration projects in the area – sharing knowledge and expertise to achieve a greater positive impact on the local ecosystem across the region.
If the Restor trial proves fruitful, we will roll out Restor to other farms, adding Ingleby Protected Areas and projects to the Restor network.
Natural area in Peru
Farm land mapping in INGIS
Ingleby Geographic Information System
Also known as INGIS, is a digital mapping and data system which contains all 43 of our farms and forests split over 102,059 hectares.
INGIS allows us to track changes on-farm, both visually and numerically, over time and forms the basis of our environmental monitoring. This tool is instrumental to our tracking, calculations and ultimately our continuous learning.
Hectare distribution by region
Land use
Distribution of hectares
River area in Uruguay, footage by MOOT
[Field Note]
10 years ecological resurvey of Felton, Western Australia
In 2012/13, we commissioned a baseline survey at Felton to assess the ecological values of the area. Ingleby Farms engaged Nathan McQuoid, an experienced landscape ecologist who has developed recognised bushland assessments, to conduct the survey and compile a comprehensive report.
Our 2012/13 baseline survey found the ecological values of Felton to be significant with a range of vegetation types, and the protection of these areas exemplary for conservation through the fencing programme which removed grazing pressures.
The 2022/23 follow-up survey visited the same 173 sites. Of these, 120 had improved in condition, 43 were static/no change and 10 had regressed. Two of the regressed sites were significantly affected due to browsing and will be fenced off in due course.
Possible archaeological sites and objects were found during the survey: a quartz flake tool making site, discarded stone materials and volcanic rock tools.
Felton, Australia
Map of survey sites in Australia
Dolerite hammer
Chert flake
hectares added to our protected areas in 2022/23
new significant species in 2022/23
[Field Note]
Baseline ecological survey of Motupe, Peru
A survey of 67.6 ha of tropical dry forest was completed in 2023.
The general objective was to enhance and protect biodiversity, focusing on habitat restoration for endangered species and enhancing ecosystem resilience. The study also assessed threatened species, providing insights to develop a concise management plan.
The survey established an ecological baseline for creating Ingleby Protected Areas on-farm. A high biodiversity index was found in plants, birds and arthropods, and 11 new species have been added to Ingleby Peru's Significant Species list.
Ingleby protected areas, Peru
Wildlife monitoring
Insect counting
Landscape tools
For generations, farmers have strived for efficiency in their field work, thereby creating homogenous production areas. Nature, on the contrary, always seeks – and creates – diversity.
With landscape tools, we seek to mimic nature’s diversity in the landscape by gently moulding our fields and semi-productive areas. For example, by adding a curve to a creek, scraping a soil surface to create a shallow lake or by simply leaving a pile of rock or branches and leave them untouched to prosper into a lively habitat for insects, critters and birds.
total hectares of landscape tools
hectares of geological formations
Earth mound with fox den
Branch and stone mound
Uncultivated, flowering buffer strip