Annemarie Wenning strongly believes in biodiversity and stimulates it where possible. The farm has special bat houses! Bats are great allies when it comes to controlling pests, since they eat a lot of insects. The farm also has special platforms for ducks and other waterfowl. The organic practices used by Emerald Acres support natural biodiversity. Insecticide-free farming is beneficial for honey bees and other insects. Using compost increases the number of micro-organisms, earthworms, spiders and all kinds of insects in the soil. Birds, bats and small mammals profit from this too! Annemarie: “We have duiker which graze in and around the orchards, and also guinee fowl which breed under the trees as they are protected there. We also feed them, and have a special feeding place for them close to Dominiques house. We also have a large population of wild birds that nest on an island in the dam. They are protected there and are not harmed by predators. The fish in the dam benefit from the bird droppings that nest there.”