FARMLAND (01/12/2010 – 31/12/2012)
Background
The establishment of the terrestrial part of the Natura 2000 network for the 27 Member States is nearly completed. The main challenge to be addressed for the next decade is to fully ensure the appropriate protection and management of the designated areas, in particular by implementing the relevant conservation measures under article 6(1) of the Habitats Directive. The ultimate objective is to restore and/or maintain the Favourable Conservation Status (FCS) of the habitats types and the species covered by the two Nature Directives (Birds Directive and Habitats Directive). Such an objective is an integral and essential part of the overall post-2010 EU biodiversity target.
Agricultural land is estimated to cover about one fourth of the surface area of terrestrial Natura 2000 sites. A significant proportion of seminatural habitats and of species protected under the Birds & Habitats Directives are directly linked to certain traditional farming practices. Many species of Community interest use agricultural landscapes as their feeding, breeding and resting sites, and there are numerous interactions between agricultural management and nature conservation. In the EU almost 50% of the territory is covered by farmland (both arable land and permanent grassland). Agriculture therefore plays a key role in land management and has a huge responsibility in the preservation of natural resources and biodiversity. Europe’s landscape and countryside have been significantly shaped over thousands of years of traditional agricultural activities. The resulting semi-natural habitats (and the species associated to them) are therefore dependent on the continuation of such traditional biodiversity-friendly methods of land management. For example there are 53 specific habitat types of Annex I of the Habitats directive that are linked (at different degrees) to extensive agriculture and for which Sites of Community Importance have been designated. Across the EU 27 the area concerned by such habitat types corresponds to 15% of the total terrestrial area of SCIs1. These habitats include in particular hay meadows, dry heaths, dry grasslands, steppic habitats, alpine grasslands and dehesas. But the changes in farming practices in the latest 50 years – intensification, specialisation and concentration on the one hand and abandonment on the other hand – have caused environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity.
According to the findings of the monitoring reports under art. 17 of the Habitats Directive, habitat types associated with agriculture have in general a worse conservation status (only 7% of assessments favourable) than non-agricultural habitats (21% favourable). There is also evidence of the decline in the populations of bird species associated to agricultural landscapes as well as in the populations of grassland butterflies. Ensuring an appropriate agricultural management in Natura 2000 sites is therefore a key element to be addressed in order to achieve the objectives of the nature directives.
Project description
Given the importance of agriculture in land management in Natura 2000 sites, a set of guidelines on agriculture will be drafted in co-operation with DG ENV and DG AGRI, and the recently established Expert Group on management of Natura 2000 set up by the European Commission and involving Member States and key stakeholder groups.
The overall objectives are:
• to contribute to the improvement of the conservation status of the habitats and species sensitive to, or dependent on, agricultural land management.
• to promote the integrated management of farmland in Natura 2000 areas, by strengthening the partnership approach through the involvement of the agricultural sector in proactive and participatory management of Natura 2000 network.
This will be achieved through:
- the promotion of the dialogue with the key stakeholders in a view to take appropriate account of their needs and expertise; and
- the development of a guidance document on management of farmland in Natura 2000 areas, encompassing basic principles that can be applied EU-wide, promoting good practices and experiences and effective approaches, including integrated management.
The guidance document will intend to clearly scope, assess and analyse, the available information on the habitat types and the species of Community interest, which are associated to agricultural land. Having regard to the results of the assessment of the conservation status carried out under Art. 17 of the Habitats Directive, as well as other relevant data on agricultural related species and habitats of the Birds and Habitats Directives, and also with a view to their conservation objectives (where available), the guidance document will seek to examine, in a biogeographic perspective, the relevant threats and management requirements in different agricultural systems.
It will aim at identifying the suitable management approaches that can be applied, including integrated management, taking into account the multifunctional character of agriculture and of the ecosystem services provided by suitable management systems.
The guidance document will cover both areas designated under the Birds Directive and under the Habitats Directive (SPAs, SCIs/SAC). Specific attention will be given to the links between site designation, establishment of conservation objectives and priorities, elaboration of the necessary conservation measures and integration with sectoral policy and development and with any other relevant legislation/policy (e.g. on nitrates, water).
It is expected that the guidance document would also support Member States/regions in the elaboration of new or improved sets of Natura 2000 conservation oriented measures under the Common Agricultural Policy for the new programming period 2014-2020.
Partners
The work is being carried out by the N2K group (Comunità Ambiente is one of the constituting companies of the Group), in association with the Insitute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP).