Presentation to SRUC staff and students 30 October 2012

1. Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Informing the development
of farmland biodiversity
prescriptions and policies
Davy McCracken
Land Economy & Environment Research Group

2. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Biodiversity essential in underpinning the final
ecosystem services associated with our agricultural
ecosystems
2
From Norris et al. 2011 Biodiversity. UK National Ecosystem Assessment

3. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Importance of farmland for biodiversity
• Over 45% (173 million ha) of EU27
• Recognised that habitats and
landscapes of nature conservation
value are intimately associated with
farming practices
• Taking land out of agricultural
production is not the answer for
farmland biodiversity
• Rather, it is essential to ensure type
and intensity of farm management is
appropriate
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4. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
The farmland biodiversity challenge
Scotland: 1995-2009 (BTO)
Stable (but at low levels):
• Linnet
• Skylark
• Yellowhammer
Declined:
• Curlew (-53%)
• Kestrel (-58%)
• Lapwing (-37%)
• Meadow Pipit (-31%)
• Rook (-25%)
UK Wild bird population index: 1970-2009
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Action needed in protected areas and wider countryside

5. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
The farmland biodiversity challenge
From: Hart, K., Baldock, D., Tucker, G., Allen, B., Calatrava, J., Black, H., Newman, S., Baulcomb, C., McCracken, D. & Gantioler, S. 2011 Costing the
environmental needs related to rural land management. Report Prepared for DG Environment, Contract No ENV.F.1/ETU/2010/0019r. Institute for 5
European Environmental Policy, London

6. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
90
80
70
Number of breeding pairs
60
50
40
30
20
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
The impact of farming
practices on farmland
biodiversity
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7. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
Pressures on farmland biodiversity
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
The farmland biodiversity challenge
• Abandonment of
management practices
• Intensification of
management practices
• Simplification of
agricultural landscapes
Intensity of agriculture 7
Graph from presentation by: Hoogeveen Y.R., Petersen J.E. & Gabrielsen P. (2001). Agriculture and biodiversity in Europe. Background report to the High-Level
European Conference on Agriculture and Biodiversity, 5–7 June, Paris. STRA-CO/AGRI (2001) 17. Council of Europe/UNEP.

8. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
High Nature Value farming systems:
• Recognising what the issues are
• Understanding the processes involved
• Raising awareness of the concern and the issues
• Ensuring they are a policy priority
• Identifying: how much, where and in what
condition
• Developing and delivering appropriate funding
mechanisms at relevant scale
• Monitoring outcomes and adapting the
approach where necessary 8

9. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
High Nature Value farming systems:
• Recognising what the issues are
• Understanding the processes involved
• Raising awareness of the concern and the issues
• Ensuring they are a policy priority
• Identifying: how much, where and in what
condition
• Developing and delivering appropriate funding
mechanisms at relevant scale
• Monitoring outcomes and adapting the
approach where necessary 9

10. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
High Nature Value farming system characteristics
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11. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Surrogate: Proportion of Utilisable
Agricultural Area consisting of rough
grazing. Potentially HNV when rough
grazing is > 70% UAA
Surrogate: Livestock Units per
available forage ha. Potentially HNV
when < 0.2 LU/ha on rough grazing
and < 1.0 LU/ha on in-bye ground, i.e.
< 0.44 LU/ha at ‘whole farm’ level
where rough grazing is > 70% UAA
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12. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
2010: 2.2 million ha (40%) of UAA
in Scotland estimated to be under
HNV farming systems
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13. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
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14. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Addressing farmland biodiversity concerns in
the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP):
• Recognising what the issues are
• Understanding the processes involved
• Raising awareness of the concern and the issues
• Ensuring they are a policy priority
• Identifying: how much, where and in what
condition
• Developing and delivering appropriate funding
mechanisms at relevant scale
• Monitoring outcomes and adapting the
approach where necessary 14

15. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Addressing farmland biodiversity concerns in
the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP):
• Recognising what the issues are
• Understanding the processes involved
• Raising awareness of the concern and the issues
• Ensuring they are a policy priority
• Identifying: how much, where and in what
condition
• Developing and delivering appropriate funding
mechanisms at relevant scale
• Monitoring outcomes and adapting the
approach where necessary 15

16. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Addressing farmland biodiversity concerns in
the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP):
• Highlighted major agricultural biodiversity concerns in
EU25
• Considered measures taken across EU to address these
concerns (largely EU15)
• Case study approach for EU10 issues (large-scale
farming; small-scale farms; abandonment)
• Selection of a number of measures that were considered
to have potential for high impact at EU level
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17. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Three Tier Approach:
Tier I: Improving the biodiversity value Uptake?
and potential of agricultural
landscapes • Aspects of these
included in current CAP
Tier II: Providing support for particular reform proposals
farming systems
• BUT issues with
Tier III: Providing support for regional- interpretation and
specific measures targeted at proposed
addressing landscape implementation by DG
simplification, farmland birds and Agriculture
semi-natural vegetation
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18. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Three Tier Approach:
Tier I: Improving the biodiversity value • Increase Cross
and potential of agricultural Compliance
landscapes
• At least 5% of
Tier II: Providing support for particular Utilised Agricultural
farming systems Area on each farm to
designated as Ecological
Tier III: Providing support for regional- Priority Area
specific measures targeted at
addressing landscape
simplification, farmland birds and
semi-natural vegetation
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19. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Three Tier Approach:
Tier I: Improving the biodiversity value
and potential of agricultural
landscapes
Tier II: Providing support for particular • High Nature Value
farming systems farming systems
Tier III: Providing support for regional- • Organic farming
specific measures targeted at systems (though with
addressing landscape management intensity
simplification, farmland birds and restrictions)
semi-natural vegetation
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20. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Three Tier Approach:
Tier I: Improving the biodiversity value
and potential of agricultural
landscapes
Tier II: Providing support for particular
farming systems
Tier III: Providing support for regional-
specific measures targeted at
addressing landscape
simplification, farmland birds and
semi-natural vegetation
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21. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Challenges:
• Appropriate Common Agricultural Policy reform will be
key to ensuring an appropriate policy framework for
farmland biodiversity in 2014-2020
• Aspects of the MEACAP findings currently under
consideration but issues with interpretation and
proposed implementation
• Political will and pressure will be the major driver in
shaping the reformed CAP
• Achieving an appropriate balance will require scientific
understanding and re-packaging of logical arguments
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22. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
22

23. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
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24. Informing the development of farmland biodiversity prescriptions and policies
Presentation to staff and students
SRUC Edinburgh, 30 October 2012
Further information
• McCracken, D.I. 2011 Policy Briefing: CAP reform
post-2013 - an opportunity to support High Nature
Value farming systems in Scotland? SRUC Rural
Policy Centre Online (RPC PB 2011/09)
• McCracken, D.I. 2011 Policy Briefing: Farmland
biodiversity and the Common Agricultural Policy
(CAP). SRUC Rural Policy Centre Online (RPC PB
2011/04)
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