Peter Veen Royal Dutch Society for Nature Conservation Side Event „Operationalizing Landscape Approaches“, 5th of November 2010

1. High Nature Grasslands in Europe
- their position within the GHG debate -
Peter Veen
Royal Dutch Society for Nature Conservation
Side Event „Operationalizing Landscape
Approaches“, 5th of November 2010

2. High Nature Value areas
Source: European Environmental Agency, 2007

3. Example of HNV category 1 on the mountain slopes towards
category 2 in the valley: United Kingdom – Cumberland

4. Example of HNV category 3: large scale meadows with
Black-tailed Godwit

5. Mapping of semi-natural grasslands
• National mapping projects (exceptions Romania, Poland)
• Executed by national institutes, universities and NGOs
• Scientifically sound mapping methodology
• Resulting in a GIS based Database of biodiversity data and
other information like management, abandonment
• Goals: to support candidate countries/NMS with the
implementation of AE schemes and the identification of
Natura2000 sites

6. Projected impacts from climate change in Europe
Source: EU, 2009

7. Mainly by producing two powerful greenhouse gases:
methane - from livestock digestion processes, stored animal
manure and organic soils – sources: livestock production and soils
nitrous oxide - from organic and mineral nitrogen fertilisers –
sources: intensity of land use
Currently in EU, about 9 % of total greenhouse gas emissions
come from agriculture (down from 11 % in 1990).
Source: EU, 2009
Origin of GHG from agriculture

8. Reduction of GHG production in agriculture
• Introduction of HNV agricultural farming types
• Conservation of existing HNV grasslands in Europe
• Green labelling of agricultural systems
• Special application technics for manure and
fertilizing applications

9. Thank you for attention
more information www.veenecology.nl