Experts from more than 20 countries responded to the call by SCB-ES to gather information on grassland mappings in Europe. Based on this information and additional contribution from Birdlife and EEB, the Board submitted an official letter to the participants of the ongoing CAP trilogue discussion. For more country-specific information read the google doc.
"14 May 2013
Recipients:
Mrs Anna Barnett, DG Environment
Ms Caroline Raes, DG Agriculture and Rural Development
Mr Pierre Bascou, DG Agriculture and Rural Development
Mr Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos
Ambassador Rory Montgomery
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Subject: Evidence on grassland mappings in Member States supports inclusion of high nature value grasslands into EU agricultural policies
Dear Madam/Sir,
As the trilogue discussions related to the CAP subsidy reforms proceed, we are aware that difficulties were raised with respect to the question whether grasslands, wetlands and peatlands have been mapped with sufficient accuracy to enable parcel-level / farm-level payments by the EU.
We think that improved grassland protection through agri-environment measures does not necessarily require full scale mappings. Rather, existing programs within EU member states indicate that target oriented funding can be accomplished independent of mapping status (e.g. MEKA B4 agri-environment measure, Federal State of Baden-Württemberg, Germany).
In addition, in the context of the Natura 2000 implementation, EU member states are required to provide parcel level data on conservation status of Annex I grasslands. Therefore, plot specific data for those grassland areas most significant for nature conservation are already available or should be available according to legal requirements. Provided such data are not available for all countries, we urge the EU commission to consider immediate legal action against the according member states.
A relatively quick query across our European members reveals that such mapping efforts for natural/semi-natural grasslands, C-rich soils, peatlands and wetlands have already been completed in several member states or regions (e.g. Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden). These maps are of high quality standards and already inform conservation efforts at various administrative levels. In addition, colleagues from Greece, Italy, Netherlands, England have informed us about on on-going efforts and projects that explicitly engage in such mapping.
We found a clear indication that approaches, methods, and tools to permit an effective inclusion of high nature value grasslands into EU agricultural policies exist now, and therefore there is no reasons to exclude the protection of these areas from the CAP 2014 – 2020. These grasslands harbouring up to 50% of the red listed plant species are under increasing pressure from intensification or abandonment. Effective protection can not be postponed beyond 2020, if the EU is serious about achieving its stated biodiversity targets.
We wish to further remind the participants of the trilogue that available information raised in the context of projects defining High Nature Value areas throughout the EU indicates that in many cases the current area of natural and semi-natural habitats within agricultural areas in Europe is considerably more than 7 % and thus above the maximum target of Ecological Focus Areas currently discussed. For Germany the 2010 Indicator report on national biodiversity targets indicates High Nature Value Farmland (HNVF) at 13% of the totally farmed area. The figures are even higher in the new EU Member States (for example in Romania, see Appendix). We therefore reiterate our strong support to adopting the highest possible scenario in order to avoid the likely situation where CAP funding continues to support the loss of semi-natural habitats and associated biodiversity in Europe.
We would be pleased to have an opportunity to discuss our concerns with DG Agriculture and Rural Development and members of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament.
Yours sincerely,
Prof. Dr. András Báldi, President, Society for Conservation Biology - Europe Section
europe@conbio.org"
Showing posts with label grasslands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grasslands. Show all posts
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
Friday, 31 August 2012
Biodiversity rich grasslands stock atmospheric carbon
PRESS RELEASE - 31.08.2012, ECCB2012, Glasgow
The spring meadow in
flower is one of the most pleasant views of "nature" for many people
in Europe. Unfortunately, biodiversity-rich meadows are also in decline, and at
an alarming rate, throughout Europe. Recent research, presented at the 3rd
European Conference of Conservation Biology in Glasgow, demonstrates such
species-rich meadows are much more efficient for storing carbon dioxide than
the "improved" (i.e. fertilized), but species-poor grasslands that
predominate in modern agriculture.
.jpg) |
| Photo by R. Arlettaz |
Meadows with limited fertiliser input and pastures grazed at
low stocking density contain a much richer flora and fauna than intensively
managed grasslands. Yet they are in retreat over much of Europe – traditionally
so in Western Europe, and now also in the new member countries of the European
Community.
New research – presented at the European Congress of
Conservation Biology (ECCB) held this week in Glasgow – demonstrates that such
"unimproved" grasslands play a much greater role than previously
thought in the capture of atmospheric carbon.
“We surveyed a wide range of grasslands across England and
consistently found that grasslands with low fertilizer inputs store carbon much
more efficiently than more intensively-managed grasslands” says Dr Sue Ward of
the Lancaster Environment Centre.
There is a growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating
that low-intensity grasslands are key suppliers of a range of ecosystem
services. They boost pollinators that play a crucial role in agricultural
production. Now it is clear that they have a stunning carbon storage capacity
as well, thus helping the fight against climate change.
Dr David Buckingham, one of the organisers of the grassland
session at the conference, highlights that “These findings demonstrate that new
European agri-environmental policies need to take into account this novel
crucial function and should be used to promote low-input grasslands all over
the continent”.
European decision makers are currently debating EU
agricultural policy – one of the key policies that already has and will
continue to influence the state of grasslands across Europe .
Attendants of the symposium on grasslands at the ECCB therefore are calling for
policymakers to take the findings from scientific research seriously and adapt
the EU agricultural policy to become much more environmentally sustainable.
This will not only assure safe future of currently vulnerable European
extensive grasslands but will make a considerable input into reaching EU carbon
targets.
More information (symposium conveners):
·
Dr David Buckingham, tel: 07753775219
·
Prof. Raphaël Arlettaz: 0041 79 637 51 76
About the study on carbon sequestration:
·
Prof. Richard Bardgett,
r.bardgett@lancaster.ac.uk
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