Małgorzata Siuta, CEEweb for Biodiversity and Olivia Lewis
Natura 2000: Benefits and Opportunities for
Farmers
HD Art. 6: avoid deterioration of species and habitats: implement conservation measures and prevent damaging activities BD Art. 4: ensure survival and reproduction in the area of distribution
EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy• Halt deterioration of ALL species and habitats covered by EU
legislation• By 2020 twice as many habitats and 1.5 as many species
under the HD show improved assessments and 1.5 as many birds under the BH show a secure or improved status
• Maximise area covered by biodiversity measures under CAP• Draft and implement Forest Management Plans for all public
and large private forests
EU Biodiversity Committments
• Semi natural livestock systems• Low (e.g. due to environmental
limitations) intensity arable systems • Low intensity permanent crops (e.g.
orchards)• Mixed systems which suport a
mosaic of landscapes and rich biodiversity
Farmland in Natura 2000
Natura 2000Agro-
ecosystems
EU agricultural
land
Natura 2000
Key farmland habitats of community interest
Coastal and halophytic habitats
Coastal sand dunes and inland dunes
Temperate and boreal heath and scrub
Sclerophyllous scrub (matorral)
Natural and semi-natural grasslands
Bogs and fens
Rocky habitats
Wooded pastures and meadows
And species
In reality…
Conservation status (2001-2006)• Red - Unfavourable-Bad • Orange - Unfavourable-inadequate• Grey - Unknown• Green - favourable
Main pressures and threats• Lack of grazing, hay cutting, shepherding• Intensification, over-grazing • Mechanisation• Fertilisers and lime• Herbicides and pesticides• Intensification of grassland use or cultivation and
conversion to arable • Under-burning, over-burning and wildfire damage • Changes in hydrology• Afforestation
Why?
What is the EU trying to do about this
?
CAP funding for Natura 2000
CAP Pillar 1 European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF)
CAP Pillar 2 European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (administered through RDPs)
Polluter Pays Provider Gets
Direct payments which support the economic viability of low-intensity Natura 2000 farms and farming systems in the face of economic pressures for intensification or abandonment.
Key source of funding which supports conservation management of Natura 2000 farmland and the sustainable socio-economic development of the Natura 2000 farming systems and associated local communities.
CAP funding for Natura 2000
CAP Pillar 1 (EAGF)
CAP Pillar 2 (EAFRD)
Green payment: for practices contributing to environmental protection and CC mitigation• Permanent grasslands, crop
diversification and Ecological Focus Areas
• Natura 2000 farmers only have to implement the greening practices compatible with Natura 2000 objectives
Agri-Environment Climate, Organic, Natura 2000, Areas of Natural Constraints, forestry measuresExtended scope of Natura 2000 compensation to cover farmland and/or forest land in other nature protection areas with environmental restrictions which contribute to improve habitat connectivity
Greening the CAP
CAP Expenditure
Agri-Environment Climate Measures in the Visegrad
Countries
Poland: Overview
• Agriculture contributes less than 3% GDP …
• but… 19% of the population employed in
agricultural and food industry
• Mediocre climate and weak soils extensive, low
input agriculture
Poland CAP 2007-2013
• Direct payments important in preventing land abandonement, maintaining mosaic rural landscapes that support biodiversity• 2007-2013 RDP: budget of 17 billion EUR• Pillar 1 financially smaller than Pillar 2 (gets more RD funding than direct payments)•Farmers can choose from 9 packages
Poland
Percentage of agri-environment funding utilised: 55%
Poland CAP 2014-2020
• Only 7 packages instead of 9:• Sustainable agriculture• Valuable habitat and threatened bird species on Natura 2000• Valuable habitat and threatened bird species out of Natura 2000• Preserve threatened red plant resources in agriculture• Preserve threatened animal genetic resources in agriculture• Soil and water protection• Buffer zones and boundary strips
• Fewer options for valuable habitat and threatened bird species (only 6, instead of 10 previously)
Hungary: Overview
• 3% of population in agricultural sector (2010)
• Dualistic farming structure: very small and very
large farms
Hungary CAP 2007-2013
• 2007-2013 RDP: 5.3 billion EUR budget • 21 different agri-environmental schemes• Targets 25,000 farms/land users (10 000 of which are
Natura 2000) = 1.2 million ha
Natura 2000 on Agricultural Land
• 1.9 million ha Natura 2000 (21% of the country) • Hungary had largest planned budget for Natura 2000 payments
(measure M224)• Support for grassland management• Uptake of Natura 2000 and WFD payments: 61%• Goals:• Enhance biodiversity• Prevent land abandonment• Improve water quality• Preserve soil quality• Counteract climate change
Czech Republic Overview
• Agriculture contributes 3% of GDP employing 2.8% of the workforce (2005) • Majority of farms are large• Intensive farming in many areas, few landscape features
for wildlife• Focus on reducing trade barriers and increasing equal
treatment of farmers in the new Member States
Czech Republic CAP 2007-2013
• Budget: 3.7 billion EUR • Agri-environment payments: • 32% of total public expenditure in the program - the
measure with the highest allocated budget• Applied on 1 168 000 ha (2005)• Uptake of funds: 76%• Priority: erosion control
Agri-Environmental Measures 2007-2013
• Sub-measure A: Environmentally friendly farming methods (20.6% of total area)• Scheme A1: Organic farming• Scheme A2: Integrated production
• Sub-measure B: Grassland maintenance (61%)• Sub-measure C: Landscape management (18.3%)• Scheme C1: Conversion of arable land to grassland• Scheme C2: Growing of catch crops• Scheme C3: Bio-belts
Agri-Environment Schemes 2007-2013
Natura 2000 Payments
• Support for Natura 2000 areas which are at the same time located in the first zones of National Parks and Protected Landscape Areas• 112 EUR/ha of eligible area• Compensation of 100% of the income foregone due to
reduced production caused by ban on fertilization (only in case of extensively managed grasslands)
Slovakia Overview
• 92% of agricultural area - farms over 100 ha, only 9% of
agricultural area farmed by owners (2007)
• EU budget 2014-2020: Slovakia supports preserving of
direct payment as a base of first pillar of CAP, but insists
on withdrawing of historical principle
Agri-Environmental Measures
Slovakia RDP 2007-2013
• RDP 2007-2013: budget 2.6 billion EUR• M213: Natura 2000 Payments and Payments Linked to
the Water Framework Directive• Sub-measure: Natura 2000 payments on
agricultural land• Paid 95.40 EUR/ha from 2009-2013 for
permanent grasslands
Agri-environment payments
• Agri-environment payments (M214) has the third largest budget (15% of the total public expenditure of the programme)• Environmentally friendly farming methods• Basic scheme• Integrated production• Organic farming
Slovakia RDP 2007-2013
• Soil protecting measures• Protection against erosion on arable lands• Protection against erosion in vineyards• Protection against erosion in orchards• Grassing of arable land
• Conservation of biodiversity• Protection of biotopes of semi-natural and natural grassland• Protection of selected bird species biotopes• Breeding and preserving of endangered animal species
Conclusions
• Farmland biodiversity continues to decline!• Underspent budgets• Complex policy and payment system• Visegrad countries aim: modernisation,
competitiveness, withdrawal of the historical principle rather than environmental concerns…
Resources
CEEweb’s Rural Development Working Grouphttp://www.ceeweb.org/work-areas/working-groups/rural-development/
CEEweb’s Agriculture and Rural Development Page http://www.ceeweb.org/work-areas/priority-areas/agriculture-and-rural-development/
Green Infrastructure Knowledge Hubhttp://www.ceeweb.org/work-areas/priority-areas/green-infrastructure/agriculture/