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/

Thank you!

Contact: Malgorzata Siutasiuta@ceeweb.org

+36-1-398-0135