image: Access to the Factsheets and workshop materials on Circa BC via this QR code view more
Credit: Birds@Farmland
The Birds@Farmland (B@F) Initiative of the European Commission was launched in 2020 with the aim to support 10 Member States[1] in conserving farmland birds. By working in collaboration with competent authorities, NGOs, Farm Advisory Services (FAS) and other relevant actors in each of the 10 Member States, and the European Commission, the international project consortium[2] co-developed 22 farmland bird conservation schemes (CSs) with the primary aim of integrating them into the national Strategic Plans (SPs) under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The CSs focus on selected agricultural systems or particular flagship species. Examples of the conservation schemes include bird-friendly management of rice fields in Bulgaria, Portugal and Spain, creation of grassy field margins in Italian arable land, Corncrake habitat in France, Grey Partridge habitat in Germany, and habitat for a number of species, including Turtle Dove, in Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. On top of bird conservation, the schemes also contribute to combating land abandonment and support for traditional farming systems. All the schemes deliver additional benefits to farmers and society, such as soil and water protection, pollination services and lower pollution with agricultural chemicals. The working process to develop the schemes benefitted from the input of NGOs, farmers’ unions, Farm Advisory Services (FAS), hunting associations and other relevant actors.
All documents produced in the frame of the initiative are now publicly available. They include technical reports, as well as a set of useful summary factsheets for Conservation Schemes, Agricultural Systems and Flagship Species. They provide a concise and evidence-based guide to stakeholders to better understand the contents of the schemes. The documents were produced in English, and translated in several other languages. They are available from the EC website Circa BC through the links below.
Factsheets
- Link to Agricultural systems factsheets folder
- Link to Flagship species factsheets folder
- Link to Conservation schemes factsheets folder
Materials from Workshops
- Link to Workshop 1 (Co-creation): 25 June 2021
- Link to Workshop 2 (Closing conference): 11 October 2022
Link to National workshops: April-June 2022
Additional information:
Conservation Schemes: The initiative developed 22 conservation schemes (CSs) for farmland birds in 10 Member States - Austria (2), Bulgaria (2), Czech Republic (2), Finland (2), France (2), Germany (2), Hungary (2) Italy (2), Portugal (4) and Spain (2).
Integration in the National CAP Strategic Plans: National CAP Strategic Plans were submitted by the Member States in 2021 and are currently examined by the Commission[1]. The initiative targeted the full or at least partial inclusion of CSs in the Strategic Plans and so far, 13 CSs have been fully or partially included. CSs that were not taken up are, nevertheless, available to be integrated at a later stage. The Member States might also consider testing the schemes as pilots through other funding instruments.
[1] https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/cap-my-country/cap-strategic-plans/approved-csp_en
[1] Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy and Portugal
[2] The consortium consists of Environment Agency Austria (lead), MME-BirdLife Hungary, Consorci Centre de Ciencia i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Dicon Group Ltd., Iceta Instituto de Ciencias, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto, Institut Supérieur d’Agriculture et d’Agroalimentaire Rhône-Alpes, Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli, Pensoft Publishers, University of Helsinki and Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung, Leipzig.