Identification of High Nature Value farmland at the eu27 level on the basis of land cover and biodiversity data

Abstract

This chapter describes the characteristics of low-input farming systems in terms of biodiversity and management practices and introduces the term 'high nature value (HNV) farmland'. Conservation of biodiversity on agricultural land is an objective of the Pan-European Biodiversity and Landscape Strategy, the Bern Convention, the European Landscape Convention, and, at European Union (EU) level, the Habitats and Birds Directives and the Rural Development Policy. The aim of estimating HNV farmland distribution at European level according to a standardised method is to gain insight into the current status, as well as enabling analysis of European trends and targeting of relevant policy instruments. In a number of cases the Europe-wide exercise could be improved with national data, allowing a more precise identification of HNV farmland within the overall conceptual framework. For each combination of country and environmental zone, CORINE Land Cover (CLC) classes are identified that are likely to contain HNV land.Keywords: CORINE Land Cover (CLC) classes; European Union (EU) 27; high nature value (HNV) farmland; low-input farming systems