High Nature Value Farming Systems Research Articles

Applying life cycle assessment to European high nature value farming systems: Environmental impacts and biodiversity

CONTEXTLife Cycle Assessment (LCA) remains a method of choice for assessing the environmental performance of agricultural systems. However, it is rarely applied to multifunctional extensive production systems, in which livestock use, apart from animal production, maintains a continuous disturbance that sustains the diversity of habitats and species. OBJECTIVEThis study aims to assess the environmental impact and biodiversity of extensive ruminant production on semi-natural grasslands (SNG), that is, High Nature Value (HNV) farming across Europe. We collected data from a total of 41 HNV farms in five countries (Finland, Estonia, Spain, Greece, and France) that produce beef, sheep, and goats, and that incorporate (to a varied degree) semi-natural and permanent pastures into production. METHODSWe used LCA to assess the potential environmental impact of HNV farms according to global warming potential (GWP100), fossil resource scarcity (FRS), water scarcity (WS) and land use (LU), by using the Solagro Carbon Calculator and OpenLCA software. We assessed biodiversity based on the expert scoring system of SALCA-BD. We compared impacts on per area and per product basis across the farms, and related them to the productivity. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSResults revealed a considerable variation in all environmental impacts among HNV farms, explained mostly by the type of ruminants, main product (meat or milk) and the production level. GWP100 per unit in beef product in France was almost twice as high as that in boreal and 3 times more than in Spain, while sheep systems in Greece varied 7-fold for meat. Sheep systems consistently had the highest GWP100, while goat systems used the most land, fossil fuel and water. Small ruminant production in Spain had both the highest land occupation and biodiversity values. Biodiversity was at its highest on farms utilising only SNG for production, which, however, related negatively to the farms' production output. Enteric fermentation accounted for 32% of overall emissions. SIGNIFICANCEThis study makes a novel contribution towards a better understanding of the environmental performance and production capacity of HNV farming systems that are often used as examples of multifunctional and sustainable ruminant-based production.

Editorial: High Nature Value farming systems in Europe

Editorial: High Nature Value farming systems in Europe

Contribution of High Nature Value farming systems to sustainable livestock production: A case from Finland

Sustainability of livestock production is a highly contested issue in agricultural sustainability discourse. This study aimed to assess the environmental impact of farms using semi-natural grasslands in Finland, or so-called High Nature Value (HNV) farms. We estimated the environmental impact of 11 such farms, including greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), nitrogen (N) balance, land occupation, and carbon storage. We also accounted for unique biodiversity, defined in this study as communities that are dependent on semi-natural grasslands. We compared these to the alternative states of the farms, specifically a hypothetical farm with the same production output but without access to semi-natural grasslands. GHG emissions at the farm level (tCO2eq/ha) in HNV farms were 64% lower than on the alternative farms; GHG emissions at the product level (tCO2eq/t LW) and N balance (N kg/ha) were 31% and 235% lower, respectively. The carbon stocks were 163% higher at farm level. Biodiversity values, indicated by the share of semi-natural grassland in management, ranged from 23% to 83% on HNV farms. Six out of eleven farms would need to increase their arable land occupation by an average of 39% of arable land to fulfil their needs for animal feed if they did not utilize semi-natural grassland. This study contributes to growing evidence that HNV farming systems can support sustainable production by minimising arable land occupation, reducing nutrient loses, and increasing carbon storage while maintaining unique biodiversity.

Are result-based schemes a superior approach to the conservation of High Nature Value grasslands? Evidence from Slovenia

In this study, we explored the potential of the payment-by-results approach in supporting the maintenance of High Nature Value (HNV) grasslands in a typical HNV farming system and Natura 2000 site in Slovenia (Europe) with a high share of small farms, fragmented land ownership and long-term process of land abandonment. We tested the applicability of a hypothetical result-based scheme (RBS) for the conservation of dry grasslands and a set of associated plant indicators, and identified key obstacles to its implementation. Based on a statistical analysis of a survey with 263 farmers and a thematic data analysis of 62 farmer interviews and 10 in-depth interviews and focus groups with researchers, public officials and agricultural advisors, we found that a majority of both farmers and experts support the introduction of RBSs. The selected plant indicators were well-known among the local farmers and monitoring of their presence was preferred over the current system, which demands keeping records on the implementation of farming practices. However, although the RBSs seem to be a superior alternative to the current management-based schemes, their introduction might not be enough to ensure HNV farming systems’ successful conservation. Our results indicate a lack of institutional capacity to implement RBSs on a larger scale, particularly in terms of data support and qualified staff in the advisory service and monitoring agencies. Furthermore, experience to date and mistrust among stakeholders indicate a questionable ability and motivation of authorities to develop locally-based, flexible and innovative agri-environmental measures. RBSs alone also do not adequately address some of the root causes for the disappearance of HNV grasslands, particularly: the lack of knowledge regarding the appropriate modern farming system(s) to ensure their sustainable management in line with conservation goals; specific needs of small farmers; and the need for a socially acceptable land policy reform to enable easier access to land. We argue that systematic investment in closing the existing data and research gaps as well as in increasing the capacity of key institutions at the national and local levels are needed, particularly in European regions of high conservation priority. Furthermore, better integration of nature conservation in different rural policies and a holistic developmental approach in (remote) rural areas are necessary to prevent further abandonment of HNV farming and enable the adoption of biodiversity-friendly farming models.

The ambiguous role of agri-environment-climate measures in the safeguarding of High Nature Value Farming Systems: The case of the Montado in Portugal

The preservation of High Nature Value farmland (HNVf) is essential for meeting many of the new European Union (EU) Green Deal targets, as they correspond to production systems which respect the preservation of natural resources and support multiple ecosystem services. However, most of the farming systems on which HNVf rely cannot survive without support from public policies. Typically, these are low intensity and low agrochemical input systems, such as the Montado in southern Portugal, a silvo-pastoral land use system adapted to the Mediterranean constraints encountered in the region. Agri-environment-climate measures (AECM) within the EU Common Agricultural Policy, despite their multiple objectives, provide great potential for supporting the conservation of HNVf. However, for this to happen, the measures in place must ensure the maintenance of the low intensity farming practices that led to the HNV status of these systems in the first place. Using an extensive cattle production system in a Montado area as a case study, this paper assesses whether if the implementation of the AECM for Integrated production and the AECM for Organic production, are indeed supporting a less intensive management of this multifunctional land use system and, thus, its HNV. These are two well-known horizontal measures, which can be applied across all farmland and are therefore of major relevance in promoting environmental performance of farming across the EU. The results of our study show that overall, none of these AECM is promoting less intensive management practices in Montado areas, and they therefore do not contribute to the conservation of their natural value. Furthermore, the results underline the importance of grazing management to understand the ongoing changes in many Montado areas. Lastly, the results also show that horizontal AECM are barely able to provide consistent environmental benefits in systems with a high level of complexity as found in silvo-pastoral systems.

High Nature Value Farming Systems and Protected Areas: Conservation Opportunities or Land Abandonment? A Study Case in the Madrid Region (Spain)

European rural landscapes contain high nature value farmlands that, in addition to being the main economic activity in many rural areas, host habitats and species of great conservation value. The maintenance of these farming systems largely depends on traditional ecological knowledge and the rural lifestyles of the local populations. However, they have not been sufficiently appreciated and protected, and as a result, they are currently threatened. In this study, which was performed in the Madrid region (central Spain), we analyse the social-ecological changes of the rural landscape after the establishment of a protected natural area network. The obtained results highlight a significant loss of these high nature value farming systems and a marked increase in the rewilding processes characterised by scrub–forest transition and the development of forest systems. These processes are linked to the disruption of the transmission of traditional ecological knowledge, which may imply negative consequences for both the high biocultural diversity that these systems host and the cultural identity and the socioeconomics of the rural populations that live there. A useful methodological tool is provided for social–ecological land planning and the design of effective management strategies for the conservation of rural cultural landscapes.

Innovation Gaps and Barriers in Alternative Innovative Solutions for Sustainable High Nature Value Grasslands. Evidence from Romania

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) proposes environmental policies developed around action-based conservation measures supported by agri-environment schemes (AES). High Nature Value (HNV) farming represents a combination of low-intensity and mosaic practices mostly developed in agricultural marginalized rural areas which sustain rich biodiversity. Being threatened by intensification and abandonment, such farming practices were supported in the last CAP periods by targeted AES. This study aims to identify the most important farming trends in a recognized HNV grasslands Romanian site, subject to public conservation actions. The content analysis of multi-actor focus groups transcripts identifies innovation needs for alternative sustainable HNV farming systems, assessing also the most important barriers for their local deployment. Results show that stakeholders have strong awareness about the existence of HNV farming practices in their territory and their negative trends (abandonment; intensification) that might irreversibly affect biodiversity and cultural values. Current AES could not compensate for the existing innovation gaps. Although local stakeholders have basic awareness about alternative innovative approaches, they failed in their deployment mainly due to the lack of collective actions. Access to adapted knowledge reservoirs and the promotion of local innovation catalyzers are essential for the future sustainability of HNV farming practices.

Dehesas as high nature value farming systems: a social-ecological synthesis of drivers, pressures, state, impacts, and responses

Dehesas as high nature value farming systems: a social-ecological synthesis of drivers, pressures, state, impacts, and responses

A holistic approach to land system dynamics – The Monfurado case in Alentejo, Portugal

Understanding land system dynamics is fundamental for policy-making from local to global scale. Land system is a combination of land use, land management and territorial practices. To attain such complete information about landscape structures is a challenging task. Aiming to deepen knowledge on land systems, we applied a methodology meant to achieve a broader understanding of dynamics in the Sítio de Monfurado (SM), a Natura 2000 site and holder of High Nature Value farming systems. To do so, we combined spatial analysis of land system changes with a participatory approach designated as Territory Game. While the spatial analysis shows little change in the SM land systems, the territory is perceived as fast-changing by the territorial actors (e.g., stakeholders with an explicit role in territorial development). At both scales, and in agreement with literature, we find trends of simplification and intensification in land systems, typically associated with the reduction of multifunctionality. The combination of both approaches contributed to the understanding of past changes, the drivers that induce such changes, how these are interpreted and, how to act upon them in the future. The proposed combined methodology can bring new useful insights for policy-makers, although scaling from local to broader scale remains a challenge.

Natural enemies and pollinators in traditional cherry orchards: Functionally important taxa respond differently to farming system

Some of the negative effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity can be counteracted by the implementation of practices typically associated with organic farming. The efficiency of key ecosystem services, such as natural pest control or pollination, depends on biodiversity and could determine agricultural productivity and food security. In terrestrial ecosystems, both land use and topographic features are important filters in shaping taxa distribution. It is essential to identify which factors significantly drive changes in populations in order to maximize the abundance and richness of beneficial arthropods and to support the underlying services they provide across agroecosystems. Although traditional orchards are high nature value farming systems that maintain high levels of biodiversity, there is a lack of information on how organic farming affects these systems. We examined beneficial arthropod communities to disentangle the extent to which predators, parasitoids, and pollinators are shaped by local field management (organic vs. conventional management) and topographic features (hillside aspect, i.e. the orientation of the slope). In traditional cherry orchards in western Spain, beneficial arthropod communities were assessed by using a combination of different sampling methods. Our results show that communities differed between farming systems. Overall, dominant or most representative parasitoid and pollinator taxa benefited from organic management, whereas predators showed a more heterogeneous pattern in their abundances probably due to their varying responses to habitat characteristics. Topographic features, although being a factor for some of the studied groups, did not strongly affect beneficial arthropod communities. Our results indicate that, in traditional orchards, the effects of farming system on beneficial arthropods are not easily predictable. Due to the variability in habitat preferences found among different functionally important taxa, we highlight the importance of continuing to unravel the specific responses of beneficial arthropods to local management practices.

Back to the future: rethinking socioecological systems underlying high nature value farmlands

Farmlands are currently among the dominant uses of the land. When managed under low‐input farming systems, farmlands are associated with diverse cultural and natural heritages around the world. Known in Europe as high nature value (HNV) farmlands, these agricultural landscapes and their associated farming systems evolved as tightly coupled socioecological systems, and are essential to biodiversity conservation and the delivery of ecosystem services to society. However, HNV farmlands are vulnerable to socioeconomic changes that lead to either agricultural intensification or land abandonment. We present a range of plausible future scenarios for HNV farmlands, and discuss the related management options and expected socioecological outcomes for each scenario. We then provide recommendations for policy, practice, and research on how to best ensure the socioecological viability of HNV farming systems in the future.

Trends in High Nature Value farmland studies: A systematic review

AbstractBackground. Since the High Nature Value (HNV) concept was defined in the early 1990s, several studies on HNV farmland has been increasing over the past 30 years in Europe, highlighting the interest by scientific community of HNV farming systems supporting biodiversity conservation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the trends and main gaps on HNV farmland peer-reviewed publications in order to contribute to the effectiveness of future research in this field. Methods. Searches were conducted using the databases Web of SciencesTM and Scopus in order to identify only peer-reviewed articles on HNV farmland, published prior to July 2017. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed a priori. Data as year, country, type of document, subject area, taxa studied and biodiversity metrics assessed were extracted and explored in order to analyse the spatial and temporal distribution of the concept, including the main topics addressed in HNV farmland literature. Results. After screening 308 original articles, 90 were selected for this review. HNV farmland studies involved several disciplines, mainly biodiversity and conservation and environmental sciences and ecology. Most peer-reviewed articles focused on HNV farming were conducted in Spain, Italy, Ireland and Portugal. The main studied taxa were plants and birds. Taxonomic diversity was the biodiversity metric more often used to assess the biodiversity status on HNV farmland areas. A positive correlation was found between HNV farmland area and HNV farmland studies conducted in respective countries. Discussion. The HNV farmland research subject is a relative novel approach, and this systematic review provides a comprehensive overview about the main topics in the HNV farmland peer-reviewed literature contributing to highlight the main gaps and provide some considerations in order to assist the performance of HNV farming systems and conservation policies, addressed to sustain high levels of biodiversity.

A Spatially Explicit Choice Model to Assess the Impact of Conservation Policy on High Nature Value Farming Systems

High Nature Value (HNV) farmland is declining in the EU, with negative consequences for biodiversity conservation. Agri-environment schemes implemented under the Common Agricultural Policy have addressed this problem, with recent proposals advocating direct support to HNV farming systems. However, research is lacking on the economics of HNV farming, which makes it difficult to set the level and type of support that ensure its sustainability. In this paper, we focused on a Special Protection Area for steppe bird conservation, analysing how economic incentives, biophysical and structural features govern the choice of farming system. We found that persistence of the traditional farming system important for steppe birds was associated with economic incentives, resistance to change, and good quality soils, whereas a shift to specialised livestock production systems was favoured by higher rainfall and less fragmented farms. A supply curve built using the choice model predicted that the proportion of traditional farming increased from 20% to 80% of the landscape, when economic incentives increased from about 100€/ha to 160€/ha. Overall, our study highlights the dependence of HNV farming systems on economic incentives, and provides a framework to assess the effects of alternative policy and market scenarios to sustain farmland landscapes promoting biodiversity conservation.

Impacts of farmers' management styles on income and labour under alternative extensive land use scenarios

High Nature Value farming systems cover a large proportion of the agricultural land in marginal and mountain areas of Europe. These large areas face environmental, economic and social challenges and formulating policies that support all these aspects is difficult. Although farmers play an important role in maintaining the ecological diversity of these areas, their differing management styles are often not recognised when land use policies are formulated. This paper examines these issues using an optimisation model based on an extensive livestock farm in Western Scotland, where four farmers' management styles are combined with a series of six alternative future land use scenarios, to provide a more realistic and robust insight of policy impacts on land use and habitat, labour and farm income. The management styles derived from a typology that was based on a composite of both available resources and attitudinal components. The six alternative scenarios encompassed competitive land use diversification options (woodland and wild deer shooting), abandonment of native pasture for agriculture, no support, high market prices for livestock products, and increased animal efficiency. Although diversification via forestry was found to be potentially central to increasing farming incomes, farmers' reticence to adopt forestry or any diversification was a major constraint. This case study also reinforced that managing livestock on these HNV farming systems was not economical unless support subsidies were in place. The only scenario which could enhance the HNV biodiversity value on farms was one with high market prices, resulting in the most varied land use (sheep, cattle and forestry). All others scenarios meant an increase in afforestation (which displaced livestock), an increase in livestock grazing or abandonment of the land, none of which would maintain biodiversity in these areas. Very few scenarios were able to increase on-farm labour demand and although greater flexibility in farm labour was found to be essential, labour scarcity in these marginal mountain areas remained a problem. In conclusion, this case study reinforced that farmers' management style and motivation do play a major role on how they respond to policies, and unless this role is acknowledged by policy-makers, these European HNV areas may not be targeted properly for the most desired outcomes and sustainability.

ŪKININKAVIMO DIDELĖS GAMTINĖS VERTĖS TERITORIJOSE REIKŠMĖ APLINKOS VIEŠŲJŲ GĖRYBIŲ KŪRIMUI

Scientists are widely analysing the economic regulation of agricultural externalities, however the non-marketable results of agricultural activity in high nature value farming systems are not sufficiently examined. The additional economic benefit of high nature farming is not identified. The identification of the impact of farming activity on public goods, the distribution of the environmental public goods by the types, according to the highest impact from agriculture on high nature value farming systems is essentially important for achieving the positive effect from agricultural activity. The aim of the paper is to determine the significance of high nature farming on creation and preservation of environmental public goods. For achieving the research aim the review of scientific studies on analysis of high nature value was done, the concept of high nature value systems was examined, the specifics of high nature farming systems and support measures were analysed, the effects of high nature farming were analysed, environmental public goods, according to the highest impact from agriculture on high nature value farming system were identified. Methods of systemic and logic analysis were applied for analysis of the concept of high nature value farming systems and determination of farming peculiarities in these systems. Review of scientific studies has shown that the benefit of high nature value farming systems for creation of public goods mostly asserts by securing ecosystem stability, preservation of biodiversity, enhancing of landscape value. JEL codes: Q51, Q57.

ŪKININKAVIMO DIDELĖS GAMTINĖS VERTĖS TERITORIJOSE TEIKIAMŲ VIEŠŲJŲ GĖRYBIŲ EKONOMINĖS VERTĖS NUSTATYMAS

High nature value farming systems not only maintain, but often recover biodiversity, which is the basis for existence of a viable ecosystem, at the same time securing the optimal amount of public goods for consumers. Ecosystem services are evaluated as positive effects from high nature value farming systems, because their features are comparable to public goods. The question is how the value of such environmental public goods can be determined and how their provision for society at the preferred level could be optimized. The aim of the research is to validate the most suitable methods for determination of economic value of public goods in high nature value farming systems. For achieving the research aim the review of economic studies on determination of the value of agricultural public goods was done, the problems of determination of agricultural public goods value were analysed, the necessity of provision of public goods‘ regulation by economic value was substantiated, the relevance of methods for determination of economic value of public goods in high nature value farming systems were examined in the paper. The analysis has showed that the contingent valuation method, alternative cost evaluation methods and hedonic pricing techniques are mostly emphasized as specific methods, applied for determination of public goods from high nature farming systems. The analysis has showed that the contingent valuation and choice modelling are mostly emphasized as specific methods, applied for determination of public goods from high nature farming systems. Travel cost and real estate pricing methods are suitable only for evaluation of public goods related to recreation, leisure or culture. JEL codes: Q51, Q57.

High Nature Value (HNV) Grazing Systems in Europe: A Link between Biodiversity and Farm Economics

Large tracts of the European rural land, most frequently in the Less Favoured Areas (LFA) are devoted to lowinput and Large Scale Grazing Systems (LSGS) under severe environmental constraints. A small part of the rural population strives to make a living under a risk of abandonment. Paradoxically, these areas harbour a great part of the European High Nature Value (HNV) farmland. We argue that government intervention on these LSGS can only be devised after proper knowledge of technical, structural and social constraints. LSGS may deliver environmental and social benefits but current European Union (EU) schemes of support do not fit the requirements and spatial scale of HNV farming systems. A new methodological approach and research agenda is described based on inter-disciplinary environmental and economic research, stakeholders’ participation and differential diagnosis. The results summarise the main findings of the EUfunded LACOPE research project in seven study-areas and broadly enlarge the analysis to other European LSGS with the experience of collaborative experts. The LACOPE research project advanced the research agenda in the identification of major LSGS and diagnosis of the seven study-areas. In most of these latter, grazing and biodiversity showed compatible features, but severe structural and social constraints were identified, which require public intervention or enhancement of social cohesion. Delivering of potential environmental assets is linked to economic and social viability of these LSGS. Poor economic performance was more common than social fragility, with some LSGS well entrenched and supported by local social values and cultural traditions. The core objectives of the proposed Rural Development Policy (RDP) of the EU for the years 2007-2013 are compatible with the differential diagnosis proposed in the research agenda. However, the articulation of environmental, economic and social analysis under current schemes of policy support (Natura 2000, LFA, and agri-environment measures), can be questionable. A single space-scale of HNV farmland and system research can be better suited to reach the core objectives of the RDP guidelines for environmental and economic convergence, programming, monitoring and financial controls.