European Commission – DG ENV Guidelines on the management of farmland in Natura 2000 European Commission – DG ENV with the support of N2K Group & IEEP

Farmland & Natura 2000 Agriculture : 43% of the total EU area (Eurostat 2010,/LUCAS) Natura 2000: 18% of EU surface (>26,000 sites) Agro-ecosystems : 35% of Natura 2000 surface (10% grasslands, 25% cutivated areas – CLC 2006) A significant proportion of habitats (>25%) and species from the Habitats and Birds Directives are linked to agriculture Changes in agriculture have affected many protected species and habitats (e.g. birds, butterflies, grasslands…..) Conservation status is less favourable for habitats and species linked to agriculture

Guidance on management of farmland in Natura 2000 Objectives contribute to the improvement of the conservation status of the habitats and species sensitive to, or dependent on, agricultural land management. promote the integrated management of farmland in Natura 2000 areas, by strengthening partnership and involvement of the agricultural sector Dialogue with key stakeholders to take into account their interests and know-how

Guidance on management of farmland in Natura 2000 Task 1 Description of the relationship between Natura 2000 sites and agriculture/farmland  Identification of species and habitats of Community interest that are of particular importance in terms of their relationship with agricultural land and/or agricultural practices (special focus on priority habitat types & species).  Quantify the importance of agricultural land and its geographical cover.

Guidance on management of farmland in Natura 2000 Task 2 Identification and analysis of the key issues and challenges related to agriculture and nature conservation in Natura 2000 areas. Assessing main pressures and threats on the concerned species and habitats, and their specific management requirements (in the different MS and Biogeographical regions), to achieve a Favourable Conservation Status.

Key agricultural habitats of Community interest Habitats Directive Annex I habitats (231) Habitats that are particularly associated with agriculture: Ostermann (1998) list, 43 in EU-15 JRC (Paracchini et al, 2008) 53 in EU-25 ETC/BD (Halada et al, 2010) 63 habitats in EU

Key agricultural species of Community interest Habitats Directive Annex II species Birds Directive Annex I species Species that are particularly associated with agriculture: Birds (Tucker & Evans, 1997), 173 priority species JRC HNV species indicators (Paracchini et al, 2008) ETC/BD Habitats Directive spp associated with agriculture, EEA (2010) Biodiversity baseline.

Key agricultural habitats Criteria Annex I habitats that are according to Halada et al (2011): dependent or partially dependent on agriculture; and are partially dependent for some sub-types or over parts of their distribution, AND are listed as Priority habitats in Annex I.

Key agricultural habitats Ranking of importance Dependence of agricultural habitats Priority status as indicated in Annex I of the Habitats Directive. Proportion in the Natura 2000 network, as assessed by the ETC/BD Proportion of the habitat’s area having an unfavourable conservation status It is also proposed that the importance of key agricultural habitats, in terms of the development and implementation of appropriate farmland management measures in Natura 2000 sites BUT ONLY A GUIDE because: Dependence on agriculture based on Halada et al Proportion in N2K ONLY a guide a data missing from some countries, including Romania and Bulgaria UFC assessment from Artcle 17 reports, but excludes Romania and Bulgaria – so ONLY a guide

KEY & RANKING CRITERIA SCORE WEIGHTING POTENTIAL MAX SCORE DEPENDENCY ON AGRICULTURE (FROM HALADA ET AL (2011):   FULLY DEPENDENT ON AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT 3 1 PARTIALLY DEPENDENT 2 PARTIALLY DEPENDENT BUT ONLY FOR SOME SUB-TYPES OR OVER PART OF THE DISTRIBUTION PRIORITY STATUS (FROM HABITATS DIRECTIVE) PRIORITY HABITAT NON-PRIORITY HABITAT PROPORTION IN NATURA SITE (ETC/BD ART 17 TECHNICAL REPORT (2001-2006) (IE % DIVIDED BY 100) 0 - 1 0-1 PROPORTION WITH AN UNFAVOURABLE CONSERVATION STATUS (IE % DIVIDED BY 100) 0 -1 0-2 POTENTIAL TOTAL SCORE 8

Key agricultural species Ranking of importance – Habitats Directive species Priority status as indicated in Annex I of the Habitats Directive.  Proportion of the species’ range having an unfavourable conservation Simple scoring, max of 2, each scoring 1. Proportion in N2kn not used as data are too patchy and unreliable, and missing for Romania and Bulgaria

Key agricultural species Ranking of importance – Birds Proportions of populations using agricultural habitats ‘Priority status’ as assessed by the Ornis Commitee. Degree of dispersion in the wider environment. Latest assessment of conservation status of the whole EU population by Birdlife International (Birdlife International, 2004). More detailed data available therefore Not real Priority species Dispersion – expert judgement, but will investigate data Whole pop assessment – No Article 17 data for birds Proportion in N2kn not used as data are too patchy and unreliable, and missing for Romania and Bulgaria

Key & ranking criteria Score Weighting Potential max score Agricultural habitat use; for each of 8 recognised sub-types >75% of European breeding or wintering population uses the habitat 2 1 16 10-75% of European breeding or wintering population uses the habitat Priority status (from Habitats Directive) Priority species 3 Proportion in Natura sites Dispersed species -1 Conservation status of the EU population (BirdLife International 2004) Unfavourable Potential total score   21

Habitat Agri dep Priority % N2K % UFC Score Fennoscandian wooded meadows 3 1 54% 100% 94% Pannonic loess steppic grasslands 39% 92% Pannonic sand steppes 33% Fennoscandian lowland species-rich dry to mesic grasslands 22% 90% Species-rich Nardus grasslands, on siliceous substrates in mountain areas (and sub-mountain areas, in continental Europe) 37% 81% 87% Boreal Baltic coastal meadows 2 71% 84% Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp. 67% 83% Sub-pannonic steppic grassland Nordic alvar and precambrian calcareous flatrocks 53% 82% Inland salt meadows 51%

Agricultural dependency levels and priority status of key agricultural habitats Dependency classes Total in each dependency class Total priority species in each dependency class Fully 25 8 Partially 18 6 Partially for some sub-types or parts of distribution 9* 9 Total all habitats 52 Total Priority habitats 23

Agricultural dependency levels and priority status of key agricultural HD species Group Species listed on Annex II All key agricultural species Priority key agricultural species Habitat use by key agricultural species   Grass Agriculture Plants 587 115 38 112 8 Invertebrates 136 51 1 48 9 Amphibians 25 5 3 2 Reptiles 24 Mammals 54 22 21 6  Total 911 201 53 192

Total key agricultural species for each habitat type, priority, dispersal and status category   All Moor Med AIG SG MG WG PC PW Total key agricultural species 62 3 21 32 6 13 5 12 Habitat use 10-75% of population 43 11 22 10 >75% of population 36 1 Priority species 20 4 9 2 Dispersed species 15 8 Unfavourable status 55 19 28 27 Moor = grazed moorland and tundra; Med = grazed Mediterranean shrublands; AIG = arable and improved grasslands; SG = steppe grasslands; MG = montane grasslands; WG = wet grasslands; PC = permanent crops; PW = pastoral woodlands. Moor = grazed moorland and tundra; Med = grazed Mediterranean shrublands; AIG = arable and improved grasslands; SG = steppe grasslands; MG = montane grasslands; WG = wet grasslands; PC = permanent crops; PW = pastoral woodlands.

Summary of key natural habitat types of Community interest that are affected by agricultural management Habitat name Description / distribution Total extent (km2)* Key countries present* Inland salt meadows This rare habitat occurs where the groundwater is saline and the vegetation is formed by salt tolerant plants. It is mostly found in the Continental region although there are a few sites in the Alpine, Atlantic and Pannonic regions. 28 CZ DE DK FR IT PL SK Pannonic salt steppes and salt marshes Salt steppes and marshes typical of the Pannonic region and further east are found in Hungary and Romania within the European Union. They result from hot, dry summers which bring salt to the soil surface. Within the EU25 the habitat is mostly in Hungary, with relatively small areas in Austria (Continental region) and Slovakia. 2015   Boreal Baltic coastal meadows Coastal meadows around the Baltic on land formed by land upheaval and influenced by the brackish waters of the Baltic Sea. Traditionally managed by grazing or mowing but now often abandoned. They are widespread along the shores of the Baltic in both the Boreal and Continental regions. 229

Thank you Comments please to: Graham Tucker, Institute for European Environmental Policy gtucker@ieep.eu Tel. +44 (0)20 7340 2688