Biodiversity Management Guideline on elaborating a Biodiversity Action Plan Training Material for Advisors|Certifiers|Product and Quality managers| Guideline on elaborating a Biodiversity Action Plan www.food-biodiversity.eu – 2 – Content The Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) _______________________________________________________ 3 The Biodiversity Performance Tool (BPT) __________________________________________________ 4 Procedure and content _________________________________________________________________ 5 1. Baseline assessment _______________________________________________________________ 6 2. Setting measurable goals to protect and improve biodiversity _____________________________ 9 2.1. Identify priorities ____________________________________________________________________ 9 2.2. Setting measurable goals _____________________________________________________________ 11 3. Selection and implementation of measures ___________________________________________ 12 3.1. Biodiversity management – protecting and creating potential _______________________________ 12 3.1.1. Increasing the share of semi-natural habitats ___________________________________________________ 12 3.1.2. Management of semi-natural habitats ________________________________________________________ 13 3.1.3. Creation of habitat corridors ________________________________________________________________ 14 3.1.4. Grassland preservation ____________________________________________________________________ 15 3.1.5. Specific measures for the protection of species _________________________________________________ 15 3.1.6. Protection of primary (natural) ecosystems, semi-natural habitats and protected areas ________________ 16 3.1.7. Protection of water bodies; management of riparian strips _______________________________________ 17 3.1.8. Prevent Introduction and Spread of Invasive Alien Species ________________________________________ 18 3.1.9. Wild harvesting___________________________________________________________________________ 19 3.2. VERY good agriculture practices to ensure more biodiversity ________________________________ 19 3.2.1. Soil and Fertilization _______________________________________________________________________ 20 3.2.2. Livestock ________________________________________________________________________________ 22 3.2.3. Pest Management ________________________________________________________________________ 22 3.2.4. Sustainable Water-Use _____________________________________________________________________ 26 3.2.5. GMO ___________________________________________________________________________________ 27 3.2.6. Diversity of production systems _____________________________________________________________ 27 3.2.7. Agro-Biodiversity _________________________________________________________________________ 28 3.2.8. Climate protection and adaptation ___________________________________________________________ 29 4. Monitoring _____________________________________________________________________ 30 Overview of the Project EU LIFE Food & Biodiversity ________________________________________ 33 Training Material for Advisors|Certifiers|Product and Quality managers| Guideline on elaborating a Biodiversity Action Plan www.food-biodiversity.eu – 3 – The Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) A Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) is a strategic tool and road map to improve biodiversity on the farm through the development and application of a biodiversity management plan. It helps advisors and farmers to bundle activities for promoting biodiversity, to allow an overview over existing approaches and to facilitate an evaluation of these approaches with respect to the local situation and issues for local fauna and flora. The baseline of existing ecological structures and agricultural practices relevant to biodiversity will be assessed. Taking the initial situation into account, the potentials for more protection of biological diversity are identified. The farmer sets goals and selects measures to achieve them. The implementation of the measures and their results are documented, i.e. the BAP is updated and thus supports the farmer in monitoring biodiversity performance. When developing a Biodiversity Action Plan for the first time, the farmer should be supported by an experienced advisor. Of course, the expertise of an expert on biodiversity, a nature conservation authority or a regional environmental organisation is also very helpful and also opens up opportunities for cooperation. The existence of a BAP supports both the supplier and the certifier to check compliance with biodiversity criteria and to assess the quality of the implemented measures. A BAP can also be part of a higher-level management plan that is already required by various standards or companies, such as an environmental management system. The current ISO 14001 contains references to "Wildlife" and "Biodiversity". The environmental management system is best suited to improve the biodiversity performance of an organisation by analysing the current situation (environmental assessment) and developing and implementing an environmental programme with targets and measures for biodiversity. In contrast to EMAS III (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme), ISO 14001 does not require mandatory reporting and is therefore less transparent. It is neither practical nor effective for small farmers to draw up individual biodiversity action plans. Here the cooperative or producer association is called upon to develop a BAP for all members of the community and to ensure that ambitious biodiversity goals are pursued at the community level without endangering the livelihood of an individual smallholder. Whether individual or joint BAP, a person responsible for coordinating planning, implementation and monitoring should always be appointed. Training Material for Advisors|Certifiers|Product and Quality managers| Guideline on elaborating a Biodiversity Action Plan www.food-biodiversity.eu – 4 – The Biodiversity Performance Tool (BPT) The Biodiversity Performance Tool (BPT) is an online application that supports the farmer in creating a BAP. The tool is focused on the four climate zones in Europe; a version for subtropical and tropical regions is in preparation. It is applicable for different types of farming: Cereals, vegetables, perennial crops (e.g. fruit, olives), livestock (dairy cattle and meat production). After completing a questionnaire with almost 100 questions on agricultural practices and ecological and socio- economic aspects relevant to biodiversity, the BPT provides a structured overview of the initial situation and an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the farm. These are shown in red, yellow and green in the traffic light system. The tool also provides an overview of possible measures to create more potential for biodiversity and reduce negative impacts. A link provides detailed information on the implementation, expected results and positive side effects of each measure. By continuously using the tool - at least every three years - the farmer documents the changes. With this simple but meaningful monitoring, the farm can demonstrate the extent to which biodiversity measures have been implemented and the aspects Figure 1: Screenshot of the Biodiversity Performance Tool website (source: Lake Constance Foundation) in which the farm has improved - or not. Link to the Biodiversity Performance Tool: www.biodiversity-performance.eu Link to training material and Biodiversity Factsheets: www.business-biodiversity.eu/en/biodiversity-training Of course, farmers can also create a BAP without the BPT. It is important that the BAP is updated regularly. Training Material for Advisors|Certifiers|Product and Quality managers| Guideline on elaborating a Biodiversity Action Plan www.food-biodiversity.eu – 5 – Procedure and content As a classical management tool, the BAP includes four steps: 1. Baseline assessment 2. Setting goals and priorities 3. Selection and implementation of measures with time line 4. Monitoring and evaluation The BAP should be reviewed and updated every three years: . Have legal requirements with relevance for Figure 2: The four steps of a Biodiversity Action Plan (source: Didem Senturk) biological diversity changed? Are there new regulations / protection status for certain habitats and/or species in the region? . Are there changed framework conditions that influence ecosystems and/or species, e.g. impacts of climate change? Is (external) expertise needed to effectively address the new challenges? . Are the implemented measures and their results taken into account in the BAP? Have the effects been evaluated on the basis of the selected key figures and indicators? Have the measures achieved the planned results? . Were the self-imposed goals achieved? o If not - why not? What other measures should be taken to achieve the goal? o Are there objectives that can only be achieved if the farmer cooperates with other farmers in the immediate neighborhood, e.g. the establishment of a biotope corridor? How can this cooperation be initiated? o If yes - first of all congratulations! And then the consideration of what new ambitious goals the farmer should set himself. It is not expected that farmers implement the selected measures all at once and instead the measures should be differentiated into short and medium-term measures. Farmers can start with a couple of activities and then show a continuous improvement for the next years. For some of the measures such as the creation of biotope corridors