REVIEW OF CURRENT METHODS AND APPROACHES FOR SIMPLE ON FARM ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF FAB SOLUTIONS Activity 2 will identify user-friendly tools and methods to measure the environmental and socio- economic performance of FAB solutions The aim of this report is to: • Review methods to measure the environmental performance of FAB solutions. The focus is on biodiversity, soils and water quality. • Identify scientific approaches that could be used at the farm level and implemented by farmers or extension workers. • Determine if and potentially how these measurement approaches could feed into and support regional or national monitoring. Program Practical information “FABulous Farmers” Project, Activity 2.1 Report DATE: 19th December 2019 CONTACT: David Robinson: [email protected] +44 (0)1491-374-500 Organised by UKCEH Authors: Lindsay Maskell, Lisa Norton, Jamie Alison, Sabine Reinsch & David A. Robinson Page 1 CONTENTS Review of current methods and approaches for simple on farm environmental monitoring of FAB solutions ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 Program........................................................................................................................................................ 1 Practical information .................................................................................................................................. 1 Contents ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Project Background ............................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Main aims of activity 2 and this review ................................................................................................. 3 1.3 Project Context and Overview .............................................................................................................. 3 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1.1. FAB solutions ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Methodology for the review ................................................................................................................. 5 2.3 Measurements and Indicators for FAB interventions ........................................................................... 8 2.3.1. (1) Reduced tillage techniques (reduced soil disturbance and compaction)...................................................... 8 2.3.2. (2) Mixed crops/crop rotations and sward diversity .........................................................................................11 (2.a) Mixed crops/crop rotations .....................................................................................................................................11 2.3.1. (2.2b) Sward diversity........................................................................................................................................13 2.3.3 (3) Cover / catch-crops (including legumes) .....................................................................................................19 2.3.4 (4) Organic matter input (plant residuals, wood chips, biochar) .....................................................................22 2.3.5 (5) Modified manure management, quality and diversity (fresh manure, limited use of fertilizer) ................25 2.3.6 (6) Agroforestry .................................................................................................................................................29 2.3.7 (7) Hedgerow management ..............................................................................................................................35 2.3.8 (8) Field margin management ..........................................................................................................................42 2.3.9 (9) Reduction in the use of plant protection products (PPPs) ...........................................................................45 2.3.10. (10) Semi-natural landscape elements (provide habitat) ............................................................................48 2.4 indicators ............................................................................................................................................ 52 2.5 Can on farm measurements be used to understand state and change at the regional or national scale? ........................................................................................................................................................... 52 2. REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................................. 61 Page 2 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND The agricultural sector, the basis for the agro-food sector in North West Europe (NEW), is today heavily dependent on external inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, etc.) and creates a number of negative effects on the quality of natural resources (soil, water, biodiversity). Functional Agrobiodiversity (FAB) (targeted stimulation of biodiversity to deliver ecosystem services such as pest and disease control, pollination, soil and water quality) offers opportunities to drastically reduce the dependence on inputs, but the knowledge in this area is still highly fragmented and insufficiently embedded in agricultural practice, policy and society. FABulous Farmers aims to accelerate the implementation of FAB by farmers and other land managers in NWE, by collecting, deepening and sharing knowledge and practical experiences about FAB between farmers, scientists, citizens and policy makers in 12 pilot regions in NWE over 5 countries (FR, NL, UK, BE and LUX). 10 FAB solutions are developed in a region-oriented manner, tested and demonstrated across 315 farms and evaluated for ecological performance and economic profitability, with the aim of reducing the dependence on external inputs by an average of 30%. In each pilot region, a FAB learning network is set up in which farmers exchange knowledge and experiences and draw up a FAB action plan. In addition, we collaborate with local actors, citizens, policy makers and value chain partners to embed FAB more widely in society, policy and market, through the design and implementation of FAB landscape integration plans and the rollout of citizen science tools; development of policy papers (at EU and national / regional level), and 12 business cases for valorisation of FAB via the market. Finally, a long-term development plan is drawn up for the continuation and expansion of the FAB learning networks after the end of the project. 1.2 MAIN AIMS OF ACTIVITY 2 AND THIS REVIEW Activity 2 will identify user-friendly tools and methods to measure the environmental and socio-economic performance of FAB solutions. NERC-CEH will focus on the environmental effects and their measurement (soil, water & ecology) the subject of this review Activity 2.1. ILVO and ZLTO (NL) on farmer costs and benefits (based on farmers needs in the pilot regions) Activity 2.3 and UvA on social costs and benefits of an exemplar Activity 2.5. They will work with all partners to determine what will work on the ground and balance the need for on farm efficiency with the need for scientific robustness to measure change and provide flying experts to aid on farm assessment by regional partners. The aim of this report is to: Review methods to measure the environmental performance of FAB solutions. The focus is on biodiversity, soils and water quality. Identify scientific approaches that could be used at the farm level and implemented by farmers or extension workers. Determine if and potentially how these measurement approaches could feed into and support regional or national monitoring. 1.3 PROJECT CONTEXT AND OVERVIEW Agriculture is a defining part of the agro-food cluster, which is of strategic importance in Europe (6% of EU’s GVA, 24 million jobs) and in NWE in particular (agro-food cluster is part of most national/regional innovation strategies for smart specialisation). Almost half of the land in NWE is farmed (48% in EU, Eurostat) producing food, fuel and fibre for the agro-food sector and the bio-based economy and delivering public goods and services like water retention and landscape values. Agricultural land in NEW consists of 60% of arable land with crops and vegetables and 34% of permanent grassland. Over the past five decades, the EU Common Agricultural Policy has encouraged farmers to modernize and intensify production. This led to a mainly “linear” production approach, resulting in farming becoming a resource intensive sector, dependent on many external inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, machinery,…) and natural Page 3 resources (soil, water, biodiversity), maximising production at the cost of polluting the environment and reducing farmland biodiversity. Agriculture accounted for 51% of the total water use in EU in 2014. In 2012 more than 90% of the assessed River Basin