establishment of an impact assessment procedure as a tool

Vasiliki Tsiaoussi

Natura 2000 Farmland Management and Biodiversity, 29/9 – 1/10 2015

Establishment of an impact assessment procedure as a tool for sustainability of agro-ecosystem:

The case of Mediterranean olives LIFE SAGE10

‘DEMETER’ Directorate of

Research

Land Reclamation Institute

Benaki Phytopathological

Institute

The Goulandris Natural

History Museum

Greek Biotope-Wetland

Centre

Rodax Ltd

Quality Systems

Coordinator

Crop Protection & Safety

Soil and Water

Management, Fertilisation

Biodiversity

Crop

Management

Consultancy


LIFE SAGE10 partnership

Present the method developed and applied by the project

Focus on biodiversity

Aim of the project

To improve practices applied in olive groves

taking into account environmental impacts and production capacity

Aim of this presentation


Aim

To improve practices applied in olive groves

taking into account environmental impacts and production capacity

Strategy

Development of an “Impact Assessment Procedure” (IAP) for justified and objective evaluation of potential impacts of agricultural practices on environment, as a tool for

ISO 14001/ EMAS planning in primary agriculture

Incorporation of IAP as the core process of an advisory system aiming to propose to farmers’ the most efficient use of their resources, with the objective to achieve long term sustainability of the agro-ecosystem


80 farmers, 600 olive groves, 150-200 ha


IAP - “Impact Assessment Procedure” - a structured method to assess and prioritize

impacts in the environment (including humans)

Agricultural activities (e.g. crop protection, pruning, fertilization, irrigation, soil management, harvesting, establishment of a new grove, storing of ppp’s) with an impact ASPECT

IMPACT

COMPARTMENT

Impacts of aspects on different environmental compartments: e.g. surface water pollution, changes in biodiversity, soil acidity, health risks for workers in groves

Biotic and abiotic environment (water bodies, soil, biodiversity…), Humans (operator, worker)


IAP - “Impact Assessment Procedure” - a structured method to assess and prioritize

impacts in the environment (including humans)

Agricultural activities (e.g. crop protection, pruning, soil management, harvesting) with an impact

ASPECT

IMPACT

COMPARTMENT

Any measurable quantitative or qualitative change in plants and animals that are found in olive groves or use it in some stage of their life cycle, or in water courses within 1 km.

Biodiversity (soil biodiversity, aquatic species, birds, reptiles)


ASPECT

IMPACT

COMPARTMENT

TRIPLETS & PARAMETERS IAP:

Flora

Change

Pesticides

P Parameters* weight

Application of Chemicals

Number of applications Dose of application Pattern of application

5 5 4

Ranking

s the factors , which influence the significance of the impact *The factors,which influence the significance of the impact


ASPECT

IMPACT

COMPARTMENT

TRIPLETS & PARAMETERS IAP:

Soil management

Animal diversity

Hedgerow (length/area)

Stonewalls (length/area)

Other tree species (no/area)

Closeness to natural or semi-natural areas

Change

E Parameters

Environmental Performance Indicators Indicators Description Frequency of

counting

Age of the olive grove

Presence (1)/absence (0) of trees of different age classes

1 <19 yr >20 yr >100 yr

Orchids Presence/absenc (1/0) of genus Ophrys and Orchis.Once a year, March-May before weed cutting.

1/yr 0 1 form 2 forms

Snails Recording of number of snails on the base, and on the trunks of 3 olive trees, along a 100 m transect. Frequency: Once during Oct-Nov, and once during March-April.

2/yr - - -

Number of bird nests on olives

Recording of nests on trees along a transect of 100 m, during the last cultivation period (no of nests/no of trees, or no of nests/area). Once every May.

1 /yr 0.00 - 1.00 1.00 - 10.00 10.00 -

Number of bird nests on the ground

Recording of nests on trees along a transect of 100 m, during the last cultivation period (no of nests/area). Once every May.

1 /yr 0.00 - 1.00 1.00 - 5.00 5.00 -

Value Ranges


B I O D I V E R S I T Y

IAP:

Εobania veremiculata Malpolon

monspessulan

us


Software SAGEProject & IAP TOOLBOX

Pilot testing in the project olive groves

Values re-assigned, IAP method validated

43 Triplets finally included


68 Indicators of Environmental Performance

Plot environmental profiles (indicators for 2011-2013)

The IAP method was standardized as an EMAS recommendation at field level and submitted to National EMAS Committee


LIFE SAGE 10 Project method & outputs

Farmers

Agronomists

Collaboration with unions of farmers

The farmers themselves

Application by the farmer

Key indicator of success


Overall aim with regard to biodiversity

To reduce impacts by agricultural practices

To conserve biodiversity


On the field training on identification and measurements of parameters related to biodiversity

Instructions on good agricultural practices in Mediterranean olive groves with regard to biodiversity

Guidelines to identify and measure parameters related to biodiversity

Biodiversity recordings were carried out to determine the contribution of IAP method to environmental improvement.


On the field training on identification and measurements of parameters related to biodiversity

Badger's nest (Meles meles) in olive grove at Mirambello, Crete.




…during soil management

…during pest management

…during fertilization

…during pruning

…during irrigation

…during harvesting

What farmers can do What farmers can do

…for agricultural landscape

…for hedgerows

…for stonewalls

…for terraces

…for old trees

…for wetlands

Communicating good practice for biodiversity to olive growers and agronomists in the area of Peza Crete.


Cutting residues crushed in an olive grove provide habitat to a great variety of animals


Rubbish threatens wildlife (Chalcides ocellatus in an olive grove in Peza Crete).



The objectives of the guidelines are that olive grove farmers and their advisor agronomists:

• Understand the significance of biodiversity to maintain the services of agro-ecosystems;

• Adopt good practices in order to conserve or improve olive grove biodiversity;

• Make “biodiversity” an ally in their effort to produce both high quality products and with environmental friendly practices.



Biodiversity recordings were carried out in a sample of 5% of olive groves and twice during the project execution period; once before and once after the implementation of the IAP method.

For some animal groups, such as invertebrates and birds, an improvement of

diversity indices was observed in all project sites.

Changes were not statistically significant; it is unclear whether they can be attributed to improved environment conditions due to the IAP method or to variability of measurements

The IAP method links problems to their causes and reflects, in a systematic way, the effects on biodiversity in an olive grove.

As a result, problems can be addressed and better farming practices can be applied for the benefit of both the producer and biodiversity.

Agronomists and producers learn how to focus on biodiversity. Extensive training, together with guidelines produced, enable them to identify and record biodiversity in their plots.


Some findings

First results show positive effects in biodiversity from IAP application. Longer periods needed to make safe conclusions.

A pollinator on a Capparis spinosa flower in an olive grove of Peza, Crete.


Thank you!


Rich biodiversity is evidence of a living olive grove!

establishment of an impact assessment procedure as a tool

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