high nature value farming (hnv) in south west england · 2013. 10. 3. · hnv farming first...
TRANSCRIPT
High Nature Value Farming (HNV) in South West England
European context
HNV Farming first identified as a concept in 1990s.
Since 2006, EU Member States have committed to identify, support & maintain HNV farming as a priority under Axis 2 of the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 – action has varied across the 4 UK Countries.
UK Context • Type 1: Farmland with high
proportion of semi natural vegetation
• Type 2: Mosaic of low intensity agriculture with semi natural landscape features (hedges, stone walls, woodlands
• Type 3: Farmland supporting rare species of high proportion of European or World populations
Taken from: “Measuring & Monitoring the HNV farmland indicators in England” – Geoff Radley, Keith Porter, Stephen Chaplin (NE) 2009
HNV farmland in England
What is HNV farmland/farming in UK? • HNV farming can mainly be associated with extensive
beef & sheep farming in the uplands and marginal areas because of its high reliance on semi-natural vegetation for grazing (Type 1 ie moorland, upland hay meadows, blanket bog, unimproved grassland).
• Examples do exist in the lowland where low input systems support a mosaic of semi-natural features (ie mixed farming – hedges, arable plants)
• HNV farming relies upon sympathetic land management practices (often down to motivations of individuals) – eg low stocking rates, mowing of hay meadows, leaving areas of fallow, spring cropping, habitat restoration, etc
Wider benefits for society ....
• Ecosystem Services - Water quality, flood risk reduction (water storage in uplands/culm/wet grassland), protection of soils & carbon storage
• Cultural heritage (rural skills/practices) • Visual Landscape (retention of stone walls, etc) • Access/tourism • Maintains rural communities & supports rural
economy
Fundatia ADEPT… protecting Transylvania’s unique farmed landscapes, their biodiversity, and the farming communities who live within them.
ISSUES
• Restricted by climate, soils, temperature
• Remoteness from market/ transport routes
• Fragile & vulnerable habitats & species intrinsically linked to traditional systems (fragmentation)
• Often small farms (Economic viability for families/young farmers – losing generational knowledge
• Market forces & social pressures (quality versus quantity)
THREATS
• Often outside designated areas • Intensification • Abandonment • Knock on effects of either
above = loss of biodiversity • Poverty – loss of people from
the land (culture) • Loss of cattle (particularly
traditional breeds) – losing money at market, increase in continental breeds
• Renewable energy & afforestation
Key findings from livestock report: Dartmoor • Significant decrease in pony numbers (currently no market value,
heritage lines being lost) • Move away from traditional breeds to continental breeds • Less hefting and shepherding on hill makes management difficult
(some areas under or over grazed) – upland habitats sensitive to changes in livestock numbers
• Management is linked to profitablity of livestock farming – Initiatives that support & link with farm business will have biggest effect on grazing practices
• Continued management on many sites dependent on agri-environment schemes
• Barriers – over winter housing, livestock health issues (ticks, liver fluke, etc)
• Farms being broken up (loss of smaller farms)
• Issues of commons – non active graziers
http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/Final_Report_tcm9-340975.pdf
• In 2011, Cumulus Consultants (funded by EFNCP) undertook several pilot studies in the South West to test the HNV indicator guidelines:
• South Devon (19.5% HNV farmland of study area – 33,700 ha) • Culm Grassland (15.5% HNV farmland of study area – 40,628 ha) • Blackdown Hills (10.5% HNV farmland of study area – 36,860 ha) • Dartmoor (49% HNV farmland of study area – 3.936ha)
http://www.efncp.org
HNV pilots in South West England
Blackdown Hills, Devon. NE HNV map in red, project map in green/brown
HNV farming in Devon project findings (May 2011)
5 things the UK Gov must do now to save HNV farming:
• Through the Common Agricultural Policy ensure that High Nature Value farmers are properly rewarded for supporting our most precious wildlife and landscapes.
• Prioritise spending on targeted Rural Development Programmes across the UK.
• Build on what we’ve got: through valuable funding programmes such as LIFE+ and INTERREG, support local community led initiatives that encourage the continuation of sustainable grazing and land management in places of highest value.
• Make progress in identifying and monitoring High Nature Value farming systems.
• Invest in research on High Nature Value farming systems across the UK, including an assessment of the broad benefits they provide for society and the threats they face.