Change
in traditional land-use practice
LB-6
Loss
of Biodiversity
Pressure
1 Indicator
definition and unit of measurement
Changes
in traditional high value farming practices resulting in homogenisation of
landuse and loss of habitat and species diversity. Unit of measurement is
change (loss/gain) in number of different habitat types per rural holding from
an appropriate baseline year
..
2 Placement
in the framework
5EAP:
Chapter
4: Selected target sectors, section 4.4: The agriculture sector, sets as a
target the establishment of rural management plans.
Agenda
21:
Chapter
10: Integrated approach to the planning and management of land resources,
supports traditional patterns of sustainable land management.
Chapter
14 promotes “sustainable agriculture and rural development”.
Chapter
15: Conservation of biological diversity, section 15.5 specifies the adoption
of measures to encourage the promotion of
"sustainable
production systems, such as traditional methods of agriculture, ... which use,
maintain or increase biodiversity”
.
International
conventions and agreements:
None.
Ranking:
Core
ranking:
6
(34%)
Policy
Relevance:
8
(2.7)
Analytical
Soundness:
9
(2.9)
Responsiveness:
20
(2.3)
Most
appropriate related state indicators:
Traditional
land use practice: number of habitat types per rural holding.
3 Significance
Purpose:
This
indicator measures the potential maintenance of biodiversity by the use of
traditional as opposed to intensive land management and use practices. It
relates to impacts on wildlife as well as crop and livestock diversity.
Relevance:
Agenda
21 promotes support for traditional patterns of sustainable land management
through the formulation and implementation of integrated agricultural projects
that include other natural resource activities such as management of
rangelands, forests and wildlife. It advocates the conservation and sustainable
use of plant and animal genetic resources, support for cottage industries and
indigenous technologies.
Linkages
to other pressure indicators:
LB-3:
Agricultural intensity; LB-4 and 5: Loss/fragmentation of natural and
semi-natural forest areas; LB-7: Loss of genetic resources; LB-8: Pesticide
use; LB-2: Wetland loss through drainage; LB-10: Riverbank loss through
artificialisation.
Targets:
The
5EAP promotes the establishment of rural environmental management plans, and
the protection of all endangered domestic animal races.
4 Methodological
description and underlying definitions
Underlying
definitions and concepts:
Changes
in high value farming systems and practices frequently result in homogenisation
of landuse, and loss of corridors, landscape elements (trees, hedges, water
bodies etc.) and habitat diversity. A positive value for the indicator (i.e.
gain in the area under traditional land use and hence, eventually, an increase
in the number of habitat types per farm) provides a measure of the degree to
which the agricultural landscape is redressing the balance in term of impacts
on biodiversity.
Measurement
methods:
The
indicator should measure the change in the number of defined habitat types per
rural holding (per area, or even per farm type). There is a need for agreement
on appropriate habitats/definitions. Work by the European Forum on Nature
Conservation and Pastoralism could help prioritise impacts and data
requirements. An index of landscape pattern or heterogeneity could be devised
from GIS analysis of land cover data/satellite images.
Limitations
of the indicator:
There
is a lack of appropriate data on high value farming systems in Europe. Dobris+3
surface data will provide some steps forward.
Alternative
definitions:
An
indicator related to the maintenance of traditional high value farming systems
or landscape types, e.g. through existing agri-environmental schemes.
