EUROPARC Conference 2013 Hortobágy national park, Hungary Workshop 7 Rural alliances, working with agriculture

Transcription

1 EUROPARC Conference 2013 Hortobágy national park, Hungary Workshop 7 Rural alliances, working with agriculture Jacques DECUIGNIERES Associate Consultant for Europarc Consulting and for CECTD European City of Culture and Sustainable Tourism France

2 Case study One goal, A fruitful cooperation between farmers, breeders and protected areas, conservationists For a shared and wider protection of biodiversity Two interlinked topics, Flowered meadows (Prairies Fleuries) and Marque Parc products branded by protected areas

3 Initial issues 1) Enhance the importance of biodiversity of permanent meadows While focusing on effective value of combined flora diversity and also on better agriculture results: soils, environment, landscapes, farms products, honey, et. 2) Favour a better awareness of biodiversity and empowerment of farmers and a better understanding of their key role in some areas (e.g. buffer zones or nature parks)

4 And then 3) Favour relationships between farmers, park staff and conservationists to share mutual issues, taking meadows rich of biodiversity as a field of fruitful cooperation. 4) Disseminate information about effective links between sustainable practices, protection of biodiversity and quality of farm products. 5) Increase public awareness of biodiversity everywhere, not only in specific sensible protected areas.

5 Prairies fleuries Why focusing on meadows? Targeted meadows: those left in pasture, not sown, «natural» and therefore rich of local biodiversity available for cattle. (Unlike fallow lands close to cultivated areas) A diversity effectively managed by farmers/breeders (not by park staff or conservation NGOs) Focus on habitats endangered by some practices or on abandoned farms. Encompasses insects, birds, reptiles, batrachians, small mammals And more specific interests like: conservation of «weed» plants in cereal fields protection of little owls during their first weeks

6 Parks and people involved in 2013 Launched in 2007 by 2 regional nature parks Inspired by good practice discovered in Germany competition managed at regional level and national awarding 45 PAs (nature/national parks, and now other areas), 750 breeders / farmers

7 Networks and institutions involved public, private, academic, European

8 How that works Selection of flowered meadows Natural meadows, unploughed, unaltered fields, mostly included in protected area, dedicated to fodder or pasture included or not in N2000 areas Biodiversity areas previously detected and pointed by park and/or partners Park partnership: farmers & breeders (individuals and local groupings, agronomy institutes, environment NGOs (like Birdlife) Consent and involvement of the farmer/breeder

9 Common evaluation criteria Flora diversity (also depending on climate areas) Fauna like insects, particularly pollinators (bees) Quality of fodder to feed cattle Contribution to outstanding landscape Agronomic specifications: e.g. forage and milk produced Environment specifications : flower diversity, pollination capacities, landscape diversity Possibility to keep meadows unaltered in the following years

10 Selection of candidate meadows Existing database (from park or partner) to select relevant areas (biodiversity issues) and later to monitor results Natural meadows, proposed for competition by local farmers/breeders during previous contacts Involvement of land owners at all steps, including after the competition phase Possible future commitment of the park for the farmers and cooperation Possible funding for future actions

11 Evaluation and awarding Example of local pool of evaluators: agronomist looking at forage, botanists for flowers, beekeeper focusing on melliferous plants, aso for landscapes, milk, etc local farmer previously awarded park staff member Regional and national awards (different landscape categories)

12 Results in 2013 (France) 750 farmers/breeders involved 45 PAs and other areas 750 experts in 29 jury's Regional awarding, Luberon regional nature park, 6 October 2013

13 Other outcomes (1/2) Contribute to protecting biodiversity also in ordinary areas out of park control Help understand links protected biodiversity / quality of farm products: milk and cheese, honey, meat, etc Induce added value and then profit from local farm products Foster positive use of EU subsides e.g. agri-environment measures Access to funding: EU EAFRD and also LEADER programmes, EU LIFE and similar

14 Dialogue between park staff and local actors Recognition of farmers as conservationists Rural pride Favours sharing sense of balance between environment and farming use Local stakeholders ready to commit themselves to other actions proposed by the park Other outcomes (2/2)

15 Tips for transferability Contacts with Agriculture networks (national/local) and with local parks Open discussion on park issues and on potential cooperation Contacts thanks to go-between with farmers involving them at all steps including jury s Communication adapted to farmers, based on genuine values and associating them to success Efficient database with monitoring capacities and different areas to go on each year with different farmers Access to subsides to be checked and facilitated in the prospect of action with farmers

16 Possible dissemination Young sprouting awards (neo-phyte awards): young people (farming schools) invited to participate to similar competition in order to involve them in the protection of biodiversity and habitats Cross-border cooperation French-German and French-Swiss associated parks (national / regional nature parks) Twinned parks like Doñana (Spain) and Camargue (F) >> Other possible cooperation opportunities Dissemination to other areas (your park?) Following up the 2010 international year of biodiversity

17 Indirect fallouts, further actions Branding of farm products Biodiversity awareness in rural areas and cities Gardens, beehives, birds on city building balconies Also along rural roads Citizen-science activities Use of other funding opportunities LEADER, Agenda 21, regional

18 In many parks farm products as ambassadors of protected biodiversity

19 Quality, branding and promotion

20 For more information FPNRF French federation of regional nature parks: Thierry MOUGEY parks e.g. Massif des Bauges, Haut-Jura or Haut-Languedoc: Marie-Julie PARAYRE, Haut-Languedoc nature park PNF national parks of France parks e.g. Ecrins, Cévennes, Pyrénées See also: and us: Europarc Consulting Jacques DECUIGNIERES - Mobile +33 (0) skype jdecuignieres

21 Let s share experience and actions in Europe Egység a sokféleségben Many thanks for your attention Kösznönöm a figyelmet