The implementation of contract with subject: “Developing Tools to Support Farmland Bird Conservation in the European Union” has started

The implementation of contract with subject: “Developing Tools to Support Farmland Bird Conservation in the European Union” has started, with Contracting Authority the European Commission through its Directorate General for Environment. It will be realized by a wide international consortium led by Austrian Environment Agency, in which Dicon Group is a partner.

In the consortium also participate BirdLife Hungary, Helsingin Yliopisto, Ceska Zemedelska Univerzita v Praze, Pensoft Publishers, ICETA Institutio de Ciencias, Tecnologias e Agroambiente Da Universidade do Porto, Institut Supérieur d’Agriculture Rhône-Alpes I.S.A.R.A, Consorci Centre de Ciencia i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya – CTFC.

The contract has a performance period of 24 months, as its general objective is to provide a concrete support to ten Member States to design and put in place effective measures to conserve farmland birds, in Natura 2000 sites and outside, in connection with the application of Articles 3 and 4 of the Birds Directive. A broad partnership-building communication process is envisaged, involving all stakeholders, including farmers, landowners and land users, hunters, etc.

Two workshops at EU level as well as consultations and meetings at Member State level will be organized to secure the engagement of stakeholders, especially farmers.

Specific objectives under the contract:

• Gathering the available scientific data for conservation of the main categories of agricultural systems, important for birds in order to provide a useful information for the elaboration or modification of Member States’ planning tools linked to nature legislation (in particular Prioritized Action Frameworks under Article 8 of the Habitats Directive and Species Action Plans), CAP Strategic Plans and other EU funding instruments;
• For a limited number of flagship farmland bird species, characterize their habitats and management requirements; description of the existing related conservation measures and the current funding schemes, which support their implementation, including EU schemes;
• Seeking socio-economic enabling solutions for stakeholders in charge of the management of the agricultural land and the implementation of measures for farmland birds;
• Supporting ten Member States (including Bulgaria) in preparing schemes for conservation of a limited number of emblematic species and species with declining numbers in line with their ecological requirements, which to be incorporated into planning tools linked to the nature legislation (e.g. Prioritized Action Frameworks, Species/Habitats Action Plans), to the CAP, and other EU funding instruments;
• Gathering information of effective and efficient measures for conservation of farmland birds, including those funded by EU funds, with a focus on LIFE and the CAP and identifying demonstration sites where the measures are or will be implemented;
• Disseminating the products of the contract to foster the uptake of developed schemes and measures by stakeholders, especially by farmers;
• Proposing a structured approach for the continuation of the activities on farmland birds’ conservation after the end of the contract.

The expert team of Dicon Group will participate actively in elaboration of two conservation schemes for Bulgaria. The aim is the proposed schemes to be included in CAP Strategic plan. Each conservation scheme will be socio-economically feasible and will integrate the necessary elements for its successful implementation, as well a set of indicators for assessing its effectiveness.