Symposium number: 11

Title: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AGRI-ENVIRONMENT SCHEMES FOR FARMLAND BIRDS

Principal organizer: Juliet Vickery
The British Trust for Ornithology, The British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, United Kingdom
email: juliet.vickery@bto.org

Second organizer: David Kleijn
Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen, University, Bornsesteeg 69, 6708 PD, Wageningen, The Netherlands

First keynote speaker: David Kleijn
Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen, University, Bornsesteeg 69, 6708 PD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Title of first keynote paper: Ecological effects of agri-environment schemes on birds in different European countries

Second keynote speaker: Andy Evans
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordhsire SG19 2DL, United Kingdom
Title of second keynote paper: An example of a two-tiered agri-environment scheme designed to deliver ecological requirements for both localized and widespread bird species

Contributed talks

Symposium description: The widespread decline and range contractions in farmland birds throughout Europe have become a major issue in conservation science today. So far, much research has focussed on diagnosing the causes of these changes; and now that the underlying mechanisms have been identified for a number of species, new research is required to develop and test solutions designed to stem the changes and ultimately reverse them. Modifications of agricultural practices and habitat management within agri-environment schemes are likely to provide some of the most important means for delivering solutions, inter alia compensating farmers financially for income loss associated with measures designed to benefit the environment or biodiversity. Such schemes exist in almost 60% of European countries, but concerns have been raised about the lack of rigorous monitoring to assess their effectiveness in delivering environmental targets. The cost effectiveness of agri-environment schemes depend on scientific underpinning in both developmental and monitoring phases; yet there is a worrying lack of information about measurable benefits for biodiversity.
This symposium will review the effectiveness of AESs in Europe, and present detailed case studies of their evolution and delivery of conservational outcomes for both individual species and suites of species.

back to list of symposia

Home | Scientific Programme | Officers | Venue | Accommodation | Tours | Past Congresses