Seventh Message of the European Environment Agency – Agricultural Ecosystems

 

The seventh EEA assessment of European biodiversity is dedicated to the agricultural ecosystems. The document reflects the role of the Common Agricultural Policy for biodiversity conservation, the importance of maintaining extensive agricultural practices on which many habitats and species depend, the soil biodiversity, which is the biodiversity most important for agriculture yet arguably also the most unknown and neglected. Special focus is put on the High Nature Value Farmlands in Europe and mammal, priority plant, butterfly and other insect species, and habitat types of Community interest– their distribution, pressures on them and negative trends. Further on, the policies supporting biodiversity conservation in European rural areas are mentioned, such as the Bird and Habitat Directive, the Common Agricultural Policy and the Rural Development policy, as well as regional policy (Cohesion and Structural funds) and LIFE + projects. The publication also provides short description of ecosystem services provided by agricultural ecosystems. At the end, the concepts of environmentally friendly agriculture and the opportunities to preserve and use biodiversity better in Europe's agricultural areas, while meeting demand for food, fibre, feedstock and bioenergy are analysed. The crucial need of tackling the relationship between agriculture and biodiversity under the CAP is stressed as well.

The key messages of the publication are:

• Within the framework of the CAP, the last 50 years have seen increasing attention to biodiversity, but without clear benefits so far.

• With agriculture covering about half of EU land area, Europe's biodiversity is linked inextricably to agricultural practices, creating valuable agro-ecosystems across the whole of Europe.

• Biodiversity in agro-ecosystems is under considerable pressure as a result of intensified farming and land abandonment.

• Maintaining and restoring biodiversity provides the basis for all agro-ecosystem-related services.

• There are several opportunities to preserve and use biodiversity better in Europe's agricultural areas.

10 messages for 2010: Agricultural ecosystems- Full text, PDF

Additional information on the 10 messages for 2010 of the EEA can be found here.

Source: European Environment Agency