TARGETING AGRI-ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEME DELIVERY FOR FARMLAND BIRDS IN ENGLAND
James Phillips*1, Richard Winspear2, Sally Fisher2 & David Noble3
1 Natural England, Riverside Chambers, Castle Street, Taunton, Somerset TA1 4AP, UK
2 RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL, UK
3 BTO, the Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK
* Email: james.phillips@naturalengland.org.uk
Reversing the decline of farmland birds is a key biodiversity objective for Environmental Stewardship (ES). However to make the most of the inevitably limited resources available for agri-environment schemes, it is vital to prioritise and target the best areas for farmland birds, thereby maximising delivery. The challenge for Natural England has been to work with partners to develop a strategic targeting tool that allows this to be done in the most effective manner.
An evidence based targeting approach has been key to this. Given continuing range contractions in farmland birds. The 1988-1991 Breeding Atlas was considered to be too dated to be used for ES targeting, so there was a pressing need to develop an up to date dataset . To do this the Bird Conservation Targeting Project (BCTP), a joint Natural England, RSPB, BTO initiative came together to collate all the available national, regional and local survey data, including county bird club records for the breeding distribution of some 14 priority, range-restricted farmland birds, which are specifically targeted through Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) in England.
Using this data it has been possible to identify key regional ES priorities for farmland birds across England. The latest revision of the BCTP dataset has just been completed and this has been incorporated and used nationally to inform the new HLS targeting framework which was launched by Natural England in November 2008. This has allowed us to (1) define farmland bird priorities within each region, and (2) to target the right scheme options in the right places for the right species.
This approach to targeting farmland birds is now allowing us to focus our effort in a very strategic way. Within regionally identified hotspots for farmland birds across England, a number of exciting farmland bird partnership initiatives have now been developed. This project-based approach is helping to deliver the right management on the ground for farmland birds and is driving forward farmland bird recovery across the country.
The model we have developed has generated much interest and is a readily transferable species targeting framework, and has the potential to be used for other biodiversity taxa.
James Phillips works for Natural England as a Senior Project Manager based in the South West of England, before this he worked as a land management adviser and team leader for the Rural Development Service delivering agri-environment schemes in Dorset and Somerset. He now manages the South West Farmland Bird Initiative and over sees farmland bird delivery for Natural England across the South West. Nationally he has led on the development of an agri-environment targeting framework for farmland birds working closely the RSPB, which has been rolled out nationally across England.
