ENSURING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, AQUACULTURE AND FORESTRY Some agri-environment measures can deliver impressive benefits for birds and other biodiversity, but declines in farmland bird populations since 2010 show that such measures are insufficient, and overall, agriculture remains unsustainable, representing the largest threat to birds worldwide. WHAT BIRDS TELL US Little progress and target far from being met
AICHI TARGET
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Agri-environment measures are benefiting common farmland birds and moderating their declines Agri-environment schemes provide funding to farmers and land managers to farm in a way that benefits biodiversity, enhances the landscape, and improves the quality of water, air and soil. Measures include leaving strips unploughed, grass margins, and reducing pesticide and fertiliser inputs. One recent study showed that for resident and short-distance migratory common farmland birds in Europe, population declines were less severe in countries where agricultural areas under agri-environment schemes were more abundant, even though such schemes are usually not designed to protect bird species, but rather to generally improve farmland environmental quality. This suggests that the non-targeted environmental measures within these schemes could be beneficial to some common farmland birds at the EU level. Source: Gamero et al. (2017).
Population growth rate (log scale)
By 2020 areas under agriculture, aquaculture and forestry are managed sustainably, ensuring conservation of biodiversity.
SOME PROGRESS‌
Establishing wildflower margins around agricultural fields provides nesting habitat and enhanced feeding opportunities, benefiting species such as Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus and Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus. PHOTO Pixabay
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% farmland under AES The UK Cirl Bunting population has increased nine-fold since the introduction of agri-environment schemes designed to provide overwinter stubbles, grass margins, and beneficially managed hedges. PHOTO MickaĂŤl Dia/ Flickr
24 I BIRDS AND BIODIVERSITY TARGETS
Population growth rates of common farmland birds (resident and short-distance migrants) in relation to percentage of farmland under agri-environment schemes, showing that in areas with a higher proportion of farmland under such schemes, declines are less severe (i.e. less negative growth rates). Dashed lines show confidence intervals. Source: Gamero et al. (2017).