Handbookd3velop3r_livingfields2025-11-24T15:13:44+00:00

Handbook

Farming with Biodiversity

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Language: Dutch

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Language: Estonian

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Language: Romanian

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Language: Spanish

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Language: German

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Language: Portuguese

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Language: Swedish

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Language: Bulgarian

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Language: French

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Language: Hungarian

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This project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 862480.

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This project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 862480.

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The Romanian EBA

Transylvania

Maintaining biodiversity by keeping at least 10% of shrubs in Romanian grasslands

In Romanian grasslands, butterfly diversity increased after shrub removal, but results show that maintaining at least 10% shrub cover is essential to sustain biodiversity, and to keep farmers eligible for financial support under shrub management schemes.

Keywords: Extensive grasslands systems • shrub management, grassland restoration • butterfly biodiversity

The Hungarian EBA

Kiskunság región in Central Hungary

How ecological interventions boost yields and biodiversity on farms in Hungary

In Hungarian farms, wildflower patches were introduced on fallows and field edges to support pollinators and improve biodiversity, without reducing yields. Both interventions had  positive effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Keywords: Fallow plots • wildflower margins • native species • improved soil structure

The Estonian EBA

Mainland Estonia’s western and southwestern coast

Impact of grazing on soil biodiversity in the Estonian coastal agroecosystem

In Estonia’s coastal grasslands, researchers compared grazed and abandoned areas to understand their impact on soil-dwelling arthropods. The findings underscore the need for balanced management strategies that combine grazing with habitat conservation to sustain diverse and resilient ecosystems.

Keywords: Coastal grasslands • extensive grasslands systems • grazing reintroduction • long-term habitat management

The Swedish EBA

Southern Sweden

Volunteer for farmland biodiversity – gain support, learn, and make a difference

From hosting conservation work to getting involved in species monitoring, different forms of volunteering help farmers support biodiversity in Sweden. These collaborations build connections between farmers, researchers, and nature enthusiasts, while contributing valuable data for conservation.

Keywords: Farmer-volunteer collaboration wild species protection • habitat conservation support • monitoring initiatives

The Swiss EBA

Switzerland

Comparing agroecological and conventional farming practices in Switzerland

In Swiss cereal farms, wildflower strips, reduced pesticide use, and mechanical weeding were tested as agroecological alternatives. Results showed that, while these practices clearly benefit biodiversity, they present challenges in maintaining competitive crop yields, emphasising the need for targeted farmer support.

Keywords: Intensive arable cropping • farming system comparison • agroecological transition • farm income trade-offs

The Dutch EBA

South-East of the Netherlands

Could farming for biodiversity in grasslands pay for itself?

In Dutch grasslands, researchers analysed how more extensive management affects biodiversity and farmer income, revealing that financial incentives —such as price premiums, public payment schemes or taxation of negative impacts— are key to make biodiversity-friendly farming viable.

Keywords: Intensive mixed farming • biodiversity recovery • farm income trade-offs

The British EBA

Aross Southern England

Winter cover crops promote soil health in UK arable systems

In UK arable fields, farmer-led research showed that winter cover crops improved soil biodiversity and health, increasing earthworm and spider populations. Overall, our findings show that cover crops can deliver multiple environmental benefits after just one season, with likely greater gains over time.

Keywords: Intensive arable cropping • multi-species cover crops • improved soil structure • frost-sensitive cover crops

The French EBA

Nouvelle Aquitaine Region

Reducing the intensity of farming practices has no effects on yields, but positive effects on biodiversity and gross margins

In French cereal farms, researchers worked with conventional and organic farmers to reduce inputs like pesticides and tillage, measuring the effects on biodiversity, yields and farm income. This EBA led to practical evidence that biodiversity and productivity can go hand in hand  across various systems.

Keywords: Cereal systems • mechanical weeding • reduced pesticide use • cost optimisation

The Spanish EBA

Sevilla

Boosting insect biodiversity in stone fruit orchards

In Spanish stone fruit orchards, farmers trialled flower covers between tree rows to boost pollinators without reducing fruit yields. In addition, green covers can help reduce the need for herbicides, lower production costs and further reduce environmental impact

Keywords: Stone fruit orchards • diverse cover crops • sowing wildflower margins • beneficial insects • reduced herbicide use

The Portuguese EBA

Alentejo

Lessening the impact on biodiversity of crop production intensification in Mediterranean olive groves

In Portuguese olive groves, sowing inter-row vegetation proved effective in helping biodiversity conservation in olive farms, even under intensive management. Specifically, the increased diversity and biomass of plants in the experimental treatment led to a higher richness and abundance of bees, spiders and plants.

Keywords: Olive groves • inter-row vegetation cover • sowing wildflower margins • pollinator support

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The Romanian EBA

Maintaining biodiversity by keeping at least 10% of shrubs in Romanian grasslands

The Hungarian EBA

How ecological interventions boost yields and biodiversity on farms in Hungary

The Estonian EBA

Impact of grazing on soil biodiversity in the Estonian coastal agroecosystem

The Swedish EBA

Volunteer for farmland biodiversity – gain support, learn, and make a difference

The Swiss EBA

Comparing agroecological and conventional farming practices in Switzerland

The Dutch EBA

Could farming for biodiversity in grasslands pay for itself?

The British EBA

Winter cover crops promote soil health in UK arable systems

The French EBA

Reducing the intensity of farming practices has no effects on yields, but positive effects on biodiversity and gross margins

The Spanish EBA

Boosting insect biodiversity in stone fruit orchards

The Portuguese EBA

Lessening the impact on biodiversity of crop production intensification in Mediterranean olive groves