Overview of process of identifying and monitoring High Nature Value farming
The Forum considers maps of possible “HNV farmland areas” to be a useful strategic policy tool – they illustrate the approximate location and extent of nature values associated with HNV farming, and the overlaps between nature values and certain types of geographical area (e.g. mountains, LFAs, etc.). They have also tested available data sources, illustrating their strengths and weaknesses.
However, the type of maps produced to date are not suitable for calculating the total area of HNV farming in a country (baseline indicator). They also should not be the basis for including or excluding individual farms from support schemes. There are several reasons for this caution with the mapping approach:
- The HNV concept emphatically does not involve the “designation” of HNV areas, in the manner of Natura 2000. This network of European nature areas is already being established, and measures will be targeted at the priority habitats and species within these areas. The idea of designating HNV areas in addition to Natura 2000 is quite misleading and likely to cause negative reactions from some sectors of society, without any benefit for the application of the HNV concept.
- Data used for generating HNV farmland maps to date (location of vegetation types through CORINE, distribution of habitats and species) is imperfect in all countries. The maps therefore show only an approximate picture of where nature values coincide with farming. There is a danger that, once a map is produced, the areas identified become “set in stone” as definitive HNV farming areas.
- By using farm-level indicators (e.g. parcels with semi-natural vegetation, livestock densities below certain thresholds), support payments can be directed towards HNV farms without the need to produce maps. Crucially, this avoids the exclusion of farms from receiving HNV support payments just because they fall outside a boundary that has been drawn on the basis of data bases that were not intended for this use.
- Wildlife species move to take advantage of changing opportunties. The HNV concept aims to maintain broadly beneficial landuses across large areas of territory, thus favouring these natural dynamics. Farming also changes, as different farmers take over the land, technology develops, etc. Drawing static lines on maps flies in the face of these realities.
We believe that when maps based on non-farm-level data are produced, these should use fuzzy boundaries, indicating an approximate density of HNV farmland while avoiding the impression of an exact demarcation between HNV and non-HNV land. Maps should be seen as an information exercise that can inform the more essential work on developing farming systems indicators. In addition, the specific policy purpose of maps should be made clear when they are produced.
