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Common grazings as an environmental asset

Common grazings as an environmental asset. Vicki Swales Head of Land Use Policy. Content. Farming and the environment – an intrinsic relationship High Nature Value farming systems Environmental goods and services from common grazings The policy challenge Potential solutions.

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Common grazings as an environmental asset

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  1. Common grazings as an environmental asset Vicki Swales Head of Land Use Policy

  2. Content • Farming and the environment – an intrinsic relationship • High Nature Value farming systems • Environmental goods and services from common grazings • The policy challenge • Potential solutions

  3. Ecosystem services • Provisioning services – food, fibre and timber • Regulating services – pollutant sink (e.g. carbon sequestration), flood control • Supporting – soil formation and retention, habitats, biodiversity • Cultural services – landscape character, cultural traditions, community identity

  4. Common grazings as an environment asset • EFNCP estimate that common grazings make up 15-20% of HNV farmland in Scotland • Semi-natural vegetation and low stocking densities underpin the nature value • Lack of research on environmental value of common grazings needs addressing • RSPB analysis of livestock declines and birds highlights concerns

  5. The policy challenge • Getting recognition of the value of common grazings (and HNV systems) and the benefits they provide • Demonstrating that the current policy framework fails to support common grazings • Identifying policy solutions and building widespread support for these

  6. Current SFP distribution

  7. Total approved RP and LMO spend £/ha

  8. Vulnerable Farming Areas • Highlands and Islands Agricultural Support Group • Calling for recognition of the value of, and problems facing, VFAs • Concerted effort to halt the decline of farming and crofting in the VFA using existing and future agriculture support measures

  9. CAP reform • Move to area based support with redistribution of funds • Provision for new entrants • Use Pillar I option for ‘areas with natural constraints’ • Ensure increased share of EU rural development funds for Scotland

  10. CAP reform • Ensure next SRDP (and sub-programmes) target support at VFAs • Better use Less Favoured Area scheme to support farming and crofting in the VFA • Ensure better targeting of LMO and RP schemes (or successors) to farming and crofting in the VFAs

  11. Conclusion • The importance of common grazings, as part of HNV systems, must be recognised • Common grazings are an environmental asset • Current public support for common grazings is weak and ineffective • CAP reform offers an opportunity to improve support for common grazings and sustain HNV farming and crofting systems • But, not unless we make the case for it

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