Facilitating the delivery of landscape scale ecosystem services

It has been recognised that land managers cannot easily relate to the language used in policy and the differing demands placed on them from various policy sectors. An intermediary is needed to translate these demands into activities in order to have an impact on land manager behaviour and decision making. In addition, the provision of several ecosystems services is better achieved by coordinated managed at a landscape scale rather than at the farm level.

This workshop wants to contribute to a better understanding of the differences and similarities of the various approaches for facilitation and advice, their potential merits and applicability in Scotland. Jointly with participants we aim to gather ideas to be considered in policy and practice on how to provide advice/facilitation in landscape-scale management (soil/water/biodiversity).

The workshop aims to:

• familiarise participants with different approaches
• identify the ingredients for a workable and successful approach
• discuss policy and preconditions for an approach that is suitable for Scotland
• identify areas of influence and research needs.

This workshop is now complete and the output is available on the project website.

Programme

• Agri-environmental cooperatives in The Netherlands and Germany (Katrin Prager, James Hutton Institute)
• Application of the Integrated Local Delivery approach in England (Jenny Phelps, Gloucestershire)
• Contrasting experiences at different scales: Community-led farmer groups and nested catchment planning (Bob Harris, University of Sheffield / DEFRA)
• Environment Agency’s integrated pilot approach (Chris Short, Countryside and Community Research Institute)
• Boundary organisations for delivering collaborative agri-environmental schemes (Jeremy Franks, Newcastle University)
• What did FWAG achieve and current situation in Scotland (Tony Seymour, The Farm Environment)
• Questions on presentations
• Workshop session: Ingredients for a successful approach
• Challenges to research and policy (Chris Short, Countryside and Community Research Institute)
• Plenary discussion on policies and preconditions, areas can we influence, and evidence that research should provide
• Summing up, outline next steps