Mehr Naturschutz mit der Landwirtschaft – Praxisbeispiele aus Brandenburg –

Summary

Strategies to enhance and improve biodiversity on farms in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve, Brandenburg, Germany are presented. Based on scientific results and experiences gained in the five year BfN Project “Nature Conservation Farm Brodowin” a manual for farmers, advisors and authorities has been developed that describes successfully tested nature conservation measures for threatened species of agrarian landscapes. In addition, instructions are given for developing the whole farm from a nature conservation viewpoint. This knowledge will be applied, adapted and further expanded in course of the elaboration of conservation management plans for fifteen farms with approx. 11,000 ha in total. Special focus is given on the requirements for managing and protecting Natura 2000 sites and species. Together with the farmers we provide nature conservation plans as decision support concerning the following issues: which species should be supported and which fields are the most suitable, where are particularly valuable sites and species, which measures achieve the comparatively greatest success for the species concerned and what effort is required by the farm considering potential yield and quality losses.