Butler, S., Vickery, J. & Norris, K. 2007. A risk assessment framework for evaluating progress towards sustainability targets. Aspects of Applied Biology 81: 317-324.

Abstract

Sustainable development requires that demands for biological conservation and increased agricultural production are reconciled. In the UK, and elsewhere in Europe, agri-environment schemes are a key component of this process, designed to mitigate the detrimental impacts of agriculture and improve the value of farmland to biodiversity. Clearly these schemes will be most effective if they target the main drivers of biodiversity decline. We present a risk assessment framework for farmland birds which shows that changes in the cropped area of fields have been the main source of risk to farmland bird populations. However, analysis of Entry-Level Stewardship (ELS) scheme option objectives and initial uptake rates shows that the main focus of current ELS agreements is on hedgerow and margin management. This disparity between decline driver source and mitigation measure focus suggests that ELS may not deliver its biodiversity objectives if current patterns of uptake persist.

Key words: Risk assessment, mitigation, Entry-Level Stewardship

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