New agri-environmental scheme for Aquatic Warbler supported
Efforts to protect the globally threatened Aquatic Warbler received important support from Lithuanian stakeholders in December 2011. Ministries of Agriculture and Environment approved a proposal by the Baltic Environmental Forum (BEF) Lithuania to amend the Rural Development Programme for 2007-2013 to include special payments for agri-environmental measures in the most important Aquatic Warbler habitats.
On December 20th this proposal was also supported by the Monitoring Committee of the Plan.
"Experience from other countries as well as our consultations with local farmers shows that a scheme which is very specifically oriented towards the protection of one species is much more understandable and acceptable for farmers. It contributes to increased motivation to apply agri-environmental measures," – Zymantas Morkvenas Director of BEF Lithuania says.
The proposal includes specific requirements for management of natural and semi-natural flooded meadows and wetlands, as well as special payments for shrub and reed removal in extremely abandoned Aquatic Warbler habitats. A total area of such habitats in Lithuania is around 4000 ha. Implementation is to be supervised by the staff of protected areas.
The scheme developed in cooperation with the Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics is foreseen to be part of within Natura 2000 programme. Ministries of Agriculture and Environment were extensively consulted throughout the development of the new scheme. The team is also sincerely grateful for invaluable contributions from local farmers who were involved in the process as well.
Amendments of the Rural Development Programme for 2007-2013 will be submitted for approval to the European Commission. If approved, implementation of the scheme would start in the second quarter of 2012. In case of successful implementation it will be included in the proposal for the Rural Development Programme for 2014-2020.
Similar species-oriented schemes exist in Poland and Germany.
Specific habitat management requirements can be found here.
