| | | | | | | Advanced biodiversity monitoring for results-based and effective agricultural policy and transformationNewsletter #4 | December 2024 | |
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| | | | | | Dear Reader,
As another year draws to a close, we’re excited to look back on the progress we’ve made in the BioMonitor4CAP project throughout 2024. This year has been pivotal, with important milestones achieved and impactful insights gained that are advancing our mission.
In this edition of our newsletter, we are pleased to share our key results from 2024, highlight the advancements in our work, provide a glimpse into the activities and offer a preview of our activities and goals for 2025. We invite you to discover the latest developments, innovative approaches, and collaborative efforts that are driving the future of sustainable agriculture and biodiversity monitoring. | |
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| | | BioMonitor4CAP field season 2024 – What happened on our research sites? | | | |
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| | | | | Picture: Impressions of our field work in 2024 | |
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| | | In early December, we took stock of our second field season, which was much more extensive than the first sampling year. Building on the trial season in 2023, we expanded our biodiversity monitoring activities to cover all major and selected sites in Europe and Peru, as well as some demonstration sites. Over 25 participants including field coordinators and work package (WP) 2 and 3 leaders came together for a three-hour online session to share and exchange their experiences and insights from the fieldwork. Discussions focused on which methods or devices worked well and what challenges were encountered during the field work in different agricultural settings.
A variety of equipment, technologies and methods were applied, from soil sampling (eDNA & physico-chemical), audio recording devices, camera traps to traditional monitoring approaches such as bird counts. Across all sites, an immense biodiversity dataset was generated for birds, insects and the soil microbiome. This data is now being processed and analysed to develop suitable biodiversity indicator systems and predictive biodiversity models for agriculture.
Especially on the five major research sites in Germany, Bulgaria, Portugal, Finland and England, high-intensity research activities were being conducted to test field settings in agricultural environments and deepen the understanding of how modern technology can be used to monitor agro-biodiversity on the ground.
In addition to the major research sites, selected research sites were chosen to ensure geographical coverage and to assess specific species and habitats. The grid design on these sites is intended to fill knowledge gaps regarding how devices and methodologies perform at a European scale. Therefore field work also started on additional sites, in Poland, Portugal, Finland, Germany and Austria.
On the demonstration sites in Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria, some of the first samplings have already taken place. These sites will become increasingly important in the coming year, as they will play a key role in sharing the knowledge gained from other field sites with stakeholders and farmers.
Reflecting on 2024, we have learned a great deal, enabling us to make significant improvements for the next field season. The successful and well-executed fieldwork across eight European countries and Peru has provided a wealth of data, which will serve as one of the key scientific baselines for BioMonitor4CAP.
We are looking forward to the next field season and an even deeper dive into biodiversity monitoring. | |
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| | | Passive Acoustic Recorders: Tools for Monitoring Biodiversity | | | |
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| | | | | Picture: Setting up audio devices on our research sites in UK
Passive acoustic recorders are a powerful tool for studying and monitoring biodiversity. These devices allow for the collection of acoustic data without the need for a person to be physically present at the recording site. By capturing the sounds of wildlife, weather, and other environmental factors, passive acoustic recorders can collect valuable data on species and ecosystems. The devices can be programmed to record at specific times, ensuring that relevant data is collected efficiently over extended periods.
Here is an introduction of passive acoustic recorders we are also testing on the BioMonitor4CAP research sites:
- AudioMoth
AudioMoth is a small, low-cost, open-source acoustic recorder. It is capable of recording sounds across a broad frequency range, from audible to ultrasonic frequencies, making it capable of surveying a wide range of species from birds to bats. The device is built using widely available components, and its open-source design allows for customization and modification to suit specific user requirements. AudioMoth is particularly useful for researchers who need a versatile, affordable solution for monitoring wildlife.
- Wildlife Acoustics Song Meter Minibat
The Song Meter Minibat is a commercial acoustic recorder designed to capture environmental sounds across both ultrasonic and audible frequency ranges. It features two distinct microphones, one high frequency and one at audible frequency, which allows the collection of high quality recordings for both high (e.g. bats) and low (e.g. birds) frequency species. The Song Meter Minibat is compact and weatherproof, making it ideal for use in challenging field conditions, including remote and outdoor environments, but is over 5x the cost of an Audiomoth.
- Wildlife Acoustics Song Meter Micro
The Song Meter Micro is a smaller, low-cost version of the commercial Song Meter devices. It is specifically designed to record sounds within the audible frequency spectrum, such as bird song, amphibians, and other species that operate within human hearing ranges. Its small size and affordability are beneficial when large numbers of recorders are needed for large-scale monitoring projects.
Passive acoustic recorders are transforming biodiversity monitoring by capturing continuous environmental sounds. These recordings are analyzed using advanced AI algorithms, such as BirdNET, which identify species-specific vocalizations with high precision. Each recorder offers unique advantages, enabling researchers to track species presence, behaviour, and habitat use across diverse ecosystems. Whether monitoring rare species, detecting seasonal patterns, or assessing the impact of environmental changes, this combination of cutting-edge technology and AI-driven analysis provides invaluable insights into biodiversity and ecosystem health. | |
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| | 1st BioMonitor4CAP Podcast – join us for some field work
| | We are excited to share our activities, progress and results of the BioMonitor4CAP project - and to get you excited about monitoring biodiversity in agriculture. Our new podcast series takes you behind the scenes, from field work at our research sites, to presentations of the cutting edge monitoring technologies or discussions about biodiversity in agriculture. | |
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| | | | In the first podcast episode, join our research team in the Spreewald. Discover how they conduct fieldwork and explore how the set up devices used to monitor biodiversity. You can listen to the latest episode HERE.
We look forward to taking you on this exciting audio journey.
Stay tuned for upcoming episodes. | |
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| | | Co-creation Workshop in Finland | | | |
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|  | | | Heli Lehtinen and Tiia Kolari at the Turku networking market... | |
 | | | ...presenting the BioMonitor4CAP project | |
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| | |  | | | Summarizing the results of the first co-creation workshop | |
 | | | Traci Birge opening the first co-creation workshop of BioMonitor4CAP | |
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| | | | | Work Package (WP) 4 completed the farmer-advisor focus groups in six countries (a total of 29 focus groups across a diverse range of production). The focus groups lead the way for the next phase qualitative research, where we move from the grassroots level to policy recommendation co-creation via workshops with stakeholders working with policy development and implementation. In the coming year, WP4 will be conducting co-creation workshops in the same six countries where partners carried out the focus groups.
The first co-creation workshop was held on 13 November 2024 in Turku, Finland at the “Agriculture Environment Information Exchange Days”. The two-day event was jointly organised by Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Environment, Finnish Food Safety Authority, and Priodiversity Life project. Numerous agri-environment professionals from the ministries, regional implementation agencies, as well as researchers, agricultural advisors, and other experts took part in the event. This year, the first day was in Finnish and dedicated to workshops. The second day was in English and focused on result-based payments. The event had over 200 registered participants.
BioMonitor4CAP’s Finnish Team held a one-hour participatory workshop with 25 participants on the topic of "Farm-level promotion of biodiversity in EU agricultural policy”. Participants worked in three facilitated smaller groups on two questions: „What are the central themes for the agricultural environment and farm-level biodiversity?” and “How should EU agricultural policy be concretely developed to better promote farm-level biodiversity?” (recommendations). Group facilitators were Traci Birge, Tiia Kolari, and Heli Lehtinen from the University of Helsinki. Participants included people from the Ministry of Agriculture, regional bureaus in charge of agricultural payments to farmers, farm advisors, farmer’s union, NGOs and others working with farmers or on farmland biodiversity.
We had rich discussions in all three groups, and each group provided unique responses around the common questions. Three primary themes emerged:
- Farm-level solutions require landscape-level elements and thinking.
- Continuous CAP changes are burdensome. Consistency, coherence, flexibility and long-term approach are needed in agricultural policy.
- Policy mechanisms to promote grazing, agroforestry and other biodiversity-promoting agriculture are required.
Additionally to the BioMonitor4CAP co-creation workshop, our research team participated in a workshop on cultural landscapes (semi-natural grasslands and grazed woodlands) organised by the World Wildlife Fund and Cultural Landscapes Association, Finland. The workshop focused on bottlenecks to management of these habitats in Finland and possible solutions. The workshop had 24 participants, including strong representation of agricultural advisors working with farmers and the regional bureaus that administer related projects and payment for management.
The three primary themes from this workshop were:
- More funding for pastures far away, small sites and brush clearance.
- Emphasis on improving management quality.
- Brainstorming new funding mechanisms and ways to include businesses.
BioMonitor4CAP team members also participated in and collected data at the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture’s invitation-only workshop on result-based funding mechanisms. The workshop’s 25 participants worked in three groups on themes for result-based approaches: 1. Implementation challenges and their solutions, 2. Funding, 3. Metrics and verification of results. This workshop was held in English and included some of the international keynote speakers as well as participants from the ministries, NGOs, private sector and researchers.
Primary themes that emerged from this workshop:
- Gradual system change inclusive of pilots, AKIS development and advisory services.
- Result-oriented rather than result-based because schemes in practice are hybrid.
- Most important is to choose targets first and then find the metrics and verification for them, not the other way around.
Additionally to the data collection activities, Heli Lehtinen and Tiia Kolari participated in the networking market, where they presented the project and, especially, the monitoring technology being tested in BioMonitor4CAP.
» Agriculture Environment Days homepage (Finnish) | |
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| | On our way to an extended European Network of coordinated observatories for AgroBiodiversity Monitoring
| One of the key objectives of the BioMonitor4CAP project is to identify and map relevant observatories, institutions, and networks that gather data and indicators on agrobiodiversity. By centralizing these resources, the project aims to facilitate access to this valuable information, fostering greater collaboration and understanding in the field.
During their work the project team identified more than 500 institutions that potentially hold data on agrobiodiversity. The next step is to process the collected information and make it available to the public.
With this, we make a crucial contribution to building and establishing an extended European network for coordinated observatories for AgroBiodiversity Monitoring.
A first overview of the collected data is shown HERE.
You are interested in joining our AgroBiodiversity Database? Please contact us at this email address: biomonitor4cap(at)irwirpan.waw.pl. | |
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| | Outlook 2025
| As we step into 2025, the BioMonitor4CAP project is preparing for a range of exciting activities. Right at the start of the new year, we will hold our second annual meeting in February in Warsaw. 2025 also marks the final year for sampling across all our research and demonstration sites in Europe and Peru, alongside continued testing of innovative technologies for biodiversity monitoring.
At our demonstration sites, we will test if our biodiversity monitoring approaches can measure the effectiveness of biodiversity enhancement measures (such as reduced management intensity or sown flowering strips). We will also host field days with farmers to showcase how every farmer can assess biodiversity on farm.
We will continue to expand our WebGIS platform and dive into the statistical analysis of our eDNA, optical and acoustic data.
In 2025 we will host workshops and surveys with agricultural stakeholders to foster meaningful engagement and continue our work on suggestions for effective agrobiodiversity CAP measures. We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and look forward to another year of collaboration, discovery, and impact.
Until then, we wish you a joyful holiday season and a fantastic start to the new year! | |
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| | | | Coming up next
| - BioMonitor4CAP podcast – follow us into the lab
- First results of our field work
- Results of focus group workshops
- How to use the BioMonitor4CAP WebGIS plattform
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| | | | | | | Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or [name of the granting authority]. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Copyright 2023 BioMonitor4CAP Project. All rights reserved. | |
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