The Scottish Farmer Cluster gets up close to the many sides of plant biodiversity. The second Aberdeenshire Farmer Cluster meeting was held on 29th June, 2022. It focussed on wild edibles that the farmers can find around the cluster and involved a quiz, a walk, and a BBQ.! This was slightly different to the usual Cluster meetings, which up to now mainly took place online or visiting just one member of the Cluster. The event was designed to bring all of us together as one group. It also aimed to demonstrate that the plants that are generally called “weeds” are not just weeds but that they can be useful as a food source or that they may have other uses such as producing fibres. Thinking in this way can help Farmers open up their own professional worldview of biodiversity, which is often multifaceted. This was particularly well demonstrated by nettles (Urtica dioica) from which the cluster facilitator made a soup that the farmers thoroughly enjoyed and had also produced some nettle fibres that had been knitted. Nettles also support native bee and butterfly pollinator populations that help farmers deliver 85% of the apple crop and 45% of the strawberry crop in the UK through their pollination services. Re-imaging what a 'weed' means may help all of us to consider the pros and cons of agrobiodiversity, or even what's in our own gardens, on a more objective basis. The host farmer let us hold an indoor BBQ and use their kitchen for preparation of the wild edible foods as the weather was very poor when we first arrived.At this point, the facilitator decided to change the format of the event and turned it into a quiz, where some members of the HUTTON team were asked to collect specified wild edible plants from areas that surrounded the host’s farm whilst the facilitator compiled some information about them along key identification and features. The plants were handed around the farmers who had been divided into 2 teams to compete for points and a grand prize of beers. Points were awarded for the correct identification of plants. The menu consisted of nettle soup, “weed burgers”, salad, sweet cicely sweetened rhubarb crumble and orange flavoured jelly ears covered in Belgian chocolate for dessert. All the farmers also ate the wild edibles which consisted of Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa), Sheep’s Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), Lime tree (Tilia cordata) leaves, nettles (Urtica dioica), ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata) and jelly ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) mushrooms. The wild food went down well with comments ranging from: “What a fine feast we had”. “Thanks a lot – good meeting, scrumptious nosh. I carefully munched my jelly ears for a few days and survived”. “Like everyone else I thoroughly enjoyed our food. Guess I was eating lime leaves and never knew!” During the walk outside the farm, the lead farmer used an app (PlantNet) on the walk to identify some of the plants on the walk. As the farmers had met 1-2-1 and not as a group, they enjoyed the social aspect of the BBQ and were able to get an update from the field team on some of the surveys that had been carried out on their farms. The FC facilitator was able to briefly meet one of the farmer’s agronomists and the group looked at a cover crop consisting mainly of “sand vetch”. The group were also given a homemade 30 mL sample of plantain (Plantago lanceolata) salve, which is made the ribwort plantain, a common weed on cultivated or disturbed land. The salve can be used for small cuts, scrapes, bee/wasp stings, rashes, and abrasions but the idea was to again demonstrate that “weeds” can have different uses. All attendees enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and felt as though they got something out of the event – such as appreciation that many of the plants that they see as “weeds” were edible. They were interested to hear about the medicinal or other uses of the 10 wild edible plants that were used.

A Framework delegation brings farmland biodiversity benefits to a Milan meeting of the IOBC-WPRS... The IOBC-WPRS is one of six Regional Sections of the International Organisation for Biological Control. IOBC was established in 1955 to promote environmentally safe methods of pest and disease control in plant protection. Members of WPRS are individual scientists, governmental, scientific or commercial organisations from 24 countries of Europe, the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. IOBC-WPRS encourages collaboration in promoting feasible and environmentally safe methods of pest and pathogen control This week, a Framework delegation attended the 9th meeting, hosted by The University Of Milan, and presented the conference with information and data from the project. Dr Niamh McHugh and Dr Graham Begg presented key objectives and approaches including farmer clusters' roles in data collection on biodiversity and the impact of management techniques. Framework Project co-ordinator Dr Graham Begg reports: We were wonderfully hosted by Daniella Lupi and colleagues, and enjoyed several days sharing our latest research and ideas. Pest, disease and weed management continues to be an important focus of the Working Group but this meeting reflected the growing awareness of the need to manage functional biodiversity to tackle a wide range of socio-environmental challenges. There were several presentations addressing the management of biodiversity in cities and a couple of fantastic field visits to experience leading examples of this in Milan. It was also great to see the FRAMEwork project being well represented at the meeting with which it shares many interests. This included an overview of the project and an introduction to the farmer cluster approach, as well as an example of a cluster in action, and the role being played by citizen science. All of the sessions generated a lot of discussion and debate and as this was the first face to face meeting in some time it was great to continue these over a coffee, while walking in the park, or at the bar. Diving down from high level objectives and approaches into the projects's data Simone Marini presented an overview of agricultural habitat use by butterflies in Framework's Italian Farmer Cluster. The cluster near Calci Pisa has recently yielded the first set of butterfly monitoring results. These show all 4 SNH types contributing equally to butterfly abundance and species richness. SSSA Lead Dr Camilla Moonen notes: It will be interesting to see whether the pollinator monitoring data continues on this trend! It was great to introduce the project and open up opportunities to develop links and share experiences. Head to www.iobc-wprs.org for the proceedings of this years' meeting or for details of the next. Don't want to miss project activities like this? Follow us on twitter... @H2020_FRAMEwork

Framework's first in-person Annual Meeting is held in Luxembourg, including presentations, field trips and community engagement... In the week of the 2nd May, project participants came together in Luxembourg, hosted by The Luxembourg Institute Of Science and Technology, for this years' Annual Meeting. The week involved a Bioblitz organised with local museums and Agrifood businesses engaged in Framework's Farmer Clusters, as well as presentations and field trips. Watch the video above to find out more!

The Czech Farmer Cluster build bird boxes and re-engage with the birdlife present on their agricultural land... On April 1st, 2022, there was a Farmer Cluster meeting which took place at the lead farm at Velke Hosteradky. At the Farmer Cluster meeting on the 1st of April, CULS professional film makers were present at the event to take footage and to interview the lead farmer.* A diverse range of talks were organized and presented at the Farmer Cluster meeting, including several talks on farmland birds and pollinators. In the morning session a diversity of talks was presented informing participants about the value of farmland biodiversity and the Farmer Cluster approach taken in the FRAMEwork project. In the afternoon session, the bird boxes, built during February by the social enterprise Jasan that is part of the Farmer Cluster, were installed at designated locations in the Farmer Cluster landscape with support of local ornithologists and experts from the bird rescue station. Further, at the Farmer Cluster meeting, the ornithologists (from Czech BirdLife/local ornithologists) and the representatives from the local rescue station presented valuable information on birds in the local area and the value of installing bird houses. Subsequently, an interested farming couple – who is not part of the FC – also bought a bird house for installation on their farm. All presentations were very well received by the audience, including farmers, researchers and NGOs. Thanks to all the members of the Czech team, especially the FC facilitator Jan Travnicek - we had a fabulous and successful event at the leader farm in Velke Hosteradky, a village in a calm, lovely area of south Moravia. Thanks to the input of all members, either getting a speaker or presenting them self the program was quite enjoyable, covering quite a wide range of biodiversity issues. Unfortunately, because of some health issues among participants, the event was also held online as a hybrid meeting. Of course, it brought some technical issues, but it was good as more people could join. Jan and his colleagues prepared the in person part very well. Unfortunately, the weather was surprisingly very windy and cold, so the practical part of birdbox installation and spot selection outside was uncomfortable. As a result, the attendees participated in the installation at the leader farm, just in nearby spots. The attendees were people not just from surrounding areas but also from far away. Considering their questions, it was obvious that they are already quite skilled in what is essential for biodiversity. Still, they were glad they could ask experts about issues they encounter implementing biodiversity measures on their farms. The critical part of the program was the presentation of the Birdlife association, which already had a survey in the leader farm because they could present some results of what was found in the area compared with a general incidence. The attendees enjoyed the event and were keen to implement easy measures in their farms. For example, they wanted bird boxes that fit the specific predator species. One of the exciting issues that we crossed was fields management. The pollinators team claimed that for the pollinators is best to have stripes of grass or crop that are connected. Contrary, the birdlife team argued that the connection is not always the best way because of the predation of birds. The first challenge is to get together people unfamiliar with biodiversity-sensitive management. The second challenge is for farmers to find time to attend similar events and educate themself in this area while they are already very busy; that was quite an issue with the stakeholders within the cluster. Nevertheless, this event gathered interested people who wanted to be proactive, and we saw ideas, opinions, practices and contacts exchanged that I considered the best outcome. * The material is being prepared for inclusion on the Czech FRAMEwork website and other social media platforms to promote the Czech FC, the FRAMEwork project and its approaches. – this interview has not yet been uploaded to the Czech FRAMEWORK website.

In 2021, farms and meadows across Europe were monitored by scientists and farmers as part of the FRAMEwork initiative. In this first year of monitoring the experiments were largely preliminary, with a heavy focus on soil samples. This blog contains a roundup of just some of the plant monitoring that took place this year. Firstly, in Austria, BOKU used 12 replicates (3x12=36 meadows) for sampling in May-August 2021. For their plant monitoring, they measured plant height, flower cover, and plant species richness as predictor variables on each meadow. To avoid sampling at the same time of the day, we investigated meadows once in the morning, and another time in the afternoon. In the following year, we will sample vice versa. Further, soil sampled were taken in order to assess the change in soil nutrients/component levels in each meadow type. This picture shows the three different meadow types (a: abandoned meadow, b: intensive meadow, c: extensive meadow) used for insect sampling by the entomologist (d). In July, Hutton carried out vegetation assessments in Scotland. A general assessment of vegetation within all the Farmer Cluster transects including the control was carried out. The GPS coordinates were taken at the same time as a soil sample which was analysed for its percentage carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen as part of ‘soil health’. This year, the Spanish cluster had a more difficult challenge to collect data because of the problems presented by the regional landscape. It makes such tasks extremely time consuming and laborious because in the hilly area it is not easy to move from one transect to the next one. Therefore, no vegetation sampling was performed other than the flower counts that were requested on the pantrap protocol. Finally in September, vegetation monitoring took place in the Czech Republic. This vegetation monitoring was carried out by CZU team members on 21st September following the EMBAL protocol provided by LIST. The same area of the Farmer Cluster as for birds and pollinator monitoring was used as trail.

Our Framework partners were very busy in 2021 monitoring insects and pollinators. There was a particular focus on syrphids, bumblebees and butterflies and our farmers and scientists used a range of techniques including transects and pan traps. This year our scientists had to come up with new solutions to dealing with regional landscape and weather conditions and this ingenuity is reflected in this blog, taking a look at some of the highlights of this year’s insect and pollinator monitoring. Some of the earliest pollinator monitoring occurring in our clusters this year came in Austria. Here, BOKU demonstrated two of the major monitoring techniques used across the clusters. Transect walks This was a method for butterfly-bumblebee monitoring. They counted all the individuals of butterflies and bumblebees along a 500 m transect walked with uniform pace several times during the favourable weather condition in May-August. Further, they divided each transect into 50 m sections and each section was represented by a single habitat type. During walking in transect, they filled the field form with the date, start time, finish time, average temperature, and average wind speed on the Beaufort scale. Butterfly individuals were identified to species level by collecting them in a glass box. In the case of bumblebees, samples were taken and caste (i.e. queen, worker, male) where noted. Pan-traps This was a method for solitary bees (especially Halictidae) and syrphid monitoring. They made pan-traps with the set of three colours (white, UV blue, and UV yellow). Pan traps were made of plastic bowls painted with the UV reflected based on the recommendation of provided protocol. They used water and few drop of (unscented) liquid soap (to break surface tension) in each bowl so that insects land and drown inside it. According to the recommended protocols "For a 1km grid-cell, it is recommended to place between 5 and 7 pan-trap sets". However, in our 500 m grid cell, they placed 3 pan-trap sets near to butterfly-monitoring transect. Pan-traps were left in place for 24h in suitable weather condition. Afterward, the samples were taken and stored in 70% ethanol for preservation and later identification. Also, they counted the flowers cover and average height of plants present within an area of 2m radius centered on each pan-trap station. In Estonia, EMU completed pollinator and butterfly surveys (26 transects thrice). EMU prepared all traps needed for pan trapping and conducted three rounds of pan trapping (18 transects thrice). They also digitized survey data for butterfly and pollinators transects (26 transects 3 times per season). While in the Czech Republic, pollinator monitoring, i.e. pan traps and transects, was carried out twice, on August 21st and September 21st by an entomologist from CZU, hired to carry out this work. The entomologist followed the pollinator monitoring protocol provided by LIST. CZU also met with LIST to clarify uncertainties in the monitoring methodology and storage of insects. The same area, as for the birds, was sampled. In our Italian cluster this year, transect walks were performed in June, July and September in all 12 quadrates. Pitfall traps were done only in June and September because in July the vegetation was dead, due to hot and dry weather conditions. Instead in the transect walks, there was a total of 1056 pollinating insects among which wild bees, few honeybees, some bumble bees and few hoverflies. The dry and hot weather affected flower abundance and insect abundance. There were 1317 butterflies belonging to 48 species. Finally, in a novel and exciting development, in October spider nests were set up together with the farmers in two olive groves. These nests are now monitored to see if they host spiders.

2021 was a busy year for ornithology and bird monitoring in the Framework project. All across Europe our project partners have been organising bird monitoring activities in line with the FRAMEwork protocol. This has included sampling in tracts, working with local non-profits and bringing in local professional ornithologists. Read on for a selection of the most interesting bird monitoring activity that happened across our farmer clusters this year. © Martin Matěj Beginning the year in Spain, FA conducted another round of bird monitoring in February. They monitored game species (including red-legged partridges, wild rabbits, hares and thrushes), raptors and songbirds. This was done by vehicle through a linear transect, twice in a period of two weeks and in the two different areas (Experimental and Control). The night transects were done with spot-light help. The first dedicated bird monitoring was carried out in May. In accordance with the instructions, the areas were divided into 1 km2 zones and itineraries were planned on the Project plots and in the Control zone, with a route of 1 km. The monitoring days were May 7th, 2021 (experimental) and May 10th, 2021 (control) for the first round, and May 14th, 2021(experimental) and May 17th (control) for the second round. Thrushes monitoring was also carried out for the second consecutive year. This monitoring aims to assess the evolution of the thrush population over time. The thrush census allows generating synergies between the Framework Project and the Artemisan Foundation's Thrush Project since the data will be valid for both projects. They conducted census in 2 10x10km grid, one in the experimental area and the other in the control one, during the 1st and 14th December 2021. © Artemisan Foundation In our Czech cluster, CZU invited Czech Birdlife (Czech Society for Ornithology) to the farmer cluster meeting in June to give a presentation about the bird species present in the region and measures to support birds of prey for natural pest control. Further, the first birdhouse for birds of prey was installed at the FC meeting in August. The baseline bird monitoring was carried out by Czech Birdlife on July 21st in one part of the Farmer Cluster. In total six transects were monitored, following a slightly different protocol to suit local conditions. Some of the transects run through fields (which is different to the FRAMEwork methodology), as it is assumed that changes within fields are likely to happen, e.g. splitting of large fields, plantings within fields. Further, Czech Birdlife uses a special app that Czech ornithologists are used to. Finally, our Italian cluster overcame the natural obstacles presented by the regional landscape to complete their bird monitoring this year. An ornithologist was hired to perform the monitoring of the baseline avifauna performed in June. This task is extremely time consuming and laborious – and more so because in the hilly area it is not easy to move from one transect to the next one. Thus, in June, July and September the baseline sampling was performed in the FC area in Calci and in the control area in Vicopisano, in a total of 12 squares. The ornithologist recommended to avoid doing the bird sampling in the Vicopisano area because he noticed that in fact it was already too late in the season to catch the diversity of birds that can be found in this area. Due to warm weather the mating season ended early and birds very less active. Therefore, the bird sampling will be repeated in 2022, early in the season in the FC area and in the control area. The table below shows the list of species found in the 6 quadrates of Calci.

Successful funding applications to support farmland biodiversity... Exciting news from the Cranborne Chase UK Cluster about new opportunities to support biodiversity and ecosystem services. After conducting site visits Clare and the cluster prepared funding applications for 2.7km of new hedge planting for winter 2021/22 as well as preparing and submitting a FiPL application to the Cranborne Chase AONB. The applications were successful! On the first Clare reports: This was our first opportunity to apply for funding as a group to deliver habitat creation and 5 Cluster farmers got involved. As well as making linked applications, I co-ordinated purchase and delivery of hedging plants, compostable guards and canes, enabling everyone to benefit from discounted prices. It went really well, with everyone being flexible to accommodate the combined delivery schedule and working hard to get the hedges planted. About the second Clare notes: This was an even more ambitious group funding application that included wildlife boxes, cameras, fencing the newly planted hedges, cultivated plots for arable plants, kick-starting the cluster website, and the start of a machinery ring with the purchase of a people carrier trailer for farm walks and a brush seed harvester. As well as the benefits of securing funding for projects that would not have happened, this also engaged some farmers that had not been to cluster meetings before and required us to look closely at the clusters objectives. It's great to see Framework's Advanced Clusters empowering people to seek funding to ensure valuing farmland biodiversity adds up for agribusinesses. We look forward to sharing more about the results of the measures this funding will allow the cluster to introduce.

The Czech Farmer Cluster participate in a new landmark exhibition on the history of agriculture in the Czech Republic... The Czech Farmer Cluster recently participated in a national farming exhibition on "Příběh zemědělství" and the “Ekologické zemědělství. Zodpovědná volba” ot " at the National Museum of Agriculture in Prague promoting FRAMEwork and development of the first Czech Farmer Cluster . In English that's "The Story Of Agriculture" and the exhibition "Organic Agriculture: the responsible choice?". Find out more here: https://www.nzm.cz/pribeh-zemedelstvi-praha/expozice-a-vystavy/vystava-ekologicke-zemedelstvi-zodpovedna-volba The exhibition explores how climate change, biodiversity loss and the depletion of non-renewable natural resources represent current challenges for farmers. The organic farming system offers the answer to a number of them. Can organic farming really revive the landscape, protect natural resources or produce food without chemical residues? Is it just a return to old farming methods or does it represent a modern alternative to existing farming systems? You can learn about the history, founders and development of the organic farming movement in the world and in our country, about its basic principles, differences from ordinary conventional agriculture and the advantages and disadvantages of organic food production for farmers and consumers at the "Organic farming. Responsible choice" exhibition on the roof National Agricultural Museum in Prague on Letná. The exhibition was prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with the Czech Technological Platform for Organic Agriculture and can be viewed from September 2. 2021 to 2.1. 2022.

In Luxembourg, local farmers meet to discuss the value biodiversity brings to cider orchards and their region... A farmer cluster meeting was organised on 19 July 2021 in the facilities of the stakeholder Ramborn Cider . A future meeting schedule with one meeting around flowering time of the apples and a post-harvest meeting was planned and carried out in November, when the main orchard owners and managers who deliver fruit for Ramborn’s cider production as well as a representative of the Natur & Geopark Mëllerdall joined the meeting. Excitingly, the Luxembourg Sustainability Forum invited Ramborn’s founder Carlo Hein to its main event in 2021 where growing biodiversity initiatives in Luxembourg were presented and discussed. The interview with Carlo Hein can be watched below! At 46:30 - 47:40 min , the question is raised which other projects on biodiversity are ongoing with Ramborn’s involvement. Carlo Hein briefly explains the purpose of FRAMEwork, the idea of farmer clusters and the funding source. The cluster's farmers were invited to take care of camera traps in their orchards in 2022. These camera traps will record pictures and videos of birds and mammals during day and nights. We expect to highlight some hidden species (principally during the night). Four farmers already volunteered for this activity and other may join later. They will take care of the camera trap maintenance and regularly download and check the pictures taken. Cluster Facilitator Dr Youri Martin said: It's very interesting, Luxembourg is often still like a small village! There are fewer and fewer farmers, but they all know each other. And almost every family in Luxembourg has someone in their family who is a farmer or a farming past and therefore in fact the links between them are quite strong. They always know what is happening in the neighbour's plot and they know how to say hey, how is he changing practices? What are they doing? Do they have have a new machine? Or what is he doing in his orchard? So actually, they talk to each other and they influence each other directly. For example, we had a case study in that happen here. We have an important farmer in the region, managing orchards, who decided to switch to organic last year and during the process, in the months that followed, we had three other farmers who decided to start over as organic too! To change agricultural approach under the influence of a farmer who showed them that it was possible and that it was even interesting. It's really word of mouth that works well. Farmers, I think especially now today, are always looking to improve or adapt to environmental changes, new agro-environmental measures and so on...

Framework's Austrian Cluster gets together to exchange farming methods, experiences and ideas... Meeting in January 2021 The first meeting with the farmers took place on the 22nd of January. Due to the Covid-19 situation and the lockdown in Austria it was online. The aim of the first Farmer Cluster meeting was to present the Framework project idea and to introduce the Scientists of the “BIO Institut of HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein” to the Farmers. Furthermore, the all participants had a first chance to ask questions about the project, the workload and to get to know each other. Every farmer attended the first meeting, as wells as Walter Starz and Daniela Ablinger from AREC. Meeting in July 2021 The first cluster face to face meeting was conducted at one farm of a cluster.  Everybody had the possibility to introduce themselves to the cluster community. Finally, the meeting participants were guided over the farm and shown the most important farm management processes. Farmer Cluster Facilitator Daniela Ablinger reports that: The first face-to-face meeting was an essential milestone to get the group together, to fix common goals, to discuss agricultural topics and introduce most of the cluster participants. That event was held at on cluster farm. Walter Starz and Daniela Ablinger from AREC attended the meeting as well. Each farmer got the opportunity to present his or her farm and the farming management practices. In addition to that small discussion the host farmer gave the meeting participants a close insight in his daily work and his dairy farm. The meeting was a great success because farmer used the time to exchange experiences, farming methods and ideas, for example which sickle bar should be used to save most of the grassland insects.

Framework's first Farmer Cluster meeting links up with leading Czech Ornithology society... On June 4th, 2021 the first Farmer Cluster meeting was held at the lead farm, which is one of the first certified organic farms in the Czech Republic. The lead farm, VH Agroton, has also the status of a demonstration farm, which is considered an advantage, first, because of the pioneering farming practices it established, and second, because of the established network of interested farmers that FRAMEwork can build on. As Farmer Clusters are grassroots, farmer-led, initiatives based on the interest of the farmers joining the FC, Czech Birdlife (Czech Society for Ornithology) was invited to the meeting to give a presentation about the bird species present in the region and measures to support birds of prey for natural pest control. Six farm businesses attended this first meeting.