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< Back Nordic Agency For Development and Ecology Scandinavian inter-disciplinary org aimed at developing and applying natural and social science to real- world environment and development challenges. NORDECO develops tools and methods, carries out research, connects persons and institutions, builds capacity, and supports interventions on the ground. Founded in 1991, NORDECO has the declared goal of supporting local, innovative conservation and development initiatives. Globally, NORDECO has spearheaded the development of bottom-up approaches to natural resource monitoring and management, where local people or local government staff are directly involved in data collection and interpretation, and where monitoring is linked to the decisions of local people, using methods that are simple, cheap and require few resources. Such approaches can help generate transparency, accountability and local ownership in sustainable natural resource management initiatives. ​ ​ IN FRAMEWORK ​ ​ NORDECO will lead on citizen science monitoring with the wider public. In addition, NORDECO will contribute to stakeholder dialogue and quality assurance. NORDECOs background in developing bottom-up approaches to citizen science and natural resource monitoring and management in rural communities matches these tasks very well. Partner Gallery Previous Next

< Back Velké Hostèrádky 691 74 Velké Hostěrádky, Czechia Overview Facilitator This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. travnicek@czechorganics.com Biodiversity Focus Birds of prey, Earthworms, Perennial weeds Farmers' Key Issues Enhancing the bird populations, Promoting earthworms and soil fertility, enhancing water retention and preventing erosion joint marketing and branding Details Farms 9 Landscape Type Arable Average Farm Size 505 ha Total Cluster Size 2822 ha Established 2020 Region 691 74 Velké Hostěrádky, Czechia Jan Trávnicek

< Back Southern Estonia ? Overview Facilitator This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Riina.Kaasik@emu.ee Biodiversity Focus Birds (some members) Total Farmland biodiversity Target species not yet specified. Farmers' Key Issues Responding to uncertainties regarding new EU CAP, time-cost vs benefits Details Farms 10 Landscape Type Arable, Grasslands Average Farm Size 317 ha Total Cluster Size 3170 ha Established 2020 Region ? Riina Kaasik

< Back The Estonian University of Life Sciences Estonian centre for research and development in land management areas, renewable natural resources and environmentally friendly technologies. Research and development within Estonian and international agriculture, forestry, animal science, veterinary science, rural life and economy, food science, biodiversity,nature protection, renewable natural resources and environmentally friendly technologies. In the Baltic Region, EMU is a leading institution for research, surveying and teaching in the fields of agriculture, biodiversity and landscape ecology. ​ ​ IN FRAMEWORK ​ EMU will establish a Farmer Cluster in Estonia and facilitate it, encouraging farmers to take responsibility and adopt management strategies to support native biodiversity. EMU will involve local stakeholders, participate in the biodiversity monitoring and data collection, and organize citizen- and farmer-based biodiversity data gathering in Estonia. EMU will conduct a Pilot Study to evaluate the effect of Biodiversity Sensitive Farming to Ecosystem Services, with special interest in species providing pest control. EMU will also, in conjunction with NGOs such as Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF), organize citizen observations and data collections. ​ Partner Gallery Previous Next

< Back Taskscape Associates Communications, knowledge and project management consultancy. Media and digital design in-house. We facilitate value addition for projects and organisations by enhancing their communication-based business practices. IN FRAMEWORK ​ TAL will consult on, and help facilitate, project coordination and communication. This includes providing advice, training and digital platforms as well as a range of custom media and digital design to support internal and external communication. TAL will assist convening partner JHI by aligning the project communication strategy with the aims of project activities, for reach and impact. Partner Gallery Previous Next

< Back Mostviertler Mostviertler, Austria Overview Facilitator Das Mostviertler Farmer Cluster befindet sich am Nordöstlichen Rand der Alpen in Niederösterreich in Österreich. Diese Region verdankt ihren Namen dem vielerorts produzierten Most und zeichnet sich durch die Obstgärten und die sanften Hügel aus. Das Mostviertler Farmer Cluster besteht aus 12 Bio-Grünlandbetrieben, die alle als Familienbetriebe geführt werden. Die meisten der Landwirt*innen im Cluster betreiben einen Milchviehbetrieb mit Weidehaltung. Andere züchten Schafe, haben Mutterkuhhaltung und mästen das Jungvieh. Wegen der hügeligen Landschaft und der teilweise steilen Flächen, werden einige Wiesen eher extensiv bewirtschaftet, was sich in einer erhöhten Biodiversität wiederspiegeln kann. Überdies ist die Biodiversität den Bäuerinnen und Bauern im Cluster bereits ein großes Anliegen. *** The Mostviertler Farmer Cluster is located in the north-east edge of the Alps in Austria. The region is called Mostviertel due to its typical kind of sour cider – the “Most”. That area is characterised by its rolling hills and orchards. The Mostviertler Farmer Cluster consists of 12 organic grassland farms, which are all family-run farms. Most of them are breeding dairy cattle, but also sheeps or beef cattle. Due to the hilly landscape of the cluster, lots of meadows are extensively managed and in addition the farmers are already aware of the importance of biodiversity. daniela.ablinger@raumber-gumpenstein.at Biodiversity Focus To bring back the flowers and butterflies that used to inhabit the meadows Farmers' Key Issues How to make exploitable but difficult (less productive) areas more biodiverse Details Farms 12 Landscape Type Grassland Average Farm Size 20 ha Total Cluster Size 61 ha Established 2020 Region Mostviertler, Austria Daniela Ablinger

< Back GRAB GRAB is a French non-profit created in 1979, dedicated to on-farm research, and governed by organic farmers mainly. Our staff are recognised as experts on organic fruit, vegetable and grapevine. Research topics addressed are diverse, from cultivar assessment, functional biodiversity, soil fertility or agroforestry. Research is mostly achieved on commercial farms to ensure coherence in findings. ​ ​ IN FRAMEWORK ​ GRAB will be mostly involved in the ECOORCHARD project, aiming at facilitating farmers use of simple methods to observe functional biodiversity in order to develop knowledge and change decisions or practices. This work led to a handbook that has been used in 11 EU countries by 50 apple growers over 2 years, with positive feedbacks in terms of knowledge, comprehension, time requested. This experience will be reproduced in the FRAMEwork project by adapting tools to crops and possible local constraints. Partner Gallery Previous Next

< Back Austrian Agricultural Research and Education Centre Research centre for ecology, farming and rural places at Raumberg- Gumpenstein. Part of the Austrian Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism HBLFA is specialized in multifunctional farming systems and in developing complex landscape analysis in view of sustainable and efficient usage of natural potentials. ​ ​ IN FRAMEWORK ​ ​ HBLFA will be responsible for one of the 12 Pilot Studies of the project. The Pilot Study deals with organically managed grassland. The focus will be set on ecological staged grassland management for Biodiversity Sensitive Farming, considering the interaction between local and regional dynamics of biodiversity and its relationship with farming systems in grassland-based organic farms. The core of the contribution is the guidance and supervision of approx. 10 organic pilot farms with permanent grassland. Farmer and volunteer training activities on how to implement and work within ecological staged grassland management will be organised. This will also be done directly “on the job” by implementing the necessary management tasks directly on the farms, under supervision. Partner Gallery Previous Next

< Back Aguilar de la Frontera 14920 Aguilar de la Frontera, Córdoba, Spain Overview Facilitator Visión general El clúster de agricultores de Aguilar de la Frontera se sitúa en una zona de cultivos de olivar donde se ha producido una intensificación mecánica y química de las actividades agrícolas en las últimas décadas. Ante la pérdida de biodiversidad existente y la notable merma de poblaciones de perdiz roja (Alectoris rufa), la Sociedad de Cazadores local fomentó la participación en el proyecto Framework de un grupo de agricultores, siendo el motor que los impulsa. Las actuaciones realizadas para el incremento de biodiversidad consisten en la implantación de la cubierta vegetal entre los olivos. Para ello se han realizado distintos tipos de implantación de cubierta, desde siembras directas (con varias de distintas especies) a refuerzo del banco de semillas (con una mezcla obtenida de la limpieza de la matalauva [ pimpinella anisum ]), tanto superficialmente como de forma lineal. *** Overview The cluster of farmers in Aguilar de la Frontera is located in an area of ​​olive groves where there has been a mechanical and chemical intensification of agricultural activities in recent decades. Faced with the loss of existing biodiversity and the notable decline in populations of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), the local Hunters' Society encouraged the participation of a group of farmers in the Framework project, being the engine that drives them. The actions carried out to increase biodiversity consist of the implantation of the vegetal cover between the olive trees. For this, different types of cover implantation have been carried out, from direct sowing (with several of different species) to reinforcement of the seed bank with a mixture obtained from cleaning the Anise [pimpinella anisum]), both superficially and linear. info@fundacionartemisan.com Biodiversity Focus Red-legged partridge, Iberian hare and songbirds Farmers' Key Issues Organic, bird and game biodiversity loss, soil health and erosion, loss in olive production, rabbit damage Details Farms 10 Landscape Type Drylands Average Farm Size 13,33 ha Total Cluster Size 400 ha Established 2020 Region 14920 Aguilar de la Frontera, Córdoba, Spain Gonzalo Varas

< Back The James Hutton Institute Convening Scottish partner the James Hutton Institute has been at the forefront of rural, agricultural and environmental science for 90 years, delivering products and expertise to benefit society. JHI is one of the world’s leading scientific organisations undertaking research focused on land, crops, pests, crop protection, food security, sustainable agriculture, water and the environment. The Institute brings together a broad range of science disciplines that interconnect to deliver a research strategy of finding solutions to the global challenges of providing food, forestry-based goods, energy and water from finite land and natural resources under changing environmental conditions. The JHI is a multi-site Institute (Dundee, Aberdeen and associated research platforms and farms) comprising of world class scientists leading and working in concert in the land, crop, food, water, environmental and socio-economic sciences. ​ ​ IN FRAMEWORK ​ JHI will co-ordinate the consortium and act as Lead Partner. JHI will ensure the project is progressing according to the Grant Agreement and that partners are delivering the agreed outputs in a timely manner. A network of neighbouring farmers in the Balruddery Catchment, Tayside, Scotland will be established as a Farmer Cluster, together with local stakeholder groups (SEPA, SNH, Tayside Biodiversity Partnership, local council officers, Soil Association and LEAF) to co-design and implement biodiversity friendly management strategies and monitor the impact across the catchment on pollinator biodiversity and pollination services. Facilitation and training will be provided through on farm events and workshops. Data and information from this Pilot Study, together with existing data from biodiversity studies at landscape scales will help assess landscape composition effects on functional biodiversity and ecosystem services. JHI’s social scientists will lead the development of the Hutton DigiFarm environment into a game for assessing farmer and public knowledge of biodiversity production strategies across the project. JHI will: contribute to the development, implementation and analysis of the survey of existing UK farmers clusters to assess their performance and factors determining success contribute to current and potential private incentives for the adoption of agro-biodiversity enhancing measures by clusters’ farmers; co-ordinating and supervising the preparation of survey material, data collection and analysis; and, contribute to the development and circulation of summary information notes, policy briefs and academic publications regarding outcomes supporting the review and selection of sustainability indicators participating in the design of the prototype socio-ecological network for selected studies, concerning the integration of natural assets interactions (impacts and dependencies) with other components of the system prepare the guides and templates for natural assets profiling and assessment of impact and dependencies of farming systems on natural capital and co-ordinate data checking (validation) and impact assessment analysis and participating in the analysis of regional impact forecasting potential; and co-ordination of report and manuscript preparation; participating in generalization of network model to MADM concerning the integration of natural assets impacts and dependencies with other components of the decision framework Partner Gallery Previous Next

< Back Basse-Durance Valley Sénas, France Overview Facilitator Le cluster français rassemble des arboriculteurs biologiques et conventionnels, produisant essentiellement de la pomme et de la poire. Il se situe dans la vallée de la Durance entre Sénas et Cavaillon. Il est issu d'un GIEE (groupe de producteurs) dont l'objectif est de réduire les pesticides, animé par le GRCETA. Les producteurs ont été réunis en 2021 et se sont engagés à installer des gîtes à chauve-souris et des nichoirs à mésanges dans leurs parcelles afin d'augmenter la régulation naturelle de leurs principaux ravageurs (carpocapse, pucerons). Ces équipements ont été installés début 2022, et les producteurs pourront (dans le cadre des suivis participatifs) observer par eux-mêmes les taux d'occupation des gîtes et nichoirs. Une partie des producteurs est également intéressée à installer des bandes fleuries à proximité des vergers pour améliorer la pollinisation tout en aidant les auxiliaires des cultures. Les semis ont été mis en place en septembre 2022. *** The French cluster brings together organic and conventional fruit growers, mainly producing apples and pears. It is located in the Durance valley between Sénas and Cavaillon. It comes from a GIEE (group of producers) whose objective is to reduce pesticides, led by the GRCETA. The producers were brought together in 2021 and committed to installing bat roosts and tit nesting boxes in their plots in order to increase the natural regulation of their main pests (codling moth, aphids). This equipment was installed in early 2022, and producers will be able (as part of participatory monitoring) to observe for themselves the occupancy rates of roosts and nesting boxes. Some producers are also interested in installing flower strips near orchards to improve pollination while helping crop auxiliaries. Seedlings were planted in September 2022. pascal.borioli@grceta.fr Biodiversity Focus Pest Natural Enemies Birds (insectivors, raptors), Bats, Arthropod predators (spiders, butterflies, earwigs, hoverflies) and Hymenoptera parasitoids. Farmers' Key Issues Integrated Pest Management (voles and coddling moth) Reducing pesticide use (insecticide and herbicide) Enhancing farm economic and social viability Details Farms 10 Landscape Type Orchards Average Farm Size 55 +/42 ha Total Cluster Size 1762 ha Established 2020 Region Sénas, France Pascal Borioli

< Back OliValGraziosa Monte Pisano, Calci, Province of Pisa, Italy Overview Facilitator The ‘OliValGraziosa’ FC has the objective to create a context of sustainable and high quality olive oil production while supporting the local biodiversity and the Val Graziosa community around the village of Calci. Specific areas of interest are the sustainable control of the olive fruit fly and other minor pests in olive groves, soil fertility management, erosion and wildfire control and the conservation of the rich local biodiversity with a special interest for all potential predators and parasitoids of the olive fruit fly, birds, butterflies, wild bees and flowering plants. Updates about the activities can be found on @GoAgroecology. Special activities that have been organised in the FC OliValGrazionsa are olive-tasting sessions and discussion about the oil quality with experts, use of olive pomace to increase soil fertility with special attention for the biological soil quality and training to perform olive fruit fly monitoring and area-wide mass trapping activities using pheromone traps. We closely collaborate with Sportello Agroecologico di Calci who help us sustain project activities http://www.agroecologiacalci.it/ La Strada dell’Olio: they aim to increase visibility of Monte Pisano Olive Oil and support networking among olive oil producers. http://stradadellolio.it/en/ Oleificio Sociale di Caprona: they aim to support farmers in producing high quality olive oil. http://www.oleificiosociale.it/home.htm Comunità del Bosco: they aim to manage the Semi-Natural Habitats and all production systems of the Monte Pisano and support local communities in doing this. https://www.comunitadelboscomontepisano.it/ ECO-OLIVES project of Dr. Bea Maas: an Austrian-funded research project aimed at monitoring biodiversity in olive agroecosystems focusing on birds, bats and arthropods. https://www.beamaas.com/projects.html Camilla.Moonen@santannapisa.it Biodiversity Focus Pest biocontrol: olive fruit fly to be controlled by spiders, carabids and parasitoid wasps. Pollinators: Wild bees, butterflies. Conservation of arthropods Farmers' Key Issues Control of olive fruit fly; organisation of harvest, pruning and vegetation management due to reduced accessibility; wild boar control. Details Farms 18 Landscape Type Olive Groves Average Farm Size 2 ha Total Cluster Size ~ 54 ha Established 2020 Region Monte Pisano, Calci, Province of Pisa, Italy Camilla Moonen