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Bad weather couldn’t stop this years' record breaking bioblitz! © FRAMEwork Cluster Farm: Ramborn Cider The sixth installment of the annual worldwide City Nature Challenge   took place from the 26th-28th of April this year, and our project partners in Luxembourg made full use of the occasion to share FRAMEwork insights and connect with their community of nature enthusiasts!  Originally conceived of by scientists at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, the international bioblitz-style competition, which invites people around the world to make nature observations using the iNaturalist  app, has now expanded to over 400 areas worldwide! The goals of the CNC are to:   Connect people in urban/metro areas to their local nature   Connect people to each other: build community in person & online around local nature   Collect urban biodiversity data available to use for science, management, and conservation   Grow volunteer biodiversity documentation globally   Have fun through some friendly competition!  For three years in a row, the FRAMEwork partner for Luxembourg, LIST , and our cluster in the Born region, have taken part. Once again, they partnered with FRAMEwork friends Ramborn Cider Co . and NGO BeeTogether   to engage members of the community with the event and help make it as successful as possible.  Ramborn provided a base camp where LIST scientists, BeeTogether volunteers and employees of the Natur-& Geopark Mëllerdall  could explain to visitors how to use iNaturalist. Several guided tours with scientists and farmers were organised, so that visitors could learn about the management of the Born cluster and the background of the apps use there. There were also three stands established along the trail through the orchards, giving out additional guidance and information.  Adverse weather conditions resulted in less visitors than previous, sunnier years, but 150 members of the community turned out - and their enthusiasm wasn’t dampened. When we caught up with LIST, they shared that,, in fact:  “More observations were made compared with previous years, suggesting that the motivation of the participants that decided to come under the given conditions was higher compared with previous years!” Altogether 850 observations were uploaded this year, which is a fantastic contribution to Citizen Science monitoring in the region.

The project's Czech partners bring communities together for a special day... © Taskscape Media In June 2023, we shared that a new biodiversity pathway within FRAMEwork’s Velke Hosteradky Farmer Cluster had been approved for funding:  The path is designed to illustrate the relationship between farming and the landscape to the wide public, such as families with children, those interested in organic food production, or people interested in biodiversity. Visitors will learn about organic farming and some of its superstructures in which local farmers participate.  We can now report that, after almost a year of hard work, the path opened to the public on 18th May with a large-scale event termed Clover Day and hosted by the Czech FRAMEwork partner, Czech University of Life Sciences  (CULS) in collaboration with the farms Ekofarma Probio   and Sociální Podnik Jasan   and our friends at Czech Organics .  The 7 km trail offers breathtaking views of the agricultural landscape and its fields, forests, vineyards. Most importantly, it makes the beautiful local biodiversity - all manner of birds, insects, and vegetation - accessible to the community.  © Taskscape Media On Clover Day, a 300 strong crowd of enthusiastic visitors were invited to walk along the path, starting at Ekofarma Probio where organisers helped them to install and use the iNaturalist   biodiversity monitoring app. Along the path, representatives of CULS spoke to visitors about the FRAMEwork project and our environmental research, plus organic farming methods. NGO representatives from organisations like Czech Birdlife were also present, either as visitors or with stands along the path. Plenty of organic produce was on offer to restore hungry walkers: Jasan provided their own delicious produce as catering for the event and the Cluster's own Veritas Winery  had a stall selling locally grown organic wine with over 15 varieties available to taste. There was also the opportunity to see a fascinating demonstration by EarthBridge  of the potential for Earth Observation methods like drones, spectrometers and thermal cameras to enhance our understanding of the environment and help traditional ecologists with biodiversity monitoring.    We caught up with CULS who said:  “We were able to attract 300 people, thanks to the superb network of friends and supporters of Jasan and Ecofarma Probio ” The event was a fantastic example of what local networks of biodiversity-conscious actors and audiences can achieve by coming together, and a great opportunity for a positive celebration of one of the project’s achievements.  Over 40 participants of all ages recorded more than 500 observations with 90 new species spotted during the course of walking the path. FRAMEwork participants from Czech Organics and Eko Farm Probio handed out prizes to the those who had recorded the most in a prize giving session with visitors. Taskscape was in attendance to capture interviews and footage - so keep an eye out for videos featuring this event! You can read additional coverage of the path from the Farmer Cluster here .

Farmer Cluster Facilitation Course now available online... We’re pleased to announce the launch of a free online course for local leaders working with agrobiodiversity! The 'Landscape Leaders: Farmer Cluster Training Programme' is a comprehensive course sharing best-practice information and advice. Course material is drawn from project experience helping establish and lead 11 new Farmer Clusters across Europe. Plus, over a decade of previous engagement at consortium partner GWCT with the 100+ UK Cluster Network. The course is designed to empower advisors, farmers and land managers who are seeking to improve biodiversity and sustainability at a landscape scale. We've synthesised key content and takeaways from throughout FRAMEwork, bringing you an exclusive backstage pass to working with Farmer Clusters. Inside, you'll find a unique curation of resources and project materials. Learners can enjoy interactive content ranging from research-backed summaries to guides, quizzes, specific protocols, video case studies and tools. How was the course developed? The course was developed by The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust , UK, alongside other project consortium partners. Its curriculum is tailored to those exploring the concept of Farmer Clusters and the environmental opportunities and challenges they respond to. Nature doesn’t recognise farm boundaries. As a result, significant benefits for managing biodiversity and ecosystem services can be realised when farmers collaborate. Voluntarily forming a ‘Farmer Cluster’, supported by an advisor or ‘facilitator,’ enables farmers to collectively manage functional biodiversity crucial to their farming systems while also contributing to regional conservation and sustainability priorities. Screenshots from the course How can the course benefit me? Learners will gain a comprehensive understanding of Farmer Clusters, from on-the-ground operations to engaging broader support systems. By the end of the course, participants will be able to: ✔ Appreciate the context surrounding Farmer Clusters ✔ Understand the ethos behind their success ✔ Navigate common obstacles Clusters face ✔ Describe select biodiversity monitoring approaches ✔ Describe select habitat management approaches ✔ Communicate to build momentum Behind every successful Cluster are pioneering farmers, passionate facilitators and others contributing leadership - but this work is impossible alone. Supporters from Community, NGO, Green Finance, Citizen Science, Participatory Research and Policy initiatives will also find insights inside. Who should sign-up? ✔ Lead Farmers and Facilitators interested in setting up a Farmer Cluster. ✔ Supporters seeking best-practice information and insights. ✔ Stakeholders curious about the Cluster approach. What about access and user support? 'Landscape Leaders' is available in english on desktop and mobile devices, via the Trainer Central platform . We're currently working to provide course content in select additional languages. While the project is running, learners can reach out to ask questions, offer feedback or request to be put in contact with people from our network. Updates to course content are guaranteed for the remainder of FRAMEwork, which ends in October 2025. For further information, please get in touch . Screenshots from the course How does the course fit into the project? FRAMEwork aims to enhance how agrobiodiversity is valued by promoting collaborative biodiversity management across diverse ecosystems and landscape stakeholder groups. Our Farmer Clusters function as 'living labs' for life and social science research and host citizen engagement initiatives. This new course is part of our developing   knowledge and action platform 's core offer. Visit recodo.io to discover more free resources!

Project-supported paper is published on the possibilities of citizen science... Today, the journal Nature Sustainability published a new paper co-authored by Finn Danielson from project partner NORDECO   as part of his work for FRAMEwork.  The paper explores the potential impact of Citizen Science initiatives on efforts to meet the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) . The GBF aims to reverse nature's decline by requiring governments to report progress on 23 targets and four goals, and it encourages community-based monitoring and citizen science to improve decision-making and conservation efforts. The researchers assessed how Indigenous Peoples, local communities and citizen scientists could help with these goals.  They found that, of the 365 GBF monitoring indicators, 30% can involve Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and citizen scientists, while 51% could benefit from citizen data collection. The greatest opportunities for citizens to contribute and interpret data are on targets to reduce threats to biodiversity and to meet peoples’ needs through sustainable use and benefit-sharing from biodiversity. However, many indicators are complex or require legislative oversight making citizen involvement less feasible than in previous frameworks.  © NORDECO Expanding citizen engagement could enhance data collection and support better conservation actions - and the researchers outline a road map for how this could be achieved, identifying how countries’ environmental agencies can enable citizen engagement. Their suggestions include:  collaborating with Indigenous Peoples and local communities in Indigenous-led and community-led monitoring of local biodiversity;  appointing staff responsible for citizen involvement through community-based monitoring and citizen science;  promoting cooperative approaches and partnerships;  creating real-time communications for community-based monitoring and citizen science (such as web portals); and co-designing guidelines and methods. Celebrating the paper’s publication, Finn said:  “Government agencies often have difficulties finding meaningful ways of engaging citizens in biodiversity conservation. There is a need for a ‘road map’ for stepping up citizens’ contributions to halt and reverse global biodiversity loss. This analysis of how government agencies and citizen scientists can collaborate to achieve the targets and goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework is an important first step.” Read the full paper on Nature Sustainability now.  More about the Journal Launched in January 2018, Nature Sustainability is an online-only monthly journal publishing the best research about sustainability from the natural and social sciences, as well as from the fields of engineering and policy. All editorial decisions are made by a team of full-time professional editors.

FRAMEWORK project partner Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna (SSSA) helped organise a BioBlitz in Monte Pisano on April 26-27, as part of the global City Nature Challenge. The citizen science initiative brought together researchers, farmers, students and nature enthusiasts to document biodiversity across this beautiful area of Tuscany, home to the project's Val Graziosa Farmer Cluster. Credit: Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università di Pisa The event featured six guided nature walks, including one led by the project's Anna-Camilla Moonen from SSSA's Institute of Life Sciences on the semi-natural habitats of the olive grove agroecosystem. Over 190 participants took part and the collaborative effort resulted in impressive biodiversity documentation, with 91 observers recording 1,459 observations of 420 different species via iNaturalist. The event extended beyond the weekend activities, with a local high school class participating on Monday, April 28th, during the final day of the City Nature Challenge. This educational component aligns with FRAMEwork's mission to connect younger generations with agricultural biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring. This BioBlitz once again demonstrated how structured public engagement can contribute to both scientific data collection and community awareness of local biodiversity. The event also strengthened connections with the wider community, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange about biodiversity-friendly farming practices. The success of BioBlitz Monte Pisano 2025 has catalyzed efforts to establish a permanent biodiversity monitoring network in the region. SSSA is now working with the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa and six participating municipalities to consolidate this network, ensuring the continuation of annual BioBlitz events as part of the City Nature Challenge. This forms part of their broader work to consolidate positive progress and learnings from FRAMEwork, with an upcoming future-focused event planned with local stakeholders . For those interested in exploring the biodiversity documented during the event, results are available on the iNaturalist City Nature Challenge 2025 - Monte Pisano project page . Check out FRAMEwork's page for more observations!

A Mini-BioBlitz in Andalucia demonstrates project impacts... Fifty students from IES Vicente Núñez secondary school in Aguilar de la Frontera, Spain, recently participated in a hands-on biodiversity assessment that vividly demonstrated the positive impacts of sustainable farming practices on local ecosystems. This may 8th MicroBioBlitz, organised as part of the FRAMEwork project, provided young people with direct evidence of how vegetative cover management in olive groves can significantly boost biodiversity. Credit: Gonzalo Varas/Fundación Artemisan The field activity was coordinated by Cazadores de Aguilar Farmer Cluster facilitator Gonzalo Varas (Fundación Artemisan) in collaboration with the Aguilar Hunting Society and the Andalusian Hunting Federation. It took students to two very contrasting sites. Students first explored an olive grove managed with traditional intensive practices, where vegetative cover had been eliminated from the entire surface except for small patches beneath the olive trees. Working in seven groups, the students identified up to 21 species in this area. The second stop brought students to the southern part of Finca El Madroño, where vegetative cover is maintained between tree rows. Some of this vegetation occurs naturally, while other areas benefit from seed bank enhancement carried out early in the FRAMEwork project. Here, the difference was striking, with student groups identifying up to 55 species. To conduct their species inventory, students used modern citizen science tools, empoying the ObsIdentify app for species identification and contributing their findings to iNaturalist, the global biodiversity mapping platform. This approach not only documents local biodiversity but also helps provide valuable data to international conservation efforts. Credit: Gonzalo Varas/Fundación Artemisan Prior to the field work, students attended a preparatory presentation by Artemisan on April 23rd where nearly 60 participants learned about the FRAMEwork project and its objectives. A follow-up session is now planned to analyse the results and discuss the observed differences between intensive agriculture and biodiversity-friendly farming practices. The clear difference in species counts observed between the two management systems, with the FRAMEwork site supporting up to 2.6 times more species, seems to provide compelling evidence for the project's approach. This was a fantastic opportunity to illustrate biodiversity improvements through sustainable land management, engage the next generation in hands-on conservation science and demonstrate the practical application of citizen science in biodiversity monitoring. This is especially important in Andalucia, where biodiversity decline is interlinked with soil desertification, reservoir siltation and flash flooding, which are all worsened by intensive farming practices.  You can watch the Cluster's video to learn more. Please explore this site and Recodo's 'Farmer Cluster Stories' to learn about similar student visits across project areas. The BioBlitz demonstrates how citizen science can be an effective tool for both biodiversity monitoring and environmental education. By involving local students in documenting the tangible benefits of sustainable farming practices, the FRAMEwork project is not only seeking to gather valuable data but hopefully fostering a new generation of conservation-minded citizens who understand the critical link between farming practices, local ecosystems and biodiversity. Explore observations from the day and other project areas on iNaturalist and visit Recodo find out more about the Farmer Cluster's work in the region.

Looking ahead to what's happening in the last year of the project... The H2020 FRAMEwork project began in the Autumn of 2020 and comes to a close this year in the Autumn of 2025. As we enter the final year of the project, take a moment to explore what's coming up in key project areas as the consortium collectively focuses on securing impact and legacy for our work. Illustration | Free stock library Data Assessment and Research Publications The final processing of professional biodiversity monitoring data from across project areas has begun. Publications and reports will continue to be published this year as researchers leverage this data from five years of assessments. Policy Briefs Project learnings will be synthesised into tailored outputs, including more on: FRAMEwork's Systems-Thinking approach (D1.5) Tools for Advanced Farmer Clusters (D2.4) Insights on result-based payment schemes (D6.4, D6.5). Contract designs tailored to farmer preferences (D6.3) The impact of farmer identity on participation (D6.1) Lessons from managing Farmer Clusters across Europe (D6.1) Citizen science initiatives for biodiversity monitoring (D3.2) Biodiversity data harmonization (D3.5) Land abandonment management (D4.4, D4.5) Sustainability assessments (D7.1) Natural capital approaches (D7.4) Policy decision support tools, like FRAMEtest (D7.5). Events Series & Advanced Farmer Cluster Network A dedicated series of events will bring together our stakeholder communities and key outputs offline and through targeted webinars. These knowledge exchange events supplement the final Cluster meetings, conferences and field days panned across the project's network. Several Clusters are repeating Citizen Science events to engage communities during 2025, or holding them for the first time. Recodo Platform Our knowledge and action platform for stakeholders at the frontiers of farming and biodiversity will receive a Spring update with new content and features including: Accessible maps of Cluster areas layered with important data A landing page for Citizen Science Resources A landing page for the FrameTest Decision Support Tool Engagement and legacy channels including: LinkedIn Substack YouTube Updates to useful resources curated in its Resource Finder You can subscribe to receive key updates from the project throughout its final year and don't forget to follow us on X/Twitter ! Thank you for joining us on this journey into biodiversity-sensitive farming across Europe and the UK.

New project paper published... A new paper has been published in the journal Insects, authored by FRAMEwork project PhD Student Matteo Dellapiana and colleagues from various Italian research institutions. Titled "Biodiversity-Friendly Management in Olive Groves Supports Pollinator Conservation in a Mediterranean Terraced Landscape," the paper presents research on how traditional olive grove management practices can contribute to pollinator conservation in Mediterranean agroecosystems. unsplash The study investigated the relationships between pollinator communities and different habitat types within traditional terraced olive groves in central Italy. The research assessed wild bee abundances, flowers, and butterfly communities across three habitat types: olive groves, herbaceous linear elements, and woody areas, using pan-traps and observation walks over two years. The researchers found that habitat type played a more crucial role than floral resources alone in supporting pollinator diversity. Results revealed the importance of habitat type over floral resources alone. Herbaceous linear elements and olive groves emerged as key contributors to pollinator diversity. This challenges previous assumptions about pollinator habitat preferences and highlights the ecological value of low-input agricultural systems. The research demonstrates that traditional olive groves with permanent ground cover on terraced landscapes can serve as important refuges for pollinators, particularly when managed with biodiversity-friendly practices. The research addresses a critical knowledge gap in understanding how agricultural landscapes can support pollinator conservation. While olive trees are primarily wind-pollinated, biodiversity-friendly management of the groves can contribute to the conservation of pollinating insects in olive agroecosystems. As pollinator populations face global declines due to habitat loss and intensive agricultural practices, this study provides valuable evidence that traditional farming systems can play a vital role in biodiversity conservation. These findings underscore the critical role that in-field semi-natural habitats can play in promoting pollinator-friendly agroecosystems and thus in conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services. The study's implications extend beyond olive cultivation, suggesting that agricultural policies should recognize and support the maintenance of semi-natural habitats within farming landscapes. By demonstrating that productive agriculture and biodiversity conservation can coexist, this research provides a roadmap for sustainable land management practices that benefit both farmers and ecosystems. You can read the publication here and watch Matteo talk about his work on the project in the Tuscan olive groves in this video . About Insects Journal Insects is an international, peer-reviewed open access journal published by MDPI that focuses on the study of insects and terrestrial arthropods. The journal covers a wide range of topics including insect ecology, behavior, physiology, genetics, systematics, and pest management. As part of MDPI's commitment to open science, all articles published in Insects are immediately available worldwide under an open access license, ensuring that research findings reach the broadest possible audience and contribute to advancing our understanding of these ecologically and economically important organisms.

Sharing spatial tool approaches to Farmland Ecosystem Assessment... On June 10, 2025, project partner the University of Hertfordshire's Agriculture and Environment Research Unit (AERU) hosted a webinar organised with partner Taskscape Associates, introducing the FRAMEwork-funded Farmland Ecosystem Assessment Support Tool (FEAST). This free online event brought together key stakeholders to explore FEAST and, more broadly, ways spatial assessment tools like it can help enhance natural resource management in agricultural landscapes. The webinar was part of the project's event series 'Recodo In Real Life', bringing stakeholders into contact with knowledge tools and outputs available via Recodo , the project's legacy platform. Attendees enjoyed an in-depth exploration of FEAST's capabilities through live demonstrations of real-world case studies from across project areas with UOH leads John Tzilivakis and Doug Warner. The webinar closed with an open panel discussion featuring contributions from the UOH team, invited speakers from the UK's Joint Nature Conservation Committee and online attendees worldwide. What was covered? The webinar opened with an explanation of FEAST's core concept: a continuous improvement cycle integrating observation, performance diagnosis, options appraisal, and action planning. This introduction illustrated how the Windows-based application bridges complex ecological data and practical land management decisions, primarily targeting stakeholders in advisory roles, with functional capabilities on the ground and at policy levels. Case Studies UK - Showcasing Core Features The first demonstration was of Ranscombe Farm in Kent, where attendees witnessed how biodiversity monitoring data from GBIF (the Global Biodiversity Information Facility) could be visualised and analysed. The audience watched as thousands of bird observations were mapped, revealing patterns in species distribution over time. This demonstration highlighted FEAST's ability to assess individual landscape features and calculate habitat suitability based on species' life cycle requirements. It showcased the tool's impressive scope, featuring 66 indicator species and species groups, 25 ecosystem service indicators, and over 500 individual metrics covering 23 different landscape features and land uses across UK+EU farming systems. Czech Republic - Grey Partridge Recovery The first European FRAMEwork Case Study examined an organic farm struggling with Grey Partridge reintroduction attempts in the project's Velké Hostěrádky Farmer Cluster. Doug Warner explained the species' complex habitat requirements across nesting, foraging, and overwintering phases. The FEAST analysis revealed that a critical missing element was overwintering habitat. Through the tool's "what-if" scenarios the team demonstrated how implementing winter stubble with seed mixes could unlock the landscape's potential for supporting their populations. Luxembourg - Hoverfly Habitat Complementation FRAMEwork's Born Farmer Cluster in eastern Luxembourg features traditional orchards, arable land, grassland, and woodland. Using a University of Amsterdam hoverfly model created for the project with ten life cycle components, FEAST revealed that all required habitats existed, but only co-occurred in one area. For example, the western section had just five of the necessary components - but adding a wildflower margin and converting one field to sugar beet within the tool provided missing habitats, extending suitable zones for hoverflies across previously unsuitable areas. Netherlands - Multiple Species Management Moving to the Netherlands itself, and the Zeeasterweg Farmer Cluster , the team tackled the complex challenge of managing landscapes for multiple farmland bird species simultaneously. Using FEAST's map calculator function, they demonstrated how to combine assessments for species including linnets, corn buntings, turtle doves, yellowhammers and yellow wagtails. This revealed clear hotspots where the landscape delivered for multiple species and areas where targeted interventions could benefit specific species without compromising others. Southern France - Remote Assessment Challenges The final case study in the project's Basse-Durance Farmer Cluster highlighted the potential and limitations of remote landscape assessment. Using imported land use data to assess butterfly habitat, the team demonstrated how they discovered that features classified as "hedgerows" in the data were actually coniferous windbreaks when verified through Google Street View - habitats unsuitable for the target butterfly species. This illustrated the importance of ground-truthing and local knowledge when deploying spatial assessment tools remotely. Panel Discussion - From Real Landscapes to Policy Landscapes The webinar's open panel discussion, organised and moderated by Theo Simmons from knowledge exchange partner Taskscape, brought valuable reflections and perspectives to the forefront - connecting FEAST's specific capabilities into broader strategic discussions on spatial tools and approaches' value to stakeholders, as well as future trends and challenges. The UOH Team were joined by Rory Barber (JNCC Senior Analyst) and Hannah McGrath ( JNCC Senior Advisor in Land Management and Biodiversity), with further attendees contributing questions and thoughts via the webinar message board. The initial conversation focused on accessibility and implementation. The speakers explored how tools like FEAST could help NGOs and policymaking bodies in their work supporting multi-functional and multi-benefit landscapes. Additionally, they highlighted how FEAST's visual interface was well placed to be used with argitech-oriented farmers and farmers with dyslexia, which studies show is present at higher rates within the sector. At the same time, the importance of not treating farmers and advisory users as a "monolithic blob" was emphasised and instead recognising diverse user needs and capabilities. This led the conversation towards considering the flexibility and interoperability of FEAST. The panel explored integration with existing tools and workflows. An attendee from the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, USA , raised a question on pesticide mapping capabilities which John Tzilivakis confirmed were in development. Another question from Bogomolets National Medical University, Ukraine , addressed the potential for medical and hygiene research applications. Panel speakers responded with discussion on using spatial approaches to quantify and navigate land use tradeoffs. Finally, a forward-looking segment examined data interoperability and the trend toward standardized environmental data across Europe, and the wider international community, with references to initiatives like the Desantis Agreement and India's AIMS Consortium project preparing biodiversity data for AI exploitation. Engagement and Impact Taskscape is pleased to share that the webinar achieved good engagement, attracting participants from across the globe and representing a diverse array of stakeholder groups - with 20 registrants joining the live session and an additional 62 receiving dissemination materials but unable to attend on the day. Research organizations comprised the majority of registrants at 55%, reflecting strong academic interest in FEAST's data capabilities. NGOs represented 20% of registrants, highlighting the tool's relevance for conservation practitioners. Policymaking (13.3%) and Private Sector registrants (11.7%) rounded out the total, confirming interest in potential strategic and commercial applications. While European stakeholders naturally dominated registration at 70%, given the tool's development context and recent H2020 funding, there was also significant interest from Africa (13.3%), Asia (8.3%), and the Americas (6.6%). This international reach underscores the universal challenges of biodiversity management and the potential for spatial tools like FEAST to help support more sustainable farming practices worldwide. To view or download the webinar slides please head here . Please subscribe to Recodo's YouTube channel to be notified of the recording going live.

Online Workshop brings together farmers, advisors, and ornithologists to explore innovative habitat assessment ... Credit: Czech Organics On June 3rd, 2025, the FRAMEwork project's Velké Hostěrádky Farmer Cluster hosted an engaging online workshop that brought together Czech farmers, agricultural advisors, and ornithologists to explore how modern technology can support wildlife conservation on local farmland. The session, led by Farmer cluster Facilitator Jan Trávníček from Czech Organics and John Tzilivakis from the University of Hertfordshire, focused on demonstrating the FEAST (Farm Ecosystem Assessment Support Tool) and its application for habitats. The workshop was conducted in English with consecutive Czech translation, ensuring accessibility for all participants. This bilingual approach proved essential for engaging the local farming community who ultimately implement habitat improvements on the ground. It was great to hold an event with on-the-ground stakeholders, ahead of a webinar introducing the tool to international researchers, NGOs and policymakers. Both webinars were organised as part of an event series sharing key resources available on the project's online knowledge, action and legacy platform Recodo. Credit: Iris Bohet/Czech University Of Life Sciences Understanding FEAST: From Theory to Practice John Tzilivakis opened the technical portion of the workshop with a comprehensive introduction to the FEAST tool. Over 15 minutes, he explained how this decision-support system works, covering: The types of data inputs required for analysis How the tool calculates its Habitat Suitability Index The scientific basis for assessing wildlife habitat quality What made this introduction particularly effective was the integration of grey partridge habitat requirements directly into the explanation of how FEAST works, creating a seamless link between the theoretical framework and its practical application in local areas. The Ekofarma PROBIO Case Study The heart of the workshop was a 30-minute demonstration using real data from Ekofarma PROBIO. John Tzilivakis walked participants through the software, showing how adjusting different land management options within the tool could improve habitat suitability scores. The case study revealed specific insights about the farm: A spatial analysis showing the distribution of suitable habitats across the farm Identification of critical weaknesses, particularly the lack of overwintering areas in the western portion of the property Concrete management recommendations including the introduction of winter stubbles, field margins, biostrips and strategic fallow areas The visual nature of the tool, with its maps and clear scoring system, helped participants understand how their management decisions directly impact habitat quality. This case study was chosen after unsucessful attempts to reintroduce Grey Partridges to the area, prior to the FRAMEwork project. Credit: Iris Bohet/Czech University Of Life Sciences A Collaborative Discussion The final portion of the workshop featured a lively 25-minute discussion that brought together different perspectives: Farmers and advisors   provided crucial feedback on the practicality of implementing the suggested measures, discussing real-world constraints such as economics, labor availability, and integration with existing farming operations. Ornithologists  offered valuable insights on the modeling assumptions used in FEAST and the accuracy of the habitat mapping, drawing on their field experience with grey partridge populations in the Czech Republic. This exchange highlighted one of the workshop's key strengths: bringing together technological innovation with local knowledge and practical experience. Looking Forward The workshop successfully demonstrated how tools like FEAST can bridge the gap between conservation science and practical farm management. Participants expressed interest in: Testing the tool on their own farms Exploring its application for other wildlife species Participating in follow-up sessions to refine management recommendations As biodiversity loss continues to challenge agricultural landscapes across Europe, workshops like this show how technology, when combined with farmer engagement and ecological expertise, can offer practical pathways toward more nature friendly farming. The FRAMEwork project's approach, making sophisticated habitat assessment tools accessible to farmers while incorporating their feedback, represents an important model for agricultural conservation initiatives. By focusing on a beloved but declining species like the grey partridge, the workshop connected technical innovation with a conservation challenge that resonated with the rural community. You can learn more about FEAST here .

An Event Series by and for the platform's community... In June, we celebrated the public launch   of the project's fantastic new knowledge and action platform Recodo .  Featuring a comprehensive offering of knowledge support tools and resource collections for farmers, scientists, policy-makers and citizens, the platform also functions as the online hub for our new pilot Farmer Cluster Newtork in Europe. Recodo banner at a project event in 2022 | © Taskscape This platform and network is one of the FRAMEwork projects most valuable achievements, especially the mutual support and knowledge exchange it makes possible. We want to help it consolidate and flourish in the final stages and beyond. So to support this happening, Taskscape is creating an event series for the project, ' Recodo in Real Life' to connect stakeholders with key knowledge resources on the platform. In recent months, we have been reaching out to project partners to find out what kind of events would be most helpful and impactful when it comes to celebrating our achievements and sharing what we’ve learned over the course of the project with the audiences who would most benefit from it. Using their insights, along with in-depth research into our wider network of actors and audiences, we are now developing a varied programme that will run from late 2024 to mid 2025.  This programme will cover in-person, online and hybrid events and explore topics of interest to Recodo’s network, representing:  Regional, national and international locations  Both ground-up and top-down approaches  A range of farming systems and landscape types They will range in scope from pop-ups at existing events already in the project's calendar to dedicated events created for the series. We’ll keep you updated about when, where and how you can get involved in project communications, so keep your eyes peeled. You don’t want to miss this invitation!  In the meantime, you can follow news stories about the events in this dedicated section of the blog and keep an eye on the emerging calendar to learn more and sign up.

Biodiversity-sensitive farming means more than just flower strips... On the 20th May 2025, we were pleased to be invited to attend a conference in Frankfurt, 'More Than Just Flower Strips', organised for the EU LIFE project 'Insect-Responsible Sourcing Regions' (IRSR). Graphic: Taskscape composite | Assets IRSR/Global Nature Fund With 40% of global insect species now threatened, their project seeks to tackle this alarming decline through innovative landscape-level approaches, bringing together around 60 demonstration farms across Germany and Italy with food companies of all sizes, as well as NGOs and policymaking bodies. Overlaps with FRAMEwork's research and pilot initiatives mean it was fantastic to be invited to present the project, and its Recodo platform, as well as participate in panel discussions. The opportunity to learn from attendees' experiences, discuss broad issues and consider case studies in breakout sessions was also valuable for the delegation from partners the James Hutton Institute and Taskscape. FRAMEwork's Contribution Project Coordinator Dr Graham Begg (JHI) presented an overview of FRAMEwork in the morning session. Dr Begg emphasised that transforming agriculture requires moving beyond isolated interventions to embrace system-wide, collaborative approaches rooted in local communities and supported by proper facilitation and resources. He opened by establishing the context of agriculture's role in global biodiversity loss through habitat simplification and intensification. This was followed by an explanation of ways current conservation efforts, particularly Agri-Environment Schemes, often prove insufficient due to their farm-level focus, inflexibility and lack of monitoring feedback. Moving to solutions, Dr Begg explored successful collaborative models worldwide, including UK Farmer Clusters, Australian Landcare, Dutch cooperatives and New Zealand's Greening Waipara initiative, highlighting how landscape-scale collaboration encourages ecological restoration and farmer-led innovation. Hutton's Dr Begg Presenting the project | Credit: Taskscape His presentation then detailed FRAMEwork's three-tier approach: Farmer clusters at the grassroots level, supporting resources and tools in the middle tier and overarching scientific and policy integration at the top. Dr Begg offered practical insights from the project's 11 pilot Farmer Clusters across 10 European countries, discussing the challenges of forming and managing clusters, from identifying lead farmers to securing funding and achieving meaningful collaboration. He then presented encouraging data from Clusters showing improved ecological understanding and enhanced ability to deliver biodiversity outcomes, while acknowledging increased workloads. The presentation concluded with an introduction to Recodo, the project's digital information hub, from Theo Simmons (Taskscape), which explored its design, resources, uptake and key learnings. Presenters in the morning sessions also included Dr. Andreas Gumbert, DG Environment at the European Commission, who attended remotely, offering EU-wide perspectives on the protection of pollinators and Patrick Trötschler and Jule Huber, of the Lake Constance Foundation and Georg-August University Göttingenand, who explained the LIFE IRSR and the KOOPERATIV Projects. All in-person speakers were invited to participate in a short panel discussion to close the morning, with interesting questions posed to Dr Begg on the details of piloting the UK Farmer Cluster model in Europe and to Theo Simmons on stakeholder perspectives and the role of media in science communication. Taskscape's Theo Simmons in a panel discussion | Credit: Global Nature Fund Afternoon sessions featured four parallel breakout sessions, each focusing on different aspects of biodiversity enhancement. These included exploring high-potential agricultural measures and landscape connectivity, examining municipal innovations that combine biodiversity with public engagement, discussing citizen science approaches for biodiversity monitoring and investigating new financing strategies for biodiversity in food production. The English-language session on financing strategies was particularly interesting for project attendees. Following a networking break, afternoon sessions concluded with a panel discussion featuring four representatives from business, agriculture and research institutions discussing "Responsible Sourcing Regions in Europe - How Can We Mainstream Landscapes Approaches, Measures and Incentives?". From the project, Theo Simmons (Taskscape) participated as a speaker alongside Andrea Schwalber, Nestlé Germany & Food for Biodiversity, Marek Bingel, Ecoland & Bäuerliche Erzeugergemeinschaft Schwäbisch Hall and Prof. Dr. Nils Borchard, from the DLG's Competence Centre for Agriculture and Food. It turned out to be an interesting discussion ranging from the panellists' favourite foods all the way up to big issues like AI uptake and securing financing for ecosystem resilience in a world increasingly re-focused on global security issues and expanding profits. The day's panel discussions and broader programme were excellently moderated by programmer Patrick Trötschler and the Global Nature Fund's Managing Director Udo Gattenlöhner, who welcomed attendees and closed the conference with a positive summary looking towards the future. Engagement and Impact Recodo's stand | Taskscape Attended by almost 100 people across Europe's NGO, research and business community the conference proved a great knowledge exchange opportunity. Reciprocal social posts before and after the event also helped raise awareness of FRAMEwork and other attending initiatives. Following the conference, members of the project's leadership team co-signed a letter to EU Policymakers. This document was drawn up jointly by the five partners in EU LIFE IRSR across agriculture, nature conservation and the food industry. It summarises key action requirements for the sustainable promotion of biodiversity in Europe. To learn more about IRSR we invite you to explore their website and Guideline resource. We would like to thank the organisers already mentioned for engaging with FRAMEwork and extending an invite to the conference, as well as Jenja Kronenbitter and Kimberly Kürschner from the Global Nature Fund.