Periodic Reporting for period 4 - SUPER-G (Developing SUstainable PERmanent Grassland systems and policies)
Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2024-02-29
SUPER-G applied a multi-actor approach, working with farmers; land owners/managers and their advisers; third sector and civil society groups; non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and researchers, policy and business communities to achieve: 1) better understanding of the importance and functioning of permanent grasslands (PG) within five European biogeographic regions; 2) benchmarking of PG performance across Europe; 3) co-development of integrated approaches for sustainable PG management; and 4) co-development of tools and policy mechanisms to support the maintenance and sustainable management of PG. The project lasted five years and nine months to allow time for the establishment of farm networks for data gathering and analysis; and the development of good grassland practices, innovative techniques and farm-level and policy support tools.
The project focused on the following ecosystem services (ES; based on the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services; CICES, V4.3 2013):
• Food production (meat, dairy products, honey), wool and biomass (wood, cork, bioenergy, fibre, bedding material)
• Biodiversity (incl. maintenance of ecosystem functions; and provision of ES from species to landscapes)
• Climate regulation (through carbon sequestration and regulation of greenhouse gas emissions)
• Water quality (for drinking and non-drinking purposes; and to maintain favourable living conditions for terrestrial and aquatic biota)
• Mediation of water flows (for supply and discharge; and flood protection/mitigation)
• Erosion control (vegetation cover to protect/stabilise terrestrial ecosystems)
• Landscape and recreation
The project focused on the following ecosystem services (ES; based on the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services; CICES, V4.3 2013):
• Food production (meat, dairy products, honey), wool and biomass (wood, cork, bioenergy, fibre, bedding material)
• Biodiversity (incl. maintenance of ecosystem functions; and provision of ES from species to landscapes)
• Climate regulation (through carbon sequestration and regulation of greenhouse gas emissions)
• Water quality (for drinking and non-drinking purposes; and to maintain favourable living conditions for terrestrial and aquatic biota)
• Mediation of water flows (for supply and discharge; and flood protection/mitigation)
• Erosion control (vegetation cover to protect/stabilise terrestrial ecosystems)
• Landscape and recreation
The project was co-ordinated and managed in WP1 to ensure multi-actor functioning across Work Packages (WPs) and a transdisciplinary approach. In the fourth reporting period (RP3) there were two GA (project) meetings; the first held in Budapest, Hungary in June 2023 and the second held in Brussels, Belgium in February 2024.
WP2 (Delivering sustainable systems) aimed to identify the important functions that PG provides and explore what needs to be done to ensure optimal ES delivery. This began with the development of a European grassland typology that covers the range of grassland types in terms of biogeographic characteristics. In RP4, this was complemented by the development of a PG type Atlas, including portrait descriptions and at least one case study for each PG type. Better understanding of the importance and functioning of PG was achieved through an integrated systematic review of the relationship between PG management and ES delivery. In RP4, sixteen fact sheets were produced, describing management approaches and emerging technologies to improve the ES function of PG. The final output was to assess the effect of PG type and management on ES delivery. The results are presented in the PG type Atlas and reported in deliverable D2.6.
WP3 (Benchmarking and testing) was largely based on data gathering from farm networks and experimental platforms spread over six biogeographic regions. In RP4, the final set of co-innovation workshops were completed across the 23 farm networks to discuss the results from trials and experiments. There was a focus on the ‘road testing’ of management options and innovative technologies such as establishing ‘multi-species swards’, using GPS collars, and testing the practical implementation of ‘virtual fencing’. A second round of benchmarking activity was also completed across the farm networks through data gathering in a PG management questionnaire survey to assess what had changed through the course of the project. Data from the first PG management survey was also used to investigate correlations between various farm characteristics and PG management variables of specialised dairy farms.
WP4 (Securing performance) investigated the socio-economic factors that influence PG management. The systematic reviews and review of European policies that influence PG management were completed in period 1, and in periods 2 and 3 we analysed and wrote up the research on citizen focus groups, (held in five European countries), completed survey research for farmers (4.2) and citizens (4.3) and finalised the analysis for both 4.2 and 4.3. The focus in RP4 was on “Developing policy options for ES in relation to PG”. We delivered a series of policy webinars in the Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden and Brussels and have produced twelve policy briefs tailored to the needs of national and European regional policy.
WP5 (Aiding Decision Making) was largely based on the development of two decision support tools; one for farmers and one for policy makers. Work during RP3 and RP4 involved scoping out the tool requirements, available datasets, suitable metrics and user-friendly interfaces. The ES to include, how they are used, the best metrics for measurement and how the results are presented were agreed at a series of workshops and meetings. Based on these discussions, detailed design specifications were produced and the tools constructed. The farm tool helps farmers and advisers use selected metrics to assess farm productivity and the delivery of other ES. The policy tool demonstrates how changes in land use, grazing livestock stocking rates and farm management practices alter meat and milk production and the delivery of ES at a regional scale.
In WP6 (Communication & Dissemination), communication continued in RP4 through the delivery of stakeholder seminars, summer schools, webinars, a series of practical face-to-face workshops with farmers and a final hybrid conference. The fourth round of EIP-AGRI abstracts was produced and the project website used to host newsletters, scientific papers, videos, factsheets, policy briefs and the PG portraits. Project outputs were publicised at a series of workshops and conferences. Summer schools were held in Cordoba, Spain; Göttingen, Germany; and Turin, Italy.
WP7 (Ethics requirements) ensured the rigorous application of ethical and data privacy standards, and compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR - Regulation (EU) 2016/679) and national equivalent legislation. Procedures for data collection, storage, protection, retention, and destruction; and to identify and recruit research participants were implemented. All the data protection, consent procedure and scientific research requirements detailed in the Ethics Summary Report (provided by the European Commission) were addressed within this WP.
WP2 (Delivering sustainable systems) aimed to identify the important functions that PG provides and explore what needs to be done to ensure optimal ES delivery. This began with the development of a European grassland typology that covers the range of grassland types in terms of biogeographic characteristics. In RP4, this was complemented by the development of a PG type Atlas, including portrait descriptions and at least one case study for each PG type. Better understanding of the importance and functioning of PG was achieved through an integrated systematic review of the relationship between PG management and ES delivery. In RP4, sixteen fact sheets were produced, describing management approaches and emerging technologies to improve the ES function of PG. The final output was to assess the effect of PG type and management on ES delivery. The results are presented in the PG type Atlas and reported in deliverable D2.6.
WP3 (Benchmarking and testing) was largely based on data gathering from farm networks and experimental platforms spread over six biogeographic regions. In RP4, the final set of co-innovation workshops were completed across the 23 farm networks to discuss the results from trials and experiments. There was a focus on the ‘road testing’ of management options and innovative technologies such as establishing ‘multi-species swards’, using GPS collars, and testing the practical implementation of ‘virtual fencing’. A second round of benchmarking activity was also completed across the farm networks through data gathering in a PG management questionnaire survey to assess what had changed through the course of the project. Data from the first PG management survey was also used to investigate correlations between various farm characteristics and PG management variables of specialised dairy farms.
WP4 (Securing performance) investigated the socio-economic factors that influence PG management. The systematic reviews and review of European policies that influence PG management were completed in period 1, and in periods 2 and 3 we analysed and wrote up the research on citizen focus groups, (held in five European countries), completed survey research for farmers (4.2) and citizens (4.3) and finalised the analysis for both 4.2 and 4.3. The focus in RP4 was on “Developing policy options for ES in relation to PG”. We delivered a series of policy webinars in the Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden and Brussels and have produced twelve policy briefs tailored to the needs of national and European regional policy.
WP5 (Aiding Decision Making) was largely based on the development of two decision support tools; one for farmers and one for policy makers. Work during RP3 and RP4 involved scoping out the tool requirements, available datasets, suitable metrics and user-friendly interfaces. The ES to include, how they are used, the best metrics for measurement and how the results are presented were agreed at a series of workshops and meetings. Based on these discussions, detailed design specifications were produced and the tools constructed. The farm tool helps farmers and advisers use selected metrics to assess farm productivity and the delivery of other ES. The policy tool demonstrates how changes in land use, grazing livestock stocking rates and farm management practices alter meat and milk production and the delivery of ES at a regional scale.
In WP6 (Communication & Dissemination), communication continued in RP4 through the delivery of stakeholder seminars, summer schools, webinars, a series of practical face-to-face workshops with farmers and a final hybrid conference. The fourth round of EIP-AGRI abstracts was produced and the project website used to host newsletters, scientific papers, videos, factsheets, policy briefs and the PG portraits. Project outputs were publicised at a series of workshops and conferences. Summer schools were held in Cordoba, Spain; Göttingen, Germany; and Turin, Italy.
WP7 (Ethics requirements) ensured the rigorous application of ethical and data privacy standards, and compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR - Regulation (EU) 2016/679) and national equivalent legislation. Procedures for data collection, storage, protection, retention, and destruction; and to identify and recruit research participants were implemented. All the data protection, consent procedure and scientific research requirements detailed in the Ethics Summary Report (provided by the European Commission) were addressed within this WP.
1) Benchmarking of grassland outputs based on local and regional site conditions across Europe.
2) Provision of farm-level tools for the management of permanent grasslands taking into account environmental, economic and social dimensions
3) Enhanced cooperation and knowledge exchange; project partners worked across 6 biogeographical regions applying a transdisciplinary approach to address issues at local/regional and European scales
4) Provision of evidence to support improved policies to support biodiversity and the delivery of a range of ES from PG
5) Integrated scientific support for relevant EU policies (e.g. CAP, European Green Deal, Farm 2 Fork Strategy)
6) Strengthening of transdisciplinary research and long-lasting implementation of the results obtained through the implementation of the multi-actor approach
2) Provision of farm-level tools for the management of permanent grasslands taking into account environmental, economic and social dimensions
3) Enhanced cooperation and knowledge exchange; project partners worked across 6 biogeographical regions applying a transdisciplinary approach to address issues at local/regional and European scales
4) Provision of evidence to support improved policies to support biodiversity and the delivery of a range of ES from PG
5) Integrated scientific support for relevant EU policies (e.g. CAP, European Green Deal, Farm 2 Fork Strategy)
6) Strengthening of transdisciplinary research and long-lasting implementation of the results obtained through the implementation of the multi-actor approach