Evaluation of meadow bird management, especially black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa L.), in the Netherlands

Published source details Melman T.C.P., Schotman A.G.M., Hunink S. & de Snoo G.R. (2008) Evaluation of meadow bird management, especially black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa L.), in the Netherlands. Journal for Nature Conservation (English 2002-)*, 16, 88-95.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Pay farmers to cover the costs of bird conservation measures Action Link
	Pay farmers to cover the cost of conservation measures (as in agri-environment schemes) Action Link

Pay farmers to cover the costs of bird conservation measures

A study of the locations of Meadow Bird Agreements in the Netherlands (Melman et al. 2008) found that 43% of the 71,982 ha of Meadow Bird Agreements area in 2004 was located on sites where meadow bird populatons are constrained for reasons other than those addressed by the agri-environment management. Twenty-two percent (15,798 ha) were outside the area of known black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa occurence (more than five breeding pairs/100 ha in a 1998-2000 survey; 90-95% of other specialist meadow bird species breed in suitable black-tailed godwit habitat). Within the black-tailed godwit area, 11% (6,166 ha) of the Meadow Bird Agreements area was on heavily drained land, 4% (2,500 ha) was in landscapes not considered open enough for meadow birds, 10% (5,400 ha) was in areas of high traffic disturbance and an estimated 8% (2,834 of the 35,000 ha for which data were available) was on sites with high predation. The authors advocated targetting Meadow Bird Agreementsto the 285,000 ha of land in the Netherlands with more than five breeding pairs of black-tailed godwit/100 ha, but none of the other identified constraints.
Pay farmers to cover the cost of conservation measures (as in agri-environment schemes)

A study of the locations of Meadow Bird Agreements in the Netherlands (Melman et al. 2008) found that 43% of the 71,982 ha area of Meadow Bird Agreements in 2004 was located on sites where meadow bird populations are constrained for reasons other than those addressed by the agri-environment management. Twenty-two percent (15,798 ha) were outside the area of known black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa occurrence (more than five breeding pairs/100 ha in a 1998-2000 survey; 90-95% of other specialist meadow bird species breed in suitable black-tailed godwit habitat). Within the black-tailed godwit area, 11% (6,166 ha) of the Meadow Bird Agreement area was on heavily drained land, 4% (2,500 ha) was in landscapes not considered open enough for meadow birds, 10% (5,400 ha) was in areas of high traffic disturbance and an estimated 8% (2,834 of the 35,000 ha for which data were available) was on sites with high predation. The authors advocated targeting Meadow Bird Agreements to the 285,000 ha of land in the Netherlands with over five breeding pairs of black-tailed godwit/100 ha, but none of the other identified constraints.