Linking agricultural policies to population trends of Swedish farmland birds in different agricultural regions

Published source details Wretenberg J., Lindstrom A., Svensson S. & Part T. (2007) Linking agricultural policies to population trends of Swedish farmland birds in different agricultural regions. Journal of Applied Ecology, 44, 933-941.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Provide or retain set-aside areas in farmland Action Link
	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
	Provide or retain set-aside areas in farmland Action Link

Provide or retain set-aside areas in farmland

A before-and-after study, examining data from 1976-2003 from farms across southern Sweden (Wretenberg et al. 2007) found that four locally migrant farmland birds showed less negative (or positive) population trends during a period of agricultural extensification, which included an increase in the area of set-aside. The authors suggest that the two could be causally linked. This study is discussed in ‘Pay farmers to cover the costs of conservation measures’.
Pay farmers to cover the costs of bird conservation measures

A before-and-after study, examining data from 1976-2003 from farms across southern Sweden (Wretenberg et al. 2007) found that four locally migrant farmland birds (northern lapwing, Eurasian skylark, common starling and linnet) showed less negative (or positive) population trends during 1987-1995, a period of agricultural extensification which included the introduction of agri-environment schemes, compared to in the preceding period of intensification (1976-1987). However, following the adoption of the Common Agricultural Policy in 1995-2003, the species showed more negative population trends again, despite the widespread adoption of agri-environment scheme options. Three non-migrant species (house sparrow Passer domesticus, tree sparrow P. montanus and yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella) showed more diverse population trends and responses to agricultural changes were largely non-significant.
Pay farmers to cover the cost of conservation measures (as in agri-environment schemes)

A before-and-after study, examining data from 1976 to 2003 from farms across southern Sweden (Wretenberg et al. 2007) found that four locally migrant farmland birds (northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus, Eurasian skylark Alauda arvensis, common starling Sturnus vulgaris and linnet Carduelis cannabina) showed less negative (or positive) population trends during 1987-1995, a period of agricultural extensification that included the introduction of agri-environment schemes, compared to in the preceding period of intensification (1976-1987). However, following the adoption of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 1995-2003, the species showed more negative population trends again, despite the widespread adoption of agri-environment scheme options. Three non-migrant species (house sparrow Passer domesticus, tree sparrow P. montanus and yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella) showed more diverse population trends and responses to agricultural changes were largely non-significant.
Provide or retain set-aside areas in farmland

A before-and-after study examining data from 1976 to 2003 from farms across southern Sweden (Wretenberg et al. 2007) found that four locally migrant farmland birds showed less negative (or positive) population trends during a period of agricultural extensification, which included an increase in the area of set-aside. The authors suggest that the two could be causally linked.