The AGRIBIRDS project

Designing and communicating bird indicators for the farming sector AGRIBIRDS

2015-2018 Coordinators: ACTA, Project leader Hélène Gross BAGAPContact: j.pithon@groupe-esa.com BAGAP Research Area: Biodiversité and biological regulation and Biodiversity conservation de la biodiversité in rural and urban areas Keywords: Biodiversity, birds, agricultural practices, landscape management, indicators

Research

Context and objectives

Although they have been used for many years by naturalists and managers of natural habitats, indicators based on bird diversity are not yet widely used by the farming sector. This can be partly explained by the fact that existing protocols do not provide answers to local farming questions, but also because such methods are not easy or quick to learn and carry out in everyday life, for farmer and their advisors. 

The objective of the AGRIBIRDS project is to deal with these two limits and to provide accessible protocols for the farming sector which will enable interested farmers and advisors to measure bird indicators designed to provide answers to their specific questions.

Approach

Our BAGAP research unit will participate, along with other research partners, in the scientific committee. The role of this committee is to accompany the project in its choice of appropriate protocols and their simplificationand adaptation for the goals emerging from the farming sector. The AGRIBIRDS project will be conducted in partnership with a wide range of farming stakeholders, nature protection organisations and scientists, and through involvement of interested farmers for tests of bird protocols.

Expected results

The project aims to produce a tool that will enable farmers and their advisors to choose bird observation protocols that correspond to their aims and abilities, along the means to interpret the results obtained.

BAGAP staff involved

Joséphine Pithon

Partenaires

Chambres d’Agriculture 24, 49, 54, 55, ARVALIS, CETIOM, IDELE, MHHN UMR Centre d’écologie et de Sciences de la conservation, INRA UMR SAD-APT, CNRS UPR 1934 Centre d’études biologiquees de Chizé, ONCFS, UR PAYSAGE ESA, Agrocampus Ouest, ADEPRINA, EPL Morlaix et St Aubin du Cormier, InVivo AgroSolutions, FNC, FDC 10, 24, 45, 49, 54, CPIE, PNR Périgord-Limousin, Bretagne Vivante, LPO, SEOF (Société d’études ornithologiques de France).

Funding

CASDAR project, financed by the French Ministry of Agriculture (Ministère de l’Agriculture, de l’Agroalimentaire et de la Forêt)