Try-out in practice
The idea Farming for Nature has already been specified extensively. But how does it work in practice? To answer that question two pilot projects have been set up. The first is a project in the Polder van Biesland, a peat polder close to Delft. There the Duijndam family is transforming their organic dairy farm into a nature-oriented management. The implementation started on January 1st 2008.
The second pilot project located in the beautiful small-scale landscape of the Twickel estate. A varied area with forests, heather fields, wooded banks, ash trees and brook dales. Several leaseholders show interest in transforming into a landscape- or nature-oriented management.
Two pilot projects give a broad view
Both pilot areas are very different in soil and natural conditions. Together they give a broad view of the possibilities and the preconditions for Farming for Nature. How should farmers change their farm structure? What technical and economic results can be achieved? What natural and landscape values does the new structure produce? What organisational, judicial and financial structure is the most functional? These are questions to which the pilots are going to give answers in the coming years.
More plans in preparation
Apart from the ‘official' pilot projects, there are serious plans in other areas (Brabant, Overijssel, Utrecht) to start with Farming for Nature. The concept turns out to appeal to local and provincial governments as well as agricultural entrepreneurs. Important for the further development of the concept in practice is the approval by the European Commission for a wider implementation than the five aforementioned farms. (See: Farming for Nature and the Law, European Rules