AMDORE - Tools for restoring biodiversity on farms: improving a results-driven approach

The AMDORE project proposed to take this approach further by addressing the methodological elements that enable biodiversity management to be positioned as an objective for farmers or agricultural collectives. In particular, it sought to test methods for integrating a collective design stage for biodiversity issues.

Approaches

The project was set up within Experimental Animal Physiology Unit of Orfrasière (UEPAO, INRAE Centre Val de Loire, Nouzilly site). Two teams participated in the process, which was structured in three iterative stages based on the KCP (Knowledge-Concepts-Proposals) method.

In the first stage, each team member explained the concept of biodiversity in his/her own way, and then a collective choice was made regarding the biodiversity elements to be worked on.

In the second stage, a workshop was held to share knowledge on the biodiversity elements selected in stage 1 and to discuss the knowledge, leading to the selection of actions to be taken, objectives for the year and measures to be implemented by the teams themselves.

The third stage involves reviewing the results observed, analysing the results in relation to the objectives set, and defining new objectives and actions for the coming year.

This iterative approach was implemented over two consecutive years for one team and over a single year for the other. 

For the first team, the biodiversity targeted focused on species considered harmful (coypu, corvids, flies/horseflies and wasps, etc.), heritage species (swallows and bats), ecosystem functions (degradation of organic matter and shade on pastures) and overall biodiversity by increasing the mowing height of pastures. For the other, the objectives chosen were to assess soil biological activity in five plots and to establish flower strips.

Results

Most of the selected actions have been carried out and monitored: morning and evening counts of the number of coypu seen on a grazing plot; installation of swallow nesting boxes under a straw shed and monitoring of their presence/absence in the nests; installation of bat nesting boxes and monitoring presence/absence of droppings; measurement of mowing height and recording of damage to wildlife, installation of LEVAbags to measure soil biological activity. 
The project has had numerous benefits for biodiversity conservation at the INRAE site in Nouzilly and contributes to the site's CSR approach. Several biodiversity initiatives will be continued: installation of nesting boxes for swallows and bats, increasing mowing height, commitment of teams to a micro-copse  planting project, planting of flower strips.

Initial findings suggest that the approach to promote ownership requires certain initial conditions, in particular the presence of a network engineer and shared leadership within the group. Nevertheless, it seems that the proposed method is at least changing perceptions of biodiversity, as can be seen from the evolution of the vocabulary used by participants.  Biodiversity has thus become a unifying force for the team. 

Participants

INRAE units involved

• UE PAO - Unité expérimentale de physiologie animale de l'Orfrasière 
• UMR PRC - Physiologie de la reproduction et des comportements
• UE Saint Laurent de la Prée - Unité expérimentale de Saint-Laurent-de-la-Prée
• UMR SADAPT - Sciences pour l'action et le développement : activités, produits, territoires