"The EIP Pearl Mussel Project (PMP) final report highlights the successful design and implementation of a results-based approach tailored to aquatic species. Key adaptations focused on hydrology and connectivity, introducing a catchment-wide, whole-farm approach and a payment model incentivising environmental improvements across entire landholdings. The project proved feasible at a regional scale, with technology helping manage extensive data. Participant retention and interest were high, with 77% preferring results-based over measures-based schemes in 2023. Annual scoring demonstrated the effectiveness of the approach in improving environmental conditions. The whole-farm strategy motivated early action on water quality pressures, and participant feedback indicated increased environmental awareness. However, more outreach and time are needed to fully educate participants on the results-based concept. Support from the project team on understanding scores and impacts could improve ownership of the process. There was significant value in the data collected as a baseline of habitat condition and land use in the catchments, facilitating the accurate mapping of those areas impacted by invasive species, drainage, or other land use pressures. Farmers' flexibility in selecting the supporting actions for their farms was valued, though the high number of unclaimed actions may be due to part-time farming. Training local groups to implement actions, especially for tasks like invasive species control, could address this. The habitat and watercourse improvements at the farm level have significant potential to benefit freshwater pearl mussel conservation. The approaches developed should be continued in future agri-environmental schemes and expanded to similar landscapes, offering broader ecological benefits for water, biodiversity, and climate."
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Agricultural run-off and subsurface drainage tiles transport a significant amount of nitrogen and phosphorus leached after fertilization. alchemia-nova GmbH in collaboration with University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna developed two multi-layer vertical filter systems to address the agricultural run-off issue, which has been installed on the slope of an agricultural field in Mistelbach, Austria. While another multi-layer addressing subsurface drainage water is implemented in Gleisdorf, Austria. The goal is to develop a drainage filter system to retain water and nutrients. Both multi-layer filter systems contain biochar and other substrates with adsorption properties of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus). The filter system can be of practical use if an excess of nutrients being washed out is of concern in the fields of the practitioner by keeping the surrounding waters clean. This approach may result in economic value by re-using the saturated biochar as fertilizer and improving the soil structure, thus increasing long-term soil fertility. Link: https://wateragri.eu/a-bio-inspired-multilayer-drainage-system/
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735. FACTSHEET NANOCELLULOSE MEMBRANES FOR NUTRIENT RECOVERY Key information Functionalized nanocellulose membranes can take up nitrate and phosphate. These membranes can be put in a water treatment unit. As the membranes are biobased, degradable materials, they can after use be added to the soil, thus returning the leached nutrients back for their original purpose providing fertilizers (nutrient recycling).
Because variables such as temperature and humidity have a profound effect on the activity of crop pests, diseases and natural enemies, the ability to monitor environmental conditions within a crop has always been important for crop protection.