1. Expert-Based Maps as a Regional Planning Tool Supporting Nature Conservation and Production-Integrated Compensation—A German Case Study on Biodiversity Offsets
- Author
-
Susanne Zhuber-Okrog, Ulrike Greifenhagen-Kauffmann, Enno Bahrs, Elisabeth Angenendt, Christian Sponagel, Martin Maier, and Andre Raichle
- Subjects
Decision support system ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Computer science ,Process (engineering) ,nature conservation ,biodiversity offsets ,offset implementation ,010501 environmental sciences ,01 natural sciences ,landscape planning ,Plot (graphics) ,Regional planning ,Production (economics) ,Comprehensive planning ,Environmental planning ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,Integrated business planning ,Global and Planetary Change ,Ecology ,business.industry ,production-integrated compensation ,Agriculture ,agri-environmental policy ,business ,Landscape planning - Abstract
Many countries worldwide have developed guidelines for offsetting impacts on nature and landscape. Suitable locations are the prerequisite for the implementation of these measures, and this might lead to conflicts with agriculture. In addition, comprehensive planning is often lacking and potential added values for nature conservation are not exploited. Concepts such as the so-called production-integrated compensation (PIC) have been introduced to give farmers the opportunity to actively participate in the offsetting process and improve cooperation. However, up to now, PIC has only rarely been put into practice. Against this backdrop, we have developed a regional planning tool for the implementation of PIC in practice. Based on geodata such as soil data, agricultural structure, or natural conditions at the field and landscape level, the general suitability, and specific measure-based recommendations for each plot can be verified with the help of a decision support system. These factors are assessed from both a nature and an agricultural perspective. The goal here is to highlight synergy effects and increase the likelihood of the proposed measures being implemented. Our tool facilitates the integrated planning of biodiversity offsets at regional level. In this way, it can promote the bundling and networking of measures. However, on-site analyses should be undertaken to complement the implementation of measures.
- Published
- 2021