Advancing Our Understanding of Opportunities in Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation

Project Update: Advancing Our Understanding of Opportunities in Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation

This summer (2024), our PhD student, Carla Erismann, has been actively conducting fieldwork across the agricultural landscapes of Brandenburg. She has interviewed a diverse range of stakeholders, including representatives from the Landwirtschaftsamt, professionals in Brandenburg’s Biosphere Reserves, landscape communication experts, and local farmers. These interviews are part of Work Package 2 of the CLEAR project, where we are using the Q method and qualitative interviews to explore challenges and opportunities for biodiversity conservation on agricultural land. Key questions include understanding what works, what needs improvement, and how stakeholders perceive cooperative and result-based measures in agri-environmental schemes. Similar research is being conducted in Scotland and France, with interviews in Scotland happening online to facilitate regional comparisons. This winter, we plan to host online workshops for Scotland and Germany to present preliminary findings and foster stakeholder dialogue. Additionally, an upcoming workshop in Work Package 3 will engage stakeholders in collaborative landscape planning discussions, emphasizing our commitment to inclusive research.