• Work Package 1 is the forum that brings the researcher in the project together to exchange data, results and ideas, and ensures that appropriate indicators and necessary tools for communication and planning are developed. An important feature is the interrelated research topics (cross-cuttings) based on the broad interdisciplinarity of the project group and the exchange of common data.
• The conversion process and the motivations behind will be analysed in WorkPackage 2 where the geographical localisation, the diversification and the extensification of the farms is related to the landscape and nature qualities of the farms.
• Work Package 3 develops models and principles for the conservation of biological diversity on organic farms including methods to identify areas of interest and indicators to follow the development.
• Work Package 4 examines the conditions for a positive relation between a high crop production and species rich and varied ecosystems on the cultivated fields.
• Work Package 5 analyse the farmer's conception and how it is reflected in the aesthetics and nature values on the farm and develops new instruments of communication on nature and landscape quality.

Research group

Jesper Fredshavn, Head of Department, Lic. agro.: Project leader: WP 1
Pia Frederiksen, Senior researcher, ph.d.: WP 2
Rasmus Ejrnæs, Researcher, ph.d.WP 3
Jørgen A. Axelsen, Senior researcher, Ph.d. WP 4
Katrine Højring, Researcher, MA, WP 5

A total of 19 scientist will work on the project and the international collaboration of the experienced research group is broad.

Introduction

In 1999, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries published the 'Action Plan II - developments in organic farming' prepared by The Organic Food Board. The Action Plan recommended more research focus on various aspects of nature conservation and environmental protection and to develop indicators for nature values. The Action Plan also recommended to initiate research and to develop tools to be used by farmers and advisors to integrate on-farm nature values and the food production. Such tools should be used to monitor the development of nature values in collaboration between farmers, advisors and regional authorities (recommendations no 66 and 68). Furthermore, long term and holistic research on soil fertility in relation to organic farming practices was recommended as well as an analysis of the potentials of organic farming as an environmentally sound agricultural system for future landscape planning (recommendations no 69 and 74). Bearing in mind the numerous conceptions and interpretations of nature quality in organic farming it was decided to precede the research activities with a State of the art, i.e. a synthesis of knowledge (Tybirk & Alrøe 2001). The synthesis addressed the questions on how organic farming could contribute to the national and international obligations to conserve biological diversity and benefit from ecosystem functioning (soil fertility and pest control of direct interest of the farmer). Furthermore, the synthesis addressed the driving forces in the localisation and development of organic farms and their associated nature values. Finally, landscape qualities and esthetical aspects were included in the list of future research topics. A strong linkage between these research topics was recommended to facilitate the necessary balancing of these -sometimes- conflicting considerations.

State of the art

The increase in agricultural productivity achieved by drainage, intensive soil cultivation, nutrient input and pesticide application has narrowed the ecological variability of the environment (OECD 1999, Buller et al. 2000), with a consequent loss of biological diversity (Hodgson 1986). Organic farming is often considered an alternative to this development based on numerous results of a more varied biota in the organically grown fields (e.g. Stoltze et al. 2000). However, there is only little evidence that organic farming also favours the areas where the majority of species are found, namely the permanent grasslands and the uncultivated areas. The expectation that organic farming favours land use and farm practises that supports ecosystem functioning and to a higher extent contribute to nature qualities (Azeez 2000, Stoltze et al. 2000) are thus generally not well documented.
Organic farming has increased rapidly in Denmark from 400 farms in 1990 to more than 3,800 farms in year 2000, now covering more than 160,000 ha or around 6% of the total agricultural area (E.S. Kristensen, pers. comm.). The specialisation has changed from primarily dairy farms in mid 1990ies to plant production farms in late 1990ies. Likewise, the motivation behind conversion has changed from more ideologically related causes to a broader variety of motives including expectations of economic benefit (Noe 2000).
The conversion process and the motivations behind will be analysed in WorkPackage 2 where the geographical localisation, the diversification and the extensification of the farms is related to the landscape and nature qualities of the farms.
Nature quality and biological diversity in organic agriculture needs to be considered both on the cultivated fields and on the uncultivated areas. The cultivated areas may benefit from the ecological services provided by numerous polyphageous predators (spiders, beetles etc.) and a living and well-structured soil (Strukturdirektoratet 2000, Axelsen & Langer 2001). At the same time weeds, pests and pathogens may compromise possibilities for high crop yields.
Thus, Work Package 4 examines the conditions for a positive relation between a high crop production and species rich and varied ecosystems on the cultivated fields and seeks to identify useful indicators.

The uncultivated areas' including the permanent grasslands houses the majority of species in the agricultural landscape. These areas may contribute substantially to the biological diversity if treated properly, and organic agriculture could constitute an attractive farming practice in landscapes designated for the protection of biological diversity (Reddersen et al. 1999, Ejrnæs et. al. 1999).
Work Package 3 develops models and principles for the conservation of biological diversity on organic farms including methods to identify areas of interest and indicators to follow the development.

The farmers as well as the public in general is increasingly interested in environmental quality, landscape aesthetics and recreational opportunities (Porteous 1996, Jensen 1998, 1999). How well this awareness from the farmer's side is actually reflected in the aesthetics and nature values on the farm, needs to be further analysed. The public awareness and involvement in the decision-making processes has politically been acknowledged by the Aarhus Convention, 1998. This situation calls for new instruments of communication between the general public and farmers on nature and landscape quality (Noe 1999, Halberg et al. 2000). These issues will be addressed in Work Package 5 Considering nature quality in organic farming is a consideration between the biological, the agricultural and the esthetical aspects (Tybirk & Alrøe 2001).

The farmer and the public may have different priorities, but all three aspects need to be addressed in order to give complete answers. Work Package 1 is the forum that brings the researcher in the project together to exchange data, results and ideas, and ensures that appropriate indicators and necessary tools for communication and planning are developed.
This research proposal analyse the present Danish situation on the three aspects individually in order to reach high scientific standard, but the project also allocates considerable resources to the interdisciplinary integration of results and to workshops that will answer relevant research questions and develop useful indicators.

Research methodology

Different research methodologies and different disciplines from natural and social sciences are needed to build up the necessary knowledge to solve the questions of integrating nature conservation and esthetical considerations in the organic farming system. Specific attention must be paid to the integration of results, synthesis of the overall project and development of useful indicators.
The project works at various levels and scales. A national statistical analysis of the present organic farm location will form the basis for selection of three regional areas with a high density of organic farms. These areas covers some 2-300 farms representing the variety of farm types and natural abiotic conditions (soil types, climate) from which farm data concerning land use, management and production intensity will be gathered from databases and questionnaires. 20-50 of these farms will be selected for on-farm registration and analysis of biological quality. 18 farmers will be selected for in-depth interviews about their conceptions and considerations concerning nature and landscape qualities. In addition to this, specific experimental studies will be carried out in other supplementary areas for testing specific hypothesis under controlled conditions.
The research covers the habitat level (e.g. rotational field, hedge, dike and permanent grassland), the farm level (e.g. farming practice, crop rotation and farm type) and the regional landscape level (landscape scenarios and landscape perception).
The methods cover geographical, biological and conceptional analysis. This includes a geographical-statistical description of organic farm localisation, landscape analysis with respect to esthetical aspects, on-farm analysis of production, nature related practise and nature conceptions. It involves individual and group interviews, workshops and development of indicators facilitating the communication with the farmers involved.
The biological parts of the research include experimental manipulation of the farming practice, surveys of the wild flora and fauna and experiments on colonisation of uncultivated habitats.
Statistical modelling of consequences of different management practices will be carried out for cultivated fields, models to predict habitat quality and biological consequences of conversion to organic farming at landscape level.

A challenging part of the methodology is the synthesis and the suggested cross-cuttings presented in WP 1. This includes internal workshops where the process of understanding and integration of results from the different WPs will take place. Furthermore, the external presentation and discussion of the results with the scientific community, with political decision-makers and with the involved farmers and their advisors are crucial indicators for the success of the proposal.

Objectives and expected achievements

The overall aim of the project is to identify the key components that ensure a continuous development of organic farming towards a closer integration of nature quality with food production. To accomplish this, the project will develop a common platform of understanding of how the localisation, diversity and intensity of organic farms influence landscape and nature quality (Driving forces and Pressure indicators). WP 2 will achieve this. This platform will qualify and give perspective to the discussion of how the three major components (State-Impact indicators) of nature quality as identified recently (Tybirk & Alrøe 2001) can be combined locally and regionally:

• biological diversity (WP 3)
• ecosystem functioning (WP 4)
• esthetical landscape perception (WP 5)

• to co-ordinate the work and the exchange of knowledge generated in WP 2-5
• to ensure the production of common interdisciplinary syntheses contribution to the overall objectives of the project and
• to develop tools and indicators for application of results

1. Starting-up seminar
2. Annual co-ordination meeting
3. Annual status report
4. CC1: Impact of farm localisation and character on biological diversity.
5. CC2: Farm management, ownership, collaboration, value conceptions and nature values.
6. CC3: Farmers conception of nature and actual biological quality of his farm.
7. CC4: Workshop on the aesthetic perception of biological quality.
8. CC5: Functional interpretation of the response of arthropods to the organically farmed landscape.
9. CC6: Deleted due to budget reductions.
10. CC7: Landscape scenarios.
11. CC8: Workshop on identified correlations.
12. CC9: International workshop on Indicators.

1. To explore the present status of the national conversion to organic farming, by analysing the characteristics of the landscapes involved, the regional diversity and land use intensity of organic farms, and the spatial overlap of organic farms and valuable or protected nature types.
2. To analyse the spatial pattern of organic farm localisation as a basis for selection of case study areas.
3. To explore how and to which extent former and emerging local social relations and ways of knowledge and information dissemination influence the conversion process and its spatial character.
4. For selected case areas to study the nature management practises, i.e. agricultural and other farm related practises and land use that impact nature and landscape qualities on the present organic farms. Moreover to explore how these management practises are related to certain characteristics of the farms, like production, ownership, structural diversity and farmers collaboration network.
5. To analyse if and how changes in nature management practise, land use and landscape structures can be related to the history of conversion from conventional to organic production.
6. Deleted due to budget reductions.

1. Spatial statistical description of farm types, densities and land use intensity
2. Regional processes in Danish organic production
3. Social relations and spatial pattern: case area 1
4. Social relations and spatial pattern: case area 2 and 3
5. Integration of spatial and social processes in organic farming
6. Database fully available for cross-cuttings
7. Production, diversity and nature practise on existing organic farms in Denmark
8. Changes in farm diversity and nature practise with conversion to organic farming
9. The impact of organic farming on landscape structure and -change
10. Deleted due to budget reductions

1. To identify and describe the distribution of biological diversity within organic farms
2. To analyse the preconditions for biological diversity on organic farms
3. To develop indicators and methods for evaluating the influence of farm management on the biological conditions

1. The contribution of organic agriculture to biological diversity.
2. Manuscript: The importance of colonisation limitation for the diversity of grassland and hedgerows on organic farms.
3. Deleted due to budget reductions.
4. Manuscript: Predicting plant and invertebrate diversity in grassland habitats of organic farms.
5. Manuscript: Functional interpretation of the distribution of selected arthropod groups in the agricultural landscape.
6. Indicators for habitat quality in organic agriculture.
7. Deleted due to budget reductions
8. Deleted due to budget reductions

• To develop an indicator system of nature quality in organic fields.
• To test the hypotheses that enhanced biodiversity favours beneficial ecological processes.
• Evaluate the consequences of various organic agricultural practices and changes in landscape structures on mobile organisms use of the landscape.

1. Suggestion to indicator system
2. Scientific paper on indicator system
3. Suggestions for changes in management practice to promote selected species in organic fields
4. Deleted due to budget reductions
5. Scientific paper on the connection between soil fauna and polyphageous predators
6. Scientific paper on the relation between biodiversity and aphid control
7. Entry at the Danish Plant Protection conference
8. Scientific paper on the impacts of various organic farm practices on the mobile organisms
9. Deleted due to budget reductions

• To investigate the relationship between the organic farmers' value conceptions and management practices, and the aesthetic qualities of the landscape.
• To investigate potentials and obstacles on the individual level for the integration of nature and landscape considerations in food production.

1. The aesthetic perception of biological quality
2. The aesthetic perception of biological quality
3. The aesthetic quality of organically farmed landscapes
4. Nature and landscape quality - organic farmers value conceptions
5. Value conceptions, farm maintenance and biological quality
6. The contribution of farming practice to aesthetic quality
7. Local participation in nature and landscape quality assessment
8. Deleted due to budget reductions
9. Indicators for nature and landscape quality as instruments in awareness raising and decision-making