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Status of Habitats Directive species

Farmland habitats are the primary habitat of five species of the EU Habitats Directive and five species of the Birds Directive. This equals 7% of all species listed in these directives.

Four Habitats Directive's farmland species occur in the boreal region. The conservation status of none of these species was evaluated as favourable. The status of three species is unfavourable-inadequate and that of European Polecat unknown. The conservation status of the northern subspecies of Woodland Ringlet occurring in the arctic region was also evaluated as unfavourable-inadequate.

Farmland Habitats Directive's species are all associated with traditional agricultural practices. Their conservation status is largely determined by the management and conservation of traditional rural biotopes (see FA15).

The populations of Clouded Apollo and Marsh Fritillary are fragmented. Their habitats have been managed, but until now this been insufficient in scope. The habitat requirements and population structure of Clouded Apollo have been studied in some detail. Some experiments have also been made at reintroducing individuals to sites that have been restored to a state that should be favourable for the species.

Population development and the factors affecting it are too poorly known in the case of European Polecat for an adequate evaluation of its conservation status or planning of relevant conservation measures. The populations of Agrimonies are instead well known and their status is being monitored. However, the species occurs in very limited area and its stands are small. The future of this species relies entirely on the management of suitable habitats.

Development of Birds Directive species

Four out of five Birds Directive species declined during the 20th century prior to 1990. In the case of the Great Snipe the decline strated already during the first half of the century whereas the Ortolan Bunting, Barred Warbler and Corn Crake only started to decline after the intensification of farming practices in the 1960s and 70s.

Since 1990 the small number of annually observed Great Snipes has shown no trend. Despite a temporary decline at the turn of the millennium the population of Red-Backed Shrike seems also to have remained stable over the whole period 1990-2008. The Ortolan Bunting and Barred Warbler have continued to decline. The only increasing farmland Directive bird species is the Corn Crake - the numbers of singing Corn Crakes have clearly recovered since 1990.