The project “Implementation and monitoring of agricultural management measures for the protection and conservation of landscape and biodiversity on Lemnos” was launched in 2020 and was funded by the Green Fund under Priority Axis 3 of the “Natural Environment & Innovative Environmental Actions 2020”. It was included under the general thematic topic of “Recording, monitoring, conserving and restoring the ecosystems and habitats of flora and fauna species of national and European interest with the aim of halting biodiversity loss”.
This was a citizen science project that complemented the Terra Lemnia efforts, by providing the necessary support and tools for the operation of the voluntary Land Stewards’ Network – a network of farmers that implemented a set of low-input, biodiversity-friendly and locally-rooted agro-pastoral practices, while monitoring soils to the benefit of biodiversity. All aspects of the proposed agricultural measures are described in the Terra Lemnia “Standard of Practices“, which provided the basis of operation for the network.
12 farmers participated in the pilot phase of the network, while the project team developed the precision-farming tools, including a geodatabase and a smartphone app, that allowed participating farmers monitor the implementation of these practices, as well as improve overall farm management. Training sessions on the use of these apps took place in 2020 and continued in 2021. A certification system, based on the Terra Lemnia “Standard of Practices“, was also developed and was used to create an environmental / landscape label for the products of the Land Stewards’ Network, supporting the marketing and stakeholder engagement strategy of the Terra Lemnia project. Overall, the project’s actions and outcomes aimed to support the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy and have the potential to inform rural development strategies, at a regional or even national level, through the Standard of Practices that was applied by the Lands Stewards’ Network.
Photo: Grazing in Fakos, Lemnos © S. Meyer/MedINA