Livestock protecting measures The system implemented in France Limiting impacts of wolves on livestock Livestock protecting measures The system implemented in France Working group on wolves European Commission 24th September 2009

1. Livestock in moutain areas 2. Financial system 3. Implementation of measures and technical assumptions

1. Livestock in moutain areas 2. Financial system 3. Implementation of measures and technical assumptions

Agriculture in mountain areas: an important and diversified livestock activity activité d’élevage importante et diversifiée

1. Livestock in moutain areas 2. Financial system 3. Implementation of measures and technical assumptions

Policy framework Co-financing of European Union (EAFRD) and French 1997-2004 : LIFE Nature programs 2004-2006 : National rural development plan « t » measure 2007-2013 : Third axe of the rural development support through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Co-financing of European Union (EAFRD) and French Ministry in charge of agriculture (50 % each)

Policy framwork French rural Development Program, Measure 323 c Integrated measure in favor of pastoral activity - Pasture investments - Actions to improve shepherd practices and protect livestock - Animation, studies Financing of protection costs, within a certain ceiling Procedures definied by the bill of the 19th of june 2009

Enforcement area of the measure Circle 1 Area in which predation on livestock is already established Circle 2 Area in which predation may be coming soon List of villages or parts of villages defined every year by the departmental authorities

Enforcement area of the measure en 2009 Circle 1 Circle 2

Eligibility criterias Type of beneficiary (farmer, manager of a livestock owners’ organisation…) Size of the flock (sheeps and goats) Time spent for pasture in the predation area (circles 1 et 2)

5 options (measure 323 c1-Alps) : 1. Strengthened human guarding 2. Electrific fence for mobile enclosure 3. Livestock guarding dogs 4. Electric fence for pasture enclosure 5. Vulnerability analysis of livestock to predation

From 2008 : one case by farmer et Balance sheet 2004-2008 1,35 2,32 3,41 4,06 4,96 Annual costs Annual contracts number * From 2008 : one case by farmer et not by flock

Other measures Technical and administrative support by technicians in charge of livestock protections in the departmental directions of agriculture and forest Emergency measures Can be used in areas being colonised Financing of preventive means in emergency, for farmers recently confronted with predation  Aim : to give solutions with high reactivity  Amount of 200 000 € per year (credits of the MAAP) Actions in favor of pastoral activity

1. Livestock in moutain areas 2. Financial system 3. Implementation of measures and technical assumptions

The context of early presence The efficiency of the measures is good … but not total  Decrease of the average number of killed animals per attack Some limits and difficulties when implementing the measures Various sorts of impacts (in economic, social and ecological ways) One of the current major issue at stake : to increase reliability of livestock guarding dogs Launching of a study about the impact of wolves on maintenance of pastoral activity in the Alps

Average number of killings per attack 1993 to 2008

Attacks and killings level 1993-2008

The current efforts to improve the measure « livestock guarding dogs » Quick increase of this very efficient measure, lack of selection and organization Difficulties with tourists and local people Strengthened legislation about dangerous dogs A national working group gathering the different stakeholders  orientations about penal responsability of farmers A national program which provided operational tools (a data base and a behaviour test) A field study of assessing the situation on the ground

In the context of areas being colonised Questions about technical and economic adaptation of the preventive measures and about vulnerability factors for livestock systems A major objective of the wolf plan : to anticipate the consequences of extension of wolves in new areas Under discussion : implementating field experimentations (importance of regional and national parks) To promote implementation of vulnerability analysis at large scale (f.e. : Franche-Comté, Massif central)

Conclusion Important concerns, in the context of expansion of the population of wolves : -interlinkages between the different measures which contribute to limit impacts of wolves on livestock breeding (damages prevention and compensation, wolf population management), -long term livestock breeding adaptation to this constraint, -Cost-efficiency