Europe’s Living Countryside All photos © WWF / Ola Jennersten Rural Development Programming Guidelines A manual based on the findings of the Europe’s Living Countryside project ‘Environmental integration lies at the heart of sustainable rural development’

All photos © WWF / Ola Jennersten Europe’s Living Countryside Seven national studies – (Germany, Poland, Hungary, Spain, Bulgaria, Netherlands & UK) with stakeholder involvement to identify issues & priorities National reports Strategic guidelines paper A Manual (‘road map’) for integrating the environment into rural development programmes (October 05)

Europe’s Living Countryside Setting Environmental Priorities Identifying Environmental Objectives & Targets On-Going Impact Review Stakeholder Consultation & Programme Adjustment Involving Stakeholders in Development & Implementation Using Measures to their Full Environmental Potential - horizontal & vertical integration Budgeting for & Funding Rural Development Delivery Mechanisms & Leader Monitoring & Evaluation Seven steps for integrating the environment into RDPs

All photos © WWF / Ola Jennersten Europe’s Living Countryside - SMART Objectives & targets S - Specific M - Measurable A - Action-orientated, Ambitious but Achievable R - Relevant to objectives and Realistic T - Timely/Timebound Donana National Park- by 2013: raise groundwater levels by x% from 2000 level restore x kms of natural stream channels to increase water for sustainable farming

All photos © WWF / Ola Jennersten Europe’s Living Countryside – European environmental priorities Safeguarding Europe’s biodiversity Maintaining water in good ecological condition Sustainable forest management Protecting the landscape heritage Contributing to combating climate change

All photos © WWF / Ola Jennersten Europe’s Living Countryside programming checklist - e.g. achieving environmental benefits through Leader How are environmental issues and priorities strategically integrated into the selection of Leader areas? What mechanisms will ensure that socio-economic and environment win-win projects are developed? How are environmental issues and priorities integrated into the delivery mechanisms for each Leader local development strategy? What safeguards are in place to avoid any detrimental environmental and landscape effects? What priority has been given to increasing the environmental and landscape value of the Leader area? How will Leader outcomes be monitored locally and nationally? Overall Assessment

All photos © WWF / Ola Jennersten Overview of using and integrating each Axis and measures – e.g to safeguard Europe’s biodiversity Training, capacity building and facilitation ( Axis 1, 3, 4) Farm and forestry advisory services (Axis 1) Processing & marketing of products from environmentally sustainable management & related food quality schemes (Axis 1) Targeted environmental management - Natura 2000 payments, Less favoured areas, agri-environment & forest environment, non-productive investments (Axis 2) Development of management plans(e.g. Natura 2000) and Leader local development strategies (Axis 3) Conservation and upgrading of the rural heritage (Axis 3) Environment as a basis for rural tourism (Axis 3) Development of rural businesses providing environmental services (Axis 3)

All photos © WWF / Ola Jennersten Summary – realising the environmental potential of EAFRD Promote creative use of all the Axes to address environmental priorities & objectives - horizontal and vertical integration & ‘win-win’ actions Build environmental safeguards into the development & implementation processes Improve baseline data and monitoring and refinement of programmes Encourage use of the guidelines by RDP writers, contributors/stakeholders and assessors

Europe’s Living Countryside All photos © WWF / Ola Jennersten ‘Environmental integration lies at the heart of sustainable rural development’ Competing demands for rural development funds at a time when the budget may fall – need to look for added value