Farm–Nature Plan: landscape ecology based farm planning

A procedure is presented for restyling the lay-out and management of farms in order to increase the biodiversity in the agricultural landscape as well as the sustainability of farming. The protocol for the development of an on-farm Nature Management Plan explicitly uses landscape ecology characteristics, local biotic and abiotic data and potential, as well as the farming system data and farmer’s personal interests. It may also enhance the farmer’s interest and understanding of agro-ecological pattern and process and induce a more conscious approach to elements of nature on the farm, which may be the starting point in ecologising agricultural practice.