Central - Bic

Central-BIC aims to contribute to the central EU response to the loss of biodiversity and Ecosystem

Services (ESs), the lack of awareness and recognition of their values by rural communities and

consumers, and to stem the conflict between rural communities and nature conservation.

This challenge concerns local, regional and national public authorities, parks, NGOs, universities,

SMEs, business support organizations and the general public.

At the present, there is still too weak capacity of rural communities to recognize the value and

broader spectrum (environmental, social and economic) potentialities of biodiversity, sustainable

uses of ESs and related market capacities, and conservation policies are still anchored to bans,

subsidies and incentives.

For the ecological transition of the rural economy and to promote the sustainable management of

ESs, stakeholders need to be provided with new and alternative tools for the implementation of SEs

that are not just welfare: a challenge envisaged by EU strategies and not yet met. To this common

challenge Central-BIC wants to offer new tools.

To make the change possible, cooperation is central because to be effective in protecting biodiversity

or changing consumption models, action needs to be taken in a broader territorial context and

methods need to be compared and applied in different situations, providing room for flexibility, fine-

tuning and replicability of tested practical results.

So we collaborate with stakeholders, naturalists, social and economic experts, local actors both at

local territories and overall partnership levels level to jointly implement innovative solutions and

methodologies. We will carry on PESs mechanisms through the broadest and most articulated local

community involvement and participation, coaching activities, testing and consumer engagement.

Activities are divided into 3 thematic and interlinked WPs that transfer data methods, strategies and

results in course of the project.

Beginning with the assessment and monitoring of the biodiversity value in the pilot areas, producers

/consumers will be involved and interviewed, and the approach will be shared with the technical,

scientific, and local community in the 3 international and thematic Open Groups (OGs) that nurture

the process. Pilot actions adapted to territories’ needs and, will be jointly implemented and applied to

3 key supply chains: livestock, agriculture and integrated tourism. New tools will be developed for the

sustainable management of ESs and communication to markets, consumers and citizens and for the

knowledge and management of farms and markets up to PESs models.

In 30 months, on the basis of good practices already tested on some territories, it is expected to

result:

- 2 tailored solutions (PESs and BSCs model - see WP3 Output) new tools to be tested community

and stewardship practices for habitat restoration;

- active forms of habitat protection and the growth of community and stakeholder awareness and

participation;

- A sustainable network of Biodiversity Stewardship Communities (BSCs) and C-BIC4BICs that will

survive beyond the project end;

- a shared and inclusive plan of best practices that can be a reference for replicating practices

elsewhere, in other parks and local communities.

WP1 Habitat and Ecosystem Services assessment

Objective:

With reference to selected habitats: elaboration of methods to evaluate Ecosystem Services (ESs)

and their benefits for human well-being based on the EU Biodiversity Strategy. Explication of the

opportunities for the use of ES with zero biodiversity consumption and the assessment of

sustainable consumption rates.

To produce an Action Plan for the management of optimal Ecosystem Services and the compatibility

of human activities.

WP2 Socioeconomical analysis and PESs relevant model design and implementation/testing

Objective:

To provide the assessment of the economic performance of sustainable uses of ESs and proposal of

ESs payment models also through market, supply/demand mechanisms; Strategy and action plan for

socio-economic applications, elicitation of tailored green opportunities and for the application of

BSCs participatory methods and activation of bottom-up C-BIC4BIC processes.

WP3 Drive-for-solution pilot action toward transnational dimensions, by PESs and BSCs models

Objective:

To implement the experimentation of BSCs  (Biodiversity Stewardship Communities) & PESs  (Payment for

Ecosystem Services)  models on 14 areas, to improve the SEs and the value of biodiversity by wider stakeholder involvement.

We expect to establish 11 BSCs in PPs countries; extend the number of stakeholders / authorities

involved in biodiversity and ad hoc citizen science activities, identify new integrated products

(itineraries, local product baskets, etc.) with high biodiversity value and new PESs opportunities in

each site, restore grasslands and pastures.

Involve local communities around the principles of a rural economic development model based on

biodiversity, and set-up BSCs for planning territory sustainable development. To achieve this are

experiemented concrete actions in agriculture, animal husbandry and integrated tourism, on zero-

biodiversity consumption model capable of returning preserved or maintained SEs, with appropriate

PESs policies based on public or market interventions.

Central Europe Biodiversity Innovative Communities

Central Europe is challenged by a loss of biodiversity caused by an unsustainable management of ecosystems. Many rural communities miss support for a transition of their ecosystems. This shortcoming is tackled by the Central-BIC project, in which the partners develop new tools and methodologies for managing ecosystems sustainably. They involve producers and consumers directly in testing tailored solutions for three supply chains: livestock, agriculture, and integrated tourism. Activities include the set-up of a network of Biodiversity Stewardship Communities that offers replicable good practices for habitat protection.