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Activity Report 2010
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1
Dear Friends,
Tradition and innovation are two key concepts for our association: the fi rst
represents the heritage made of love for our land and social responsibility,
the second refl ects the restless eff ort in developing our estates in line with the
vital role of countryside for insuring a sustainable future to mankind. Both are
essential as tradition without innovation can’t go far and innovation without
roots can be dangerous.
In accordance with these guidelines our network takes part to the debate
regarding the function of land management in the contemporary society.
Starting point is always the importance of granting property rights which
are the pledge for long term projects and achievements and incorporate
the sense of continuity. It is our view that on this solid basis food and
environmental challenges can be better faced and the countryside and its
people will respond adequately.
Agriculture is strategic for providing suffi cient and safe food and basic
environmental protection: the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) shall
deal with these issues and, thanks to the ELO, our voice is well represented.
The message is clear : the countryside is ready to do its best to intensify
production and preserve environment utilizing in a reasonable framework
its traditional values and experience jointly with scientifi c progress and
innovation.
Avv. Giuseppe Visconti
President
FOREWORD
2
Dear Friends,
2010 is now over and, looking back; I
can safely say that it has been a suc-
cessful year for the Friends. The global
economy is on the road to recovery al-
though some countries are still facing
severe problems. In our particular fi eld
of activity, it is of the essence that the
demands of global food, timber and
environmental security are taken into
account, and that ways are found to
fi nance the services that land manag-
ers provide to society.
Europe has very little pristine habitat
left - the great majority of land has
been actively managed by humans for
centuries and it is this human activity,
our human activity, that has shaped
some of Europe’s most treasured
landscapes. Many of our charismatic
species and habitats are now actually
dependent on the continuation of ap-
propriate farming or forestry practices.
We identify that without land manage-
ment, society and the environment
would be in trouble. This works both
ways: land managers and society need
the local environment; and in densely
populated areas such as ours, the envi-
ronment needs the care of land man-
agement, farming, forestry and society.
With regards to climate change, ag-
riculture and climate change are in-
extricably linked. Agriculture is both
part of the problem and part of the
solution – it is a net-emitter of Green
House Gasses. However, with advanced
land management it also has an enor-
mous potential to cut emissions.
Agriculture has two roles in this con-
text. It must both adapt and mitigate
to the changing climate. It can achieve
this through more effi cient or so-
called ‘precision farming techniques’,
or even a combination of intensifi ca-
tion of agriculture in some areas, and
extensifi cation of agriculture in others.
Friends of the Countryside, and its
sister organisation the ELO (its lobby
tool) have been effi ciently promoting
the crucial role of private initiatives,
family businesses and property for a
prosperous countryside all over Eu-
rope in the framework of a balanced
approach to social, environmental and
economic considerations.
We are very proud of our partnership
with the ELO, of which the Wildlife
Estate Initiative (which promotes such
synergies between conservation and
sustainable land use) is an up-and-run-
ning initiative and I hope that many
Friends’ wildlife and hunting estates
will join it.
We are also launching a pollinator ini-
tiative which is promoting all the ben-
efi ts we can achieve by working with
bees and insects in our estates.
Let’s be clear, we are still facing a fu-
ture of increasing food scarcity, with
high, albeit very volatile prices both for
inputs and outputs. Agricultural poli-
cies will have to be adapted accord-
ingly. For this reason, at one hand the
ELO and Birdlife International pub-
lished a paper stating their joint posi-
tion regarding the reform of the CAP
and at the other hand the ELO has
been setting up the Rural Coalition
with COPA, CEJA and FACE.
Over the past decade, the focus of
European Agriculture has shifted fun-
damentally, to focus on farmers pro-
viding environmental public goods
and services, along with maintaining
adequate and secure food supplies.
We do feel that farmers should be
more and more considered as rural
businessmen. The RISE Foundation
having published a booklet, directed
by Allan BUCKWELL, entitled ‘RISE Task
Force on Public Goods from Private
Land’ analysed the available evidence
on the range of environmental and
man-made landscape services that
land managers, farmers and forest-
ers provide. It not only deals with the
actual services delivered, but reviews
work regarding the scale of the non-
market services which come from our
multifunctional land management
and assesses the various ways of trying
to bring about the delivery of these
services.
This has been largely advocated in the
European Institutions and is today a
key piece of the proposed reform.
The Team expresses its gratitude to the
Friends of the Countryside. By being
a member, you off er your expertise,
projects and suggestions which al-
low us to work not only for the goal of
achieving a prosperous and attractive
countryside for the future, but also of
securing family business transmission.
Thank you,
Thierry de l’ESCAILLE
CEO & Secretary General of
Friends of the Countryside
FOREWORD© Alison Boyes
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
BOARD MEMBERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
ORGANISATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Agriculture and environmental Security .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Forestry .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Status of Private Property .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Family Businesses .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Environment, forestry and Climate Change .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Renewable energies .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Rural development and Tourism .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Biodiversity and Sustainable Hunting and Angling .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Historical Houses, Parks and Gardens .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Wildlife Estates network .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The Life + project in Midden Limburg- 3WatER .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The pollinator Initiative .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
GENERAL ASSEMBLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
General Assembly and Conference of the Friends of the Countryside .. . . . . 21
Excursions .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
National branches events .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3rd Forum for the Future of Agriculture (FFA) ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3rd Forum for the Future of Agriculture- regional conferences .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Green Week ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
The Countryside Magazine .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
The Trusted family network .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Creating the future of countryside .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Website .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
PARTNERSHIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Young Friends of the Countryside .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
The RISE FOUNDATION .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Europa Nostra .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
AWARDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
The Anders Wall Award .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
The Environment and Soil Management Award .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Belleuropa Award .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
FINANCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
4
• Don Giuseppe VISCONTI (Italy)
Giuseppe VISCONTI is a member of the “International Bar Association”, a senior
partner and founder of “Studio Legale Portale VISCONTI”. FCS’s President is a
landowner in Lombardy and Piedmont and the founder of the “Movimento
Europeo Terra e Ambiante (Meta)” which was subsequently merged into FCS.
He has been both president of the Italian Landowners Association and Board
Member of the ELO for many years. Last but not least, he is an academic of the
“Accademia dei Georgofi li”, a director of the “Società Agraria di Lombardia” and
an editorialist of “Nuova Proprietà Fondiara”, a monthly Magazine of the Italian
Landowners Association.
• Principessa Giorgiana CORSINI (Italy)
• Comte de RADIGUES de CHENNEVIERE (Belgium)
• Michael SAYER, Esq. (United Kingdom)
• Alonso ÁLVAREZ de TOLEDO y URQUIJO, Marqués de Valdueza (Spain)
• Comte Ghislain d’URSEL (Belgium)
• Thierry de l’ESCAILLE (Belgium)
• Prince Charles-Louis d’ARENBERG (Belgium)
• Georges BERGENGREN, Esq. (Sweden)
• Comte Charles-Hubert de BRANTES (France)
• Nicolas de BUMAN (Switzerland)
• Conte Giorgio CICOGNA MOZZONI (Italy)
• Wolfgang von DALLWITZ (Germany)
• Karl GROTENFELD (Finland)
• Graf Maximilian HARDEGG (Austria)
• Sir Charles KEANE, Bt (Ireland)
• Graf Constantin KINSKY (Czech Republic)
President
Vice Presidents
CEO & Secretary General
Board Members
BOARD MEMBERS 2010
© Thomas de Dorlodot
5
• Baron Johan NORDENFALK (Sweden)
After ten years as President of the organization and having passed the reins on
to Giuseppe VISCONTI, FCS is particularly thankful to Johan NORDENFALK for the
energy, dedication and effi ciency that he devoted to setting up and presiding
over Friends of the Countryside. We are all extremely grateful for his personal en-
gagement in the pursuit of the cause of private property and private enterprise
and hope that he will keep helping and supporting FCS for many years to come.
Johan NORDENFALK graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from Uppsala
University and held several important positions in the Swedish Ministry of Jus-
tice, Finance and Industry. FCS certainly benefi ted a lot from his knowledge and
experience as a private landowner and which he acquired as Chairman of the
Swedish Landowners’ Organization for thirteen years. Our Honorary President is
still actively involved as Chairman of the Royal Swedish Patriotic Society, as Chair-
man of Friends of the Nordic Museum and Skansen, as a Member of the Royal
Swedish Academy for Forestry and Agriculture, and as Member of the Gustavus
Adolfus Academy.
Honorary President
Honorary Members
• Eric KWINT (The Netherlands)
• José de MASCARANHAS (Portugal)
• Antonio MELGAREJO (Spain)
• Poul MIKKELSEN (Denmark)
• Emilio NAVARRO MARTINEZ (Spain)
• Marchese Guiseppe PATERNŎ di SAN GIULIANO (Italy)
• Prinz Michael zu SALM-SALM (Germany)
• Prinz Friedrich von SCHWARZENBERG (Czech Republic)
• Baron Hubert de SCHORLEMER (Luxembourg)
• Graf Günther von der SCHULENBURG (Germany)
• Mark THOMASIN-FOSTER, Esq. (United Kingdom)
• M. François DEBIESSE (France)
• M. Youssef DIB (France)
• Dr. Anders WALL (Sweden)
BOARD MEMBERS 2010
6
ORGANISATION
SECRETARIATConsultative Committee; Think Tank on rural policy issues
Responsible for communication, logistic, organization of meetings, marketing and general coordination
The RISE Foundation
Think TankYFCS FCS
Member Organisations & Associates Members Grouping landowners
associations from 27 EUMember States + Acceding Countries
BOARDPolicy Group
Technical policy papers
EUROPEAN LIAISON COMMITTEEPolicy Group
Technical policy papers
GENERAL ASSEMBLY GENERAL ASSEMBLY GENERAL ASSEMBLY
BOARDPolicy Group
Technical policy papers
BOARD OF DIRECTORSPolicy Group
Technical policy papers
Rural landowners, entrepreneurs and businesses as
Friends & Young Friends of the Countryside from EU 27
European Family BusinessesG E E F
PROJECTS & PARTNERS
7
Agriculture and environmental se-
curity have never been more tightly
linked as they are at the present mo-
ment in history. At European level, we
are currently discussing the reform of
the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).
In this regard, many points are being
reviewed, in particular the budget as-
signed for agriculture. In this context,
the ELO and its member Organisation
have created the Forum for the Future
of Agriculture, as a discussion plat-
form, where politics, academics, indus-
try and civil society meets and fi nd a
common agreement of Europeans’
agriculture.
In the past 60 years world agriculture
has doubled food production through
advances in production systems and
crop and livestock breeding programs
while only using 10 percent more ag-
ricultural land. Those extraordinary
gains are now under pressure as the
world population is forecast to reach
9 billion by the year 2050, requiring a
70 percent increase in agricultural pro-
duction despite the fact that very little
new land is available. This need alone
is a daunting challenge, but climate
change and dependence on foreign
oil poses its own dangers to this al-
ready precarious set of demands. Just
as consumer habits are setting these
benchmarks for those wanting to fore-
cast how supply will need to keep up
with demand, the shifting pressures
on farmers will also put pressure back
on policy makers and also consumers,
further increasing the unpredictability
of the future market.
For most scientists it is impossible to
separate the changing climate from
the fossil fuels needed by our present
economy, to the same extent, most
farmers and land managers will agree
that it is impossible to separate our
present agricultural economy from
their need for fossil fuels. This dilemma
is not going to go away on its own.
Indeed, the stakes are only expected
to rise as demand for energy puts ad-
ditional pressure on farmer and land
managers by increasing the prices for
their inputs, including plant protection
chemicals and fertilizers.
According the a report by the Food
and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
2010 report, climate change is ex-
pected to reduce agricultural produc-
tivity to lower levels as well as making
production more erratic. Although
the fi gures vary, some estimate that
for every 1 degree Celsius increase in
global average temperature, we can
expect 7 to 10 percent losses in grain
yields. Climate related changes also in-
clude shifting patterns of temperature
and precipitation, changing not only
seasons of production but also that of
pest and disease patterns.
Although the most imminent chal-
lenges surrounding food security are
to be faced in the developing coun-
tries, the EU is now taking the matter
seriously as well. Production systems
need to become more resilient by be-
ing more capable of performing well
under adverse circumstances. This will
require transformations in the man-
agement of natural resources includ-
ing land, water, soil nutrients, and per-
haps genetic resources. That is not to
say that all farmers will face the same
challenges nor will the degree of the
changes be consistent across all levels
of industry.
Agriculture and Environmental Security
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEE © Alison Boyes
© Alison Boyes
8
In 2010, EU forests were at an inter-
section with the Climate Change dis-
cussions, the budget review, the pan-
European discussions on forestry and
the terminus of the Forest Action Plan,
discussions that will dictate the future
of European forests.
Climate Change poses important
challenges to European forests which
have strong potential to cope with
mitigation measures, their reason for
being highlighted during the COP16
in Cancun.
The discussions fl oated around REDD+
(Reducing Emissions from Deforesta-
tion and forest Degradation) and con-
sequently focused on mitigation in
developing countries, falling short on
opportunities arising for European For-
est owners, even if the international
community agrees that we must miti-
gate and adapt to climate change.
Even with positive outcomes, the ELO
expects a stronger international com-
mitment to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions for the next summit in Dur-
ban, South Africa, in November 2011.
Current emission reduction pledges
fall short, but it paved the way and kept
the options open to do so in the future.
Regrettably, the inclusion of carbon
markets to pay for forest protection
has been left out.
Decisions taken on a global level often
have an impact within the EU and thus
also infl uence the framework condi-
tions of the European forests. In the
context of climate change, the Com-
mission launched a debate on the EU
level instruments for “Forest Protec-
tion and Information” in the fi rst of
March 2010. The ELO participated in
the consultation on the green paper
that ended in July, having organized a
“forest dinner” to consolidate the work
developed during the internal policy
group meetings. A white paper on the
matter is expected in 2011 and a pos-
sible legislative proposal in 2012.
The International Year of Forests
2011 will off er a unique opportunity to
further the forest agenda and the forest
community should make the best use
of it. These questions captured the at-
tention of the Twentieth Session of the
Committee on Forestry (COFO), held at
FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy from
4 - 8 October 2010, held in conjunction
with second World Forest Week.
Forestry
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEF
9
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEE
■ The FLEGT 2010
Due to the environmental damages
caused by illegal logging and the com-
petitive issues it brings to the sector,
the EC completed and reinforced the
FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Gov-
ernance and Trade) Action Plan with
additional measures in October 2008,
having presented a legislative proposal
aimed at minimising the risk of illegally
harvested timber entering in the EU in
December this year. However the regu-
lation requires all the EU economic op-
erators that place timber and timber
products in the EU market for the fi rst
time to ensure the legality of the prod-
ucts for both imported and domesti-
cally harvested timber.
The ELO will continue to follow this
regulation closely in the coming year,
when the risk assessment and risk
mitigation procedures are expect to
be defi ned as well the procedures to
recognize monitoring organizations,
which may create an extra burden in a
sector where the risk can be consider
negligible and the percentage of cer-
tifi ed wood is considerable. The Euro-
pean Union must minimize the impact
caused by illegal wood without com-
promise the viability of its forestry sec-
tor, which is a precondition for increas-
ing wood mobility and respond to the
political challenges and targets that
contribute to a sustainable, inclusive
and smart growth.
■ Cork
The ELO join eff orts with C.E.Liege to
promote cork, as it has a wide range
of environmental and social advan-
tages, besides the economic one. In
order words, the value of the cork oak
(Quercus Suber L.) is based not only on
the products extracted from the tree,
but on all of the agricultural, forest and
hunting activities that revolve around
the cork oak forestall exploration.
The cork oak is a slow growing tree that
may live for 200 years, which allows, on
average, to be stripped 16 times dur-
ing its lifetime. Meanwhile it serves as
habitat of many species, including pro-
tected ones, in an ecosystem, which
can survive to nearly desert climates. In
other words its contribution to tackle
climate change and to enhance biodi-
versity is unquestionable, but still it is
not suffi ciently communicated, reason
why the ELO organized the European
Biodiversity Conference at the Europe-
an Parliament on 7th of December enti-
tle “Sustainable Agriculture supporting
European Biodiversity”, where was no-
tably presented the case study about
“Evaluation of ecosystem services at
local scale – the role of the cork in oak
montado”.
The ELO was therefore actively pushing
for means to support the use of cork
stoppers, for instance through label-
ling, namely an indication that a bot-
tle contains cork and not the alterna-
tive materials like plastic or aluminium,
with a much higher carbon footprint.
In spite of the problems starting to ap-
pear in those diff erent stoppers, still its
use is increasing, partly because of the
lack of information among the con-
sumers and the fact that they don’t
have the right to choose, since there is
no way to know what corking material
the bottle contains.
Cork is an ecological material, which is
considered the best option for a wine
stopper, mainly because of its physical
properties like elasticity and its func-
tions as a fi lter, the given reason for
being the chosen material amongst all
the great wine brands.
10
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEF
The protection and recognition of private property is one of the central issues of the ELO in its role as a lobby tool of the
Friends of the Countryside. In order to ensure the protection of the status of private property, the ELO has developed a
strong partnership with the Union of European Historic Houses Association. The action this year was mainly focused on the
Energy Performance of Buildings directive (EPBD), reduced VAT, forestry, CAP, and the proper implementation of environ-
mental directives (including the Birds and Habitats Directives, Natura 2000, Biodiversity strategy, Green Infrastructure, the
Water framework Directive, etc). Property rights and its property use remains the key to economic development and future
innovation. This year’s work was therefore to ensure that the implementation of new regulations does not hinder the future
economic development of our regions and our countryside.
Most of the Friends of the country-
side consider themselves to be Fam-
ily Businesses, due to their long-term
outlook and their social responsibility.
Therefore, the relationship between
both the friends and European Fam-
ily Businesses-GEEF is mutually benefi -
cial. Following on from the successes
of 2009, European Family Businesses-
GEEF has truly established itself as a Eu-
ropean stakeholder. Partly due to the
commitment that was made by EFB-
GEEF’s Madrid General Assembly that
saw the Secretary General take up a
full time position in Brussels and due
to the continuing relationship with
the ELO. For the fi rst time, EFB-GEEF
is now regularly taking part in consul-
tations and establishing strong links
with the EU’s institutions. At the No-
vember General Assembly, FBN Hun-
gary was accepted as a new member.
Matti VANHANEN, former Finish Prime
The status of private property
Family businesses
European Family BusinessesG E E F
© Chlumec nad Cidlinou estate
Minister and the new President of the
Finnish Family Firms Association will be
joining the Management Committee
as of 2011. Matti VANHANEN’s appoint-
ment to the Management Committee
will undoubtedly bring an unparalleled
network base and valuable political ex-
perience. European Family Businesses-
GEEF will continue its activities in 2011,
with a view to further promote and un-
derline the importance of Family Busi-
nesses on the European stage.
www.efb-geef.eu
Philip AMINOFF - President
© Thomas de Dorlodot
11
The adoption of the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UN-
FCCC) in 1992 established the course
for the international community to be-
gin to recognise the human impact on
the earth’s climate. From 1995 parties
to the convention have reconvened
on an annual basis under Confer-
ences of the Parties (COP) to reassess
progress on the climate change issue.
The most recognised of these meet-
ings was held in Kyoto, Japan (COP 3),
where the legally binding agreement
on mitigating GHG was established,
known as the Kyoto Protocol. This Pro-
tocol required its signatories to reduce
GHG emissions by 5.2% from 1990 lev-
els. The notable exception to the treaty
was the United States which refused to
ratify the Protocol. Nearly two decades
later, the international community still
lacks a concrete mechanism to tackle
the quantities of Green House Gasses
(GHG) in the atmosphere. Resistance
to these measures by various actors in
the international community has post-
poned subsequent accords despite
some progress, e.g., the Bali Action
Plan (COP 13) in 2007. The Bali Action
Plan recognised that large reduction
of GHG would be needed it the ob-
jectives of the Convention were to be
met. This process outlined the need to
determine long-term cooperative ac-
tion up to the expiration of the Kyoto
Protocol in 2012. These actions would
need to be measureable, reportable
and verifi able mitigation commit-
ments established by both developed
and developing countries. Within this
framework was the special attention
given to reducing emissions from de-
forestation and forest degradation in
developing countries.
■ The REDD Mechanism
Part of COP 13 included Reducing Emis-
sions from Deforestation and Degra-
dation (REDD). REDD was proposed to
give developed countries guidelines
to pay developing countries to con-
serve climate stabilising habitats. This
would be possible through a series of
fi nancial incentive to provide compen-
sation for the protection of ecosystem
services like biodiversity conservation
and forest protection. The measure
defi ned that both deforestation, the
permanent removal of forest cover, as
well as forest degradation, the misuse
of forest products over time, are prob-
lems needed to be addressed. REDD
aimed to establish an off set scheme to
compensate the maintenance of forest
cover for its ability to sequester carbon
which polluting industries could then
pay for. These “carbon credits” would
then be tradable on the international
commodity markets much like the
timber or energy products responsible
for infl uencing climate change.
In 2010 the EU mobilized € 2.2 billion
to support developing countries’ ef-
forts to adapt to and mitigate climate
change, part of the overall commit-
ment to provide € 7.2 billion 2010-
2012. All 27 Member States and the
European Commission are contribut-
ing to this funding, despite the dif-
fi cult economic situation and strong
budgetary constraints. Most EU fund-
ing is provided through Member State
budgets and allocated on the basis of
national decisions.
The Copenhagen Accord (COP 15)
did recognise REDD, and its ancillary,
REDD+, in the role of preventing a 2°C
rise in the earth’s average tempera-
ture but it failed in establishing com-
mitments for the reduced emissions
that would be necessary to achieve
this goal. However, land temperatures
would still be higher than the mean,
and even stabilisation at + 2° would
mean a rise of perhaps + 3° to + 4° in
northern Europe, which would poten-
tially trigger the melting of the Green-
land ice sheet with a gradual increase
of some seven metres in mean sea lev-
els. ELO has had observer status with
the UNFCCC since 1999 and Copenha-
gen was the sixth meeting of the Con-
ference of Parties (COP) which ELO has
attended.
■ The COP 16 negotiations
The Cancún Agreement, known as
COP 16, of 2010 built on the decisions
taken in Copenhagen representing
a compromise between diff erent in-
terests within the United Nations sys-
tem. The Accord acknowledged, for
the fi rst time in a UN document, that
global warming must be kept below
2°C compared to the pre-industrial
temperature, the establishment of
a process to defi ne a date for global
Environment, forestry and Climate Change
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEE
© Alison Boyes
12
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEF
emissions to peak and a global emis-
sions reduction goal for 2050. The text
also recognised that overall mitigation
eff orts need to be increased in order
to stay within the 2°C limits. It was also
agreed that developed countries will
mobilise US$ 100 billion in climate
funding for developing countries an-
nually by 2020 and which will establish
a Green Climate Fund through which
much of the funding will be chan-
nelled. “REDD+” was developed as a
mechanism enabling further action to
reduce emissions from deforestation
and forest degradation in developing
countries. The European Union has set
climate and energy targets for 2020
in-line with COP 16 and will present a
strategy for completing the transition
to a low-carbon economy by 2050.
The strategy will aim at stimulating
economic growth, job creation and in-
novation while strengthening the EU’s
energy security. The COP 16 Accord
also suggested setting up new carbon
market mechanisms going beyond a
project-based approach as in the pre-
vious system. It was also agreed upon
that there was a need to establish a
clear process for reviewing the ad-
equacy of the goal of keeping global
warming below 2°C, including the
consideration of strengthening the
goal to 1.5°C, to be concluded in 2015.
■ The Durban Conference
of 2011
The 2011 United Nations Climate
Change Conference will be held in
Durban, South Africa, from 28 Novem-
ber to 9 December 2011. A primary
focus of the conference will be to se-
cure a global climate agreement as
the Kyoto Protocol’s fi rst commitment
period (2008–2012) is about to expire.
The EU, while hoping to formulate a
legally binding agreement before the
COP 17 in Durban, is pessimistic about
its likelihood. That said, the EU is tak-
ing a “step wise” approach to continue
incremental movement, anticipating
future legislation, moving the EU clos-
er to a legally binding climate change
agreement.
© Alison Boyes
13
■ MAKE-IT-BE
MAKE-IT-BE (Decision-MAking and
Implementation Tools for delivery of
local and regional BioEnergy chains)
is a three year project with a special
focus on the development and im-
plementation of integrated bioenergy
chains across Europe. The project is
co-funded by the Executive Agency
for Competitiveness and Innovation
(EACI) through the Intelligent Energy
Europe (IEE) programme. Launched in
2008 the project brings together eight
partners from Austria, Belgium, Ger-
many, Italy, Slovenia and the UK. The
overall objective of the project is to
support development of a methodol-
ogy and tools for bioenergy initiatives
to assess the current regional situation,
identify potential biomass resources as
well as bioenergy demand/supply at
the local level.
The ELO plays a key role in data col-
lection as well as in communication
and dissemination of project results.
Thanks to the network of the Friends
of the Countryside, the ELO could pro-
vide outstanding examples of the bio-
mass use in the EU.
Last year was crucial for the develop-
ment of the project. The ELO in coop-
eration with its partners fi nalized three
important deliverables of the project: a
short list of relevant cases in integrated
bioenergy planning; a long list of rel-
evant cases of integrated bio-energy
planning and a report on good prac-
tices on integrated bioenergy plan-
ning. The report was published in four
project languages: English, German,
Italian and Slovenian and is available
on the project website. The short and
long list of relevant cases in integrated
bioenergy planning aims to present
and analyse good practices of inte-
grated bioenergy activities, selected
from experiences across the European
Union. Whereas the short list brings a
brief overview of 65 cases, the long list
analyses 15 selected cases into detail
including typical problems and suc-
cess factors experienced in integrated
bioenergy planning and promotion.
The report on good practices on in-
tegrated bioenergy planning results
from previous studies of several Euro-
pean cases and presents 16 cases in
detail in terms of national and regional
context, type of biomass resources,
quantitative indicators, achieved re-
sults, lessons learned and contact de-
tails. The case studies selected from
European countries including Austria,
the Czech Republic, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Slove-
nia, Sweden, the Netherlands and the
United Kingdom highlight the steady
growth in biomass for heating in Eu-
rope. Biomass in many forms, including
wood and crop residues, is becoming
widely accepted for district heating
and power generation in Europe.
In 2010, the ELO presented the project
results at various conferences includ-
ing the 3rd Forum for the Future of
Agriculture, the regional Forum for the
Future of Agriculture in Budapest and
Moscow, the Green Week, the Europe-
an Biodiversity Conference and other
events organised at local and Euro-
pean levels. With a support of Rudolf
TORNERHJELM, member of the Friends
of the Countryside, the ELO co-organ-
ised the conference on renewable en-
ergies with a special focus on biomass
on 27th September 2010 where the
project results were presented and the
future perspectives for bioenergy were
addressed.
In 2010 the MAKE-IT-BE project be-
came an offi cial partner of Sustainable
Energy Europe. The project will be
concluded in 2011 and its conclusions
will be presented during the Final
Conference which will take place
in Brussels in October 2011. More
information is available on the project
website www.makeitbe.eu.
Renewable energies
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEE
© Escrick Park Estate
14
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEF
Most of the Friends are concerned
with the defence of rural property and
its functions. 80% of European land
area is rural and privately owned. Rural
development policy thus plays an im-
portant role in creating territorial, eco-
nomic and social cohesion. Therefore,
the ELO is strongly involved in the dis-
cussion on rural development issues
which are closely bound to the reform
of Common Agricultural Policy.
Natural and cultural heritage represent
key resources for the tourism industry.
The richness and variety of this herit-
age is a valuable asset. Most of this
heritage is privately owned and it is
generally recognised that it is best,
and more economically, preserved in
private ownership for the benefi t of
society and future generations.
Rural Development and Tourism
© Thomas de Dorlodot
The committee of the Regions pub-
lished a draft opinion concerning the
new political framework for tourism in
Europe.1 The communication points
out that the tourism sector shrank by
5.6% during 2009. Therefore there is a
need to respond to these new chal-
lenges. Amongst these, Europe should
take into account the increasing de-
mand for sustainable tourism thanks
to Europe’s advantages: not only in the
wealth of its landscape but also in the
enormous opportunities for growth in
tourism on its heritage. Europe’s worth
in terms of heritage is a strategic factor
in its development and it is particularly
rich in this regard.
Therefore, the EU Council emphasized
in its decision on the preservation and
sustainable management of Europe’s
cultural heritage, called ‘Cultural Herit-
age and Global Change: a New Chal-
lenge for Europe’, that “European cultur-
al heritage is of exceptional economic
importance for the tourism industry,
generating estimated annual rev-
enue of € 335 billion, and that many
of the 9 million jobs in the tourism
sector are linked to it directly or indi-
rectly. Moreover, the market for con-
servation of this heritage is estimated
at some € 5 billion per year ”.2
The entry into force of the Lisbon
Treaty provides an opportunity to
enhance the competitiveness of the
European tourism sector, thereby
contributing to the new Europe 2020
Strategy for smart, sustainable and
inclusive growth. The Lisbon Treaty
includes, amongst the Union’s ob-
15
Hunting and angling activities are of
particular importance for private own-
ers everywhere in Europe. Since 2001,
the political engagement of the Euro-
pean Union on biodiversity has been
constantly renewed. In light of this, the
participation of rural stakeholders and
especially private landowners in this
new European challenge is vital. The
FCS are directly concerned as sport-
ing estates can play an important role
in providing and maintaining cultural
services for the ecosystem. Sporting
estates focused their attention on land
which is, or could be, rich in the envi-
ronmental dimensions in which they
are interested, often designated under
the Natura 2000 European Directives
for Birds and Habitats. They concen-
trate their eff orts in conserving the
most interesting wildlife or heritage
sites.
■ Biodiversity
2010 was the annual year for biodiver-
sity and the time the European Com-
mission decided to elaborate its new
strategy on Biodiversity. The Spanish
presidency conference on Biodiversity
in January and the European Council
in March 2010 which decided an am-
bitious target to halt biodiversity loss
by 2020 were the starting points of the
EU policy developments on biodiversi-
ty. The FCS 2010 strategy refl ected the
initiatives and expectations of private
landowners and took into account the
conclusions of the international con-
ference on biodiversity held in Nagoya
in October 2010. This strategy was en-
riched with the participation through
the ELO Professor Allan BUCKWELL’s in-
tervention to the Belgium Presidency
Conference on biodiversity which took
place from the 8 to 9th of September
2010 in Ghent.
Biodiversity and Sustainable Hunting and Angling
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEE
jectives together with economic and social cohesion, a new territorial dimen-
sion and foresees that particular attention shall be paid to rural areas. It is the
Commissions’ wish to deal with the tourism policy in coordination with other
policies such as transport, agriculture and environmental protection policies.
Finally, the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions want to
maximise the potential of the EU’s funding instruments in the fi eld of tourism by
considering to the possibilities provided by the European Agricultural Fund of
Rural Development (EAFRD).3
1. Europe, the world’s No 1 tourist destination- a new political framework for tourism in Europe,
COM (2010) 352, Mr. Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, January 2010, DdR 342/2010
2. Doc 117022/10 COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 3035th COMPETITIVENESS Council meeting ,
Luxembourg, 12 October 2010
3. Europe 2020. A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth- March 2010.
16
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEF
Most of the contributions to policy
formulation was made in close con-
tact with the EC DG Environment, dur-
ing the various working groups (NEEI
- Non Energy Extractive Industry, Cli-
mate and biodiversity, CGBD, Habitats
Directive, ... etc) and Nature Directors
meetings, and during the EP meetings,
notably the meetings of the European
Parliament Intergroup on Sustainable
Hunting, Biodiversity and Countryside
activities, jointly run by the ELO and
the FACE.
■ The Intergroup on
sustainable hunting,
biodiversity, countryside
activities, agriculture &
forest
The ELO is hosting the Secretariat of
the Intergroup for Sustainable Hunt-
ing, Biodiversity, Rural activities and
Forestry with FACE (the Federation of
European Hunters). This intergroup
founded in 1985, is now chaired by the
MEP Veronique Mathieu.
The day-to-day management of the
Intergroup is the responsibility of a Bu-
reau, consisting of one President and a
number of Vice-Presidents. Participating
in the Intergroup activities is open to all
MEPs willing to promote in the Europe-
an Parliament conservation, sustainable
use, hunting, fi shing, the countryside
and its traditions, without any distinction
between their Group affi liation, Com-
mittee membership or nationality. The
Intergroup wants to be as representa-
tive as possible for the political spectrum
and/or for the diff erent Member States.
The Intergroup deals with issues for
which the European Parliament is
competent in relation with hunting,
wildlife management, angling for-
estry, agriculture, biodiversity and na-
ture conservation taking into account
public and wildlife health and welfare
aspects. With regular meetings, the In-
tergroup often interacts the European
Commission and European Parliament
to give the necessary political impulse
to take action on Hunters and land-
owners’ preoccupations.
This year, the FCS and the ELO organ-
ised several meetings such as “For-
estry management for biodiversity”
and “The impact of the CAP reform
on Biodiversity”. At this occasion, the
Intergroup met Agriculture Commis-
sioner Dacian CIOLOS on 7th July 2010
who called for a better incorporation
of biodiversity in the future Common
Agriculture Policy (CAP). The report
provides the Commission with the fi rst
offi cial view from the European Parlia-
ment about how it wants farm policy
to evolve post-2013.
The activities for hunters will continue
in 2011 as two new meetings are held
in April and June 2011. At the same
time, the FCS will continue its work
with MEPs as part of the Intergroup.
17
■ European Historic Houses
Association
This year, the ELO keeps on linking its
eff orts to the Union of European His-
toric Houses Association, in order to
reinforce their common interest and
issues. The major issues worked on by
the association during 2010, related
to cultural heritage, were essentially
around the environmental issues (PPP
Directive), fi scal issues (reduced VAT on
restoration and maintenance work to
historic monuments), the Energy Per-
formance of Buildings Directive (EPBD),
and security issues (theft, keeping and
traffi cking of illicit of cultural goods).
During the General Assembly, in Octo-
ber, the new President, Mr Rodolphe
De LOOZ- CORSWAREM was elected to
replace the former president. Ghislain
D’URSEL. As former Director General
of The Brewers of Europe Confedera-
tion, a representative body of 29 Na-
tional Brewers’ Associations, and for-
UEHHA General Assembly - Ireland 2010
mer director of Business Europe, Mr. de
LOOZ- CORSWAREM has tremendous
experience in running a European
Confederation.
The 2010 General Assembly took place
in Ireland from 30th September to 3rd
October. More than 150 participants
gathered in Killruddery House, Bray,
Ireland to discuss “The sustainable
Management and Transmission of His-
toric Houses”. Coming from diff erent
parts of Europe, speakers shared their
experience in estate management, as
well as on “the transmission of houses
and estates to the next generation”
and how to arouse the next genera-
tion’s will to succeed their parents’ life-
long devotion.
The Members of European Historic
Houses had the opportunity to dis-
cover a selection of castles and houses
in the region, which off er a diversity of
management examples to all partici-
pants.
The European Historic Houses Asso-
ciation organises the next General As-
sembly from the 30th September to 2nd
October 2011 in Brussels, Belgium and
the proposed theme will be “Tourism
and Commercial activities”.
The European Historic House an-
swered the consultation on the EC
culture programme from 2007-2013.
They stated that the new EC culture
programme was not paying enough
attention to the heritage sector. This is
an important area of concern for the
European Historic Houses as the en-
hancement of cultural heritage gener-
ally contributes to a better society. The
European Historic Houses is favourable
to an integrated approach that would
encourage the adoption of legislative,
fi scal and fi nancial measure support-
ing heritage conservation.
In 2011, The European Historic Houses
Association will participate in a Euro-
pean programme, which aim is a study
on illicit traffi cking of cultural goods
conducted under the auspice of the
French research centre CNRS. The
EHHA will therefore participate in the
part dedicated to the needs of devel-
oping cooperation and the strength-
ening of operational means of control,
especially on Data analysis, compari-
son, and proposals with the sending of
questionnaires to EHHAs’ network.
http://www.uehha.org/
Historical Houses, Parks and Gardens
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEE
18
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEF
In 2010 the European Landowners’
Organization along with key part-
ners, have continued to promote the
synergies between responsible land
management and sustainable wild-
life usage through the Wildlife Estates
project. The main objective remains
to facilitate a label, both fl exible and
reproducible for so called “exemplary
Wildlife Territories” in Europe.
In 2008, the PWEi (Pilot Wildlife Estates
initiative) offi cially became the WE
(Wildlife Estates). Taking into account
traditional activities such as agricul-
ture and forestry, the WE-Label created
a system which ensures and demon-
strates that the management and the
use of natural resources on relevant
estates comply with biodiversity and
nature conservation principles. Land
managers are developing the natural
quality of their property in order to
provide the best possible habitat for
wildlife. This is to the advantage of
global biodiversity.
The ELO team met representatives
from Finland, Sweden and Denmark
to discuss the WE in the context of the
boreal region and to raise the question
of how to make progress in its imple-
mentation. Representatives of the WE
also regularly participate in interna-
tional conferences related to wildlife
management, biodiversity, sustainable
hunting, and nature conservation. For
instance, one ELO representative took
part in the international Conference
on Hunting and Natura 2000 in May
2009, which was organised in Sail-
lagouse, France by representing the
European perspective and introducing
the Wildlife Estates project.
With the support of key partners such
as the European Commission, and now
the CIC and FACE, the Wildlife Estates
Label promotes synergies between
conservation and sustainable use by
rewarding, in 2010, approximately
30 European estates recognised for
their exemplary land use practices. The
management of the project is being
fi ltered by WE liaison offi ces at a na-
tional level, National representations
for the Wildlife Estates in each Euro-
pean country facilitate the evaluation
process and support the communica-
tion of the project to a wider European
audience.
We therefore suggest you to join the
network, and follow-up the new es-
tates that have been lately awarded.
More information is available on the
project website
www.wildlife-estates.eu/
The Wildlife Estates network
19
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEE
■ General progress of the
unique Life+ project
3watEr (before ‘Triple E’)
The Life+ project 3watEr started on
the 1st of January 2010 and will run for
4 years. The project aims at the sus-
tainable development of a pond area
with high nature value of 4000 ha in
the north east of Belgium. The area is
for a large extent Natura2000 area and
covers valuable wetlands and heath-
lands and the core populations of
Bittern and Tree frog in Belgium. The
project is unique in the sense that it
goes through a close collaboration of
all stakeholders involved and in par-
ticular the local private landowners,
the public administrations, such as the
ministry of environment, the Green
parties and the Agency of Nature and
Forestry. The project is innovative since
it handles a Triple E approach. This
Triple E approach stands for the estab-
lishment of more synergy between
Ecology, Economy and Education, the
fundaments of a healthy, sustainable
society.
The ELO is the coordinating benefi -
ciary of this innovative project and is
supported by the European Com-
mission Directorate General Environ-
ment under the LIFE+ Nature pro-
gramme (Grant Agreement N° LIFE
NAT/B/000036), and the Flemish Gov-
ernment.
The website has been launched:
www.3water.eu (before we used www.
lifevijvergebied.eu which still works)
but will get strongly improved and up-
dated in 2011. An online questionnaire
exists in three languages (English,
French and Dutch) and was created by
the ELO to investigate both good and
bad experiences of the private sector
whilst carrying out their role in dedi-
cated conservation and management
of Europe’s nature and biodiversity. The
outcome of this survey will be present-
ed during a European conference on
‘The participation of the private sector in
Natura 2000’ on 10 and 11 November
2011 in Brussels.
The Life+ project in Midden Limburg
Launch conference in Heusden-Zolder
20
FAMILY BUSINESS IN THE WIDER COUNTRYSIDEF
The Pollination is the process by which
pollen is transferred in plants, thereby
enabling fertilization. Pollination is a
necessary step in the reproduction
of fl owering plants, resulting in the
production of off spring that are ge-
netically diverse, and about 80% of
all plant pollination is biotic. Thanks
to few but rewarding eff orts of sev-
eral farmers and their partners in using
fi eld margins as a bed of plants which
are particularly adept for pollination,
they showed the enormous added
value to nature conservation, biodi-
versity production and the gain in
biodiversity and natural enemies that
could provide the support of pollina-
tion activities. In that sense, the ELO
and the Members of the Friends of the
Countryside created the pollination
initiative, meant to be functioning as
a network for land managers who feel
ready to contribute actively, but with
few eff orts to the environment. In that
way, all partners who join the network
affi rm their commitment to combine
quality production, with biodiversity
and environmental protection. Hence,
their support is fundamental for the
future of the production of environ-
ment.
Joining the Pollinator Network initia-
tive “PNI” is an additional, but separate
project to the Wildlife Estates (WE) and
can be understood by land managers
as an integration of support towards
the enhancement of pollination ser-
vices, providing agricultural solutions.
Eventually, the ultimate aim to be a
forum for knowledge sharing, encour-
ages innovative ideas to tackle bees
and other insects’ mortality and by
engaging private land managers in
sustainable estate management for
generations to come.
Therefore, the ELO and the FCS encour-
age properties to participate jointly in
both the WE and the PNI since the two
schemes help to spread the mission of
all three organisations.
The Pollinator Initiative (PI)
© Jethro Schiansky
© Alison Boyes
21
The XIIIth FCS General Assembly took
place from the 27th-30th June in Apel-
doorn, the Netherlands. More than 150
people gathered in the Auditorium of
Kröller-Müller Museum in the national
park Hoge Veluwe to discuss the “Land-
owners’ Challenges”, with a special fo-
cus on the Netherlands. Once again
the conference attracted interesting
speakers such as Ladislav MIKO, head
of unit of the DG Environment of the
European Commission, Jan HELDER,
the Chairman of the Dutch Landown-
ers Organisation, Professor Jan SEVINK,
Senator Sybe SCHAAP and Professor
Marc VAN DER WOUDE.
After the welcoming words of Gi-
useppe VISCONTI, President of the FCS,
and Erik KWINT, Board member and
one of the main organizers of the Gen-
eral Assembly, Thierry de l’ESCAILLE
in his capacity of Secretary General of
the ELO and FCS gave a brief overview
of the ELO and FCS activities. Frans
von CHRISMAR, Board Member of the
YFCS, continued by explaining the
activities of the Young Friends of the
Countryside, representing future land
managers. Their association is strongly
supported by the FCS who is deeply
concerned about the future of the rural
private property in Europe.
Mikhail ORLOV, the Russian FCS Mem-
ber, presented the conference which
took place on 6th September 2010 in
Moscow. This sub-conference follows
on from the Annual meeting of the Fo-
rum for the Future of Agriculture and
will examine the role of « Russia’s agri-
culture and its place in the world: chal-
lenges and opportunities. »
The rest of the Assembly focused on
the role and challenges of the land-
General Assembly and Conference of the Friends of the Countryside (FCS)
owners in general, and the role for the
FCS within the EU in particular. Where-
as Johan NORDENFALK and Professor
Allan BUCKWELL, CLA - Policy Director
and the ELO Policy Group Chairman fo-
cused on the infl uence of the FCS, the
following speakers gave insights on
Dutch land management challenges.
Jan HELDER, Chairman of Dutch Land-
owners Organisation gave a presen-
tation on “Estates Act 1928 – Natuur-
schoonwet 1928”, which recognizes
the value of historical estates and their
importance to the landscape. The bill
ensures nature conservation, prevents
splitting up of private landownership
and, more importantly, gives private
land owners tax benefi ts and exemp-
tions. He explained that there are four
conditions to obtain an Estate status:
size, percentage of forest areas, land
usage and appearance.
Professor Jan SEVINK, Emeritus profes-
sor in physical geography, soil science
and landscape ecology at the Institute
for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynam-
ics Universiteit van Amsterdam, spoke
about „Nature Conservation through
the Ages in the Netherlands“. He ex-
plained that the concept of nature
conservation has evolved throughout
the ages from nature being the en-
emy (in the Middle Ages) to nature as
a post-modern ecosystems based con-
cept (this era). Being a small country
and surrounded by water, Dutch land
use has always revolved around land
reclamation and productivity and prof-
it. The development of Dutch forestry
is also quite interesting as the area of
Dutch forests, of which one third is pri-
vate owned, has nearly doubled in the
last fi fty years. The legal framework for
nature conservation, which is subsi-
dized in the Netherlands, has aff ected
private landownership. As subsidies are
limited for landowners, their role in na-
ture conservation has historically been
limited. However, the Natura 2000
network might get estates into nature
conservation again.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Royal Palace Het Loo (NL)
22
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Senator Sybe SCHAAP, Professor of the
Technical University Delft and former
President of the Union of Water Boards
and Chairman Water Board Groot Sal-
land, focused on Dutch Water Manage-
ment. Emphasising the fact that sixty
percent of the country area is threat-
ened by fl oods (the North Sea, rivers).
The necessity of effi cient water man-
agement including protection against
fl oods (dike rings), water level control
(polder system) and water quality con-
trol (sanity / ecology) is even the more
pressing. Public authorities at all levels
(EU, national, regional, provincial and
local) set the legal framework and de-
termine the management. The core of
water management is represented by
fl ood control. However, threats such
as vulnerable deltas (world wide), land
subsidence, reckless spatial planning,
growing density population, compli-
cated physical and social structures, cli-
mate change and evacuation make the
setting of fl ood control policy a really
challenging tasks. In order to ensure
effi cient fl ood control it is necessary
to halt land subsidence, implement
autonomy water policy and proactive
attitude, and take long-term decisions;
and to fi nd a balance between central
and decentralized policy and control
spatial planning.
Marc van der WOUDE, from the Eras-
mus University Rotterdam gave a pres-
entation on „Inequality in land acquisi-
tion”, explaining that issues of nature
conservation and land owner-ship are
interrelated. Illustrating the case of na-
ture conservation in the Netherlands,
he showed that nature conservation
can infringe upon individual rights. He
clarifi ed that in the Netherlands some
owners were privileged as regards na-
ture conservation subsidies. A Select
and limited (state-owned) group of
benefi ciaries received subsidies for
nature conservation, while traditional
private landowners were excluded.
Such unequal procedures had a nega-
tive impact on private land acquisition,
as land ownership was concentrated
in hands of a few foundations and as-
sociations which were closely linked
to the public institutions making it ex-
tremely diffi cult for others to acquire
land. There was a question if such a
practice was not only negative but also
illegal. Such subsidies might have been
incompatible with the EU State Aid
rules. A group of private landowners
have fi led a successful complaint. The
European Commission regards such
state aids as arbitrary and discrimina-
tory and therefore illegal, and thus it
must have been resituated. The future
development will show the impact
of this case on the situation in other
Member States.
The presentations were followed by
the attribution of the Anders WALL
Award 2009 to the owner of the Escrick
Park Estate Charles FORBES ADAM.
The diploma of excellence was given
by Ladislav MIKO from the Directorate
General for environment to Mr David
BINNIAN.
© Rodolphe de RADIGUES
© Rodolphe de RADIGUES
23
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
After the General Assembly, the par-
ticipants of the Congress had the op-
portunity to discover the national park
Hoge Veluwe. Some of the participants
discovered the park through a bike
tour, others went with the game keep-
ers to observe the fauna or to visit the
St Hubertus Jachthuis. The afternoon
visits were followed by the Gala Din-
ner at the Royal Palace Het Loo in the
presence of Her Royal Highness Prin-
cess Margriet of the Netherlands. The
President Giuseppe VISCONTI during
his allocution made a short presenta-
tion of the activities of the FCS and the
importance of the network in Europe
and off ered the new book “Creating
the Future of the Countryside, the Eu-
ropean Estate” to the Princess.
The visits of the beautiful and well
managed estates followed next day.
The FCS had the opportunity to
discover among other estates, the
Steegro Dairy farm of Marknesse, Huis
Almelo, Twickel Castle and the Keppel
Estate.
On Saturday evening all the Friends of
the Countryside, Young Friends of the
Countryside and the owners of the
visited estates had a very original visit
and dinner at Burgers’ zoo at Arnhem.
The owner Alexander van HOOFF, who
is the fourth generation to run this
family business, made a presentation
of this private owned enterprise and
made an interesting comparison be-
tween the management of a zoo and a
farm and opened the discussion about
the challenges of the private owners
to maintain their enterprises and the
numerous activities which can be de-
veloped. The zoo welcomes each year
more than 500,000 visitors and this
surprising visit was very appreciated
by all the participants.
Excursions
As confi rmed in Apeldoorn by the
General Assembly, next FCS Congress
will take place in Vienna.
24
EVENTS
■ BELGIUM Brussels, February 1st
Book Launch: ‘Creating the Future of
the Countryside, the European Estate’
Monday 1st February - a historic day for
the ELO, FCS and all 63 owners of the
estates described in this fantastic new
book. Its launch at the Hotel Plaza in
Brussels was a great success with ap-
proximately 270 people attending,
including Friends, owners of the men-
tioned estates and around 25 Young
Friends and other interested young
individuals. The book has been trans-
lated and exists in English and French.
The evening, organised with the sup-
port of the BNP Paribas Wealth Man-
agement began with a short speech
by François DEBIESSE who spoke rath-
er positively about the current bank-
ing situation. Later on, the president
of FCS, Giuseppe VISCONTI spoke pas-
sionately about, among other issues,
the matter of public goods produced
by Private Land and the development
of the role of private businesses in the
promotion of biodiversity. He referred
to the inspiring story Danilovka Es-
tate to refl ect the challenges taken by
many landowners. The editor of the
book, Carlos OTERO, then described
its structure and explained the signifi -
cance of the eight themes on which
the content of the book is focussed.
Throughout the dinner pictures of
the various estates and their activities
were projected onto the stage. At the
end of the evening, the guests were
off ered a copy of the English version of
the book.
■ BELGIUM Namur, October 21st
In the context of the Year for Biodiversi-
ty, NTF- Nature, Earth and Forest- invit-
ed for the 21st of October its members
and partners, as well as many mem-
bers of the Friends of the Countryside
National branches events
to a seminar regarding “Farmland: new
potential for biodiversity”.
This journey, attended by a hundred
participants, brought together speak-
ers of diff erent perspectives, amongst
them were Benoît COSSEE de MAULDE
(Label WILDLIFE ESTATES in 2010) and
Martin de COCK (AGRILAND), discuss-
ing two major themes: “pollination
and rural areas” and “ Wildlife and ru-
ral areas”. The meeting focused on
stakeholders’ options to contribute to
the enormous potential of biodiver-
sity, of which they are the guardians
and managers. As Etienne SNYERS,
president of NTF, underlined in his in-
troduction, the issue of tomorrow’s
agriculture will be two fold: to feed
the ever increasing world population
thanks to growth in production, while
preserving environment by respecting
nature. In this order, another meeting
will be organised in May 2011 by one
of these stakeholders to discuss again
more specifi cally the commodity mar-
kets in Europe.
■ SPAIN Zaragoza, March 25th
CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE
AGRICULTURE
By looking at the growing importance
of the environment in a sector that
should be able to meet the needs of
a growing population which requires
healthy, diverse and aff ordable food,
diff erent stakeholders came together,
to analyse the agricultural sector and
its sustainability.
The questions that were raised could
not have arrived at a better moment,
given the current discussions on the
future of the CAP reform in Brussels,
Carlos OTERO, Belen de LIMBURG STIRUM and Ghislain d’URSEL during the book launch in Brussels
25
EVENTS
which extend to the various stake-
holders in each European member
state.
Moreover, the agricultural sector
needs to respond to challenges such
as biodiversity conservation and cli-
mate change, issues which the Euro-
pean Landowners’ Organization has
been arguing in the political sphere,
that the BASF has developed to pro-
vide the right tools for farmers, and
Agro-business has advised farmers.
The 100 Participants were taken to the
Assembly Hall, where the president of
AGROWUE, Rafael ESCANERO, intro-
duced the stakeholders and contex-
tualized the theme of the conference
in relation to the requirements of both
markets, the environment and in the
fi eld of European politics.
In fact, asking farmers for more pro-
duction at lower cost, with the tools
they have available, considering that
new technologies are restricted in Eu-
rope, underlines the major challenge
that farmers face.
The following 2 presentations were
made by industrial representatives of
BASF, Mario MANARESI with the theme
of sustainable agriculture in Southern
Europe and Juan PASCUAL, who gave
his speech on ‘Agriculture and biodi-
versity.’
Mario MANARESI said that the main
challenges for agriculture are: The
growing population that requires
health and nutrition, the centralization
in the cities and the construction re-
quirements and consequent lifestyle,
energy and climate change call for
more investment in energy and re-
sources and fi nally, globalization and
growth of developing countries that
require mobility and communication.
Juan PASCUAL focused on the issue of
biodiversity, including the eff ects of
agricultural practices on bird popula-
tions, one of the 2 main indicators of
biodiversity, among the 26 mentioned
by the SEBI in 2010.
The speakers illustrated that the farmer
faces a huge challenge. The farmer has
to feed a growing population sustaina-
bly meeting the requirements of ecol-
ogy, economy and society in general.
They demonstrated that the industry
contributes signifi cantly to sustainable
agriculture with new innovative tech-
nologies.
The speakers have shown their com-
plete support in a model of innovation
for sustainable agriculture and insisted
on the idea that innovation is the key
to a more sustainable agriculture.
■ SPAIN Madrid, December 13th
At the initiative of various Spanish
Friends of the Countryside, including
the Marquis of VALDUEZA, Emilio NA-
VARRO, Antonio MELGAREJO, Carlos
OTERO and José TORRES, a breakfast
discussion was organised at the Circle
of the Gran Peña with twenty invitees.
An ELO representative came from
Brussels to explain in detail the diff er-
ent activities of Friends of the Country-
side and the important lobbying that
ELO does. Secondly, Jésus CASADO,
Secretary General of the EFB-Family
Businesses did an exposé of their ac-
tivities and its integration as an active
member of the ELO. Such meetings
covering diff erent subjects planned
for 2011 with the objective to reinforce
communication of the important net-
work of private landowners and rural
entrepreneurs in Spain.
■ SCOTLAND Blair Estate,
August 31st - September 2nd
The Plenary session of the Wildlife Es-
tates was held in Scotland where many
WE-partners, WE-members, WE-dele-
gates and estate owners amongst Vis-
count COKE, Lord JOICEY and Günther
von der SCHULENBURG were present.
Following the workshops, the visit to
Langholm, part of the Buccleuch Es-
tates was an opportunity to discover a
very well managed estate.
Blair Estate - Scotland
26
EVENTS
■ RUSSIA
Moscow and surrounding area,
September 6th, 7th, 8th
Although smaller in scale than the FFA
conference organised in Brussels, this
sub-conference focussed on Russia’s
agricultural potential, the challenges
and opportunities as well the trad-
ing and infrastructures enabling Rus-
sian agriculture to reach its potential
brought together some members of
the Friends of the Countryside.
They had the opportunity to assist to
the conference on September 6th and
to go for a two day fi eld trip to the
Black Earth region with the president
of the ELO, Corrado PIRZIO BIROLI, the
president of the FCS, Giuseppe VIS-
CONTI and Franz FISCHLER, chair for
the FFA. Michal ORLOV who organised
and knows the region very well was a
perfect guide.
■ LUXEMBOURG September 13th
Patrice CROCHET, head of BNP Paribas
Luxemburg, hosted as way of tradition
the annual meeting of the branch, by
off ering 80 participants an enjoyable
dinner at Château de Sept Fontaines,
property of the family de SCHORLEM-
ER. As all the ELO Board members and
the three ELO Vice Presidents Etienne
SNYERS, Michael SALM zu SALM and
Luke BORWICK who attended a meet-
ing the same day in the headquarters
of the BNP Paribas were present, as
well Robert FLIES from the European
Commission- DG ENVI, the dinner of-
fered the opportunity for interesting
discussions with the Friends of the
Countryside about the CAP reform,
the European Environmental Policies
and the role of the private owners in
the management and conservation of
biodiversity.
■ GERMANY Property Day 2010, Berlin
The eff ects of the exorbitant national
debt on the importance of property
were the focus of the “Day of the prop-
erty”, on 6th of October 2010. The land-
owners’ associations, together with
the Economic Council of Germany,
invited the Friends of the Countryside/
Germany to Berlin and discuss these
themes.
“In times of high indebtedness, the risk
is strongly possible that the govern-
ment tries not only to save spendings
but also to increase its revenue. For
example, by falling back on the prop-
erty of its citizens and by using their
property for its shortcomings, through
wealth taxes or property transfer tax-
es”. With these words, Michael SALM
zu SALM expressed the fears of land-
owners and questioned the right way
to stability.
© Thomas de Dorledot
Field trip Russia
27
EVENTS
Field trip to the Black Earth Region (Russia)
“We must abandon any illusion; we are
in the midst of a historic era. If there are
no penalties in the budget policy, the
growing debt of developed countries
to an average of 140 percent of GDP
by 2020, while the debt of emerging
countries will amount to about 40 per-
cent. The national debt has become
our fate issue”, added Prof. Dr. Kurt
J. LAUK, president of the Economic
Council of Germany.
Federal Minister Ilse AIGNER pointed
out in her point of view the conse-
quences of the fi nancial and econom-
ic crisis: “We need a new ethic of re-
sponsibility ‘. The consolidation of the
budget can only succeed if we embed
an item out of the forestry concept:
‘sustainability’ as a principle. We must
set clear rules, not with the aim of
paternalism, but in order to achieve
transparency and improve the protec-
tion of the consumer. Germany is again
the engine of economic development
in Europe. This must not hide the fact
that much remains to be done. “
The thesis, which was raised up by Mi-
chael SALM zu SALM as moderator, we
would have lived beyond our means in
the past few years and this was done
beyond all parties, was discussed by
MdB Nicolette KRESSL (SPD), Dr. Mi-
chael MEISTER (CDU / CSU), Dr. Volker
WISSING (FDP), Dr. Gerhard SCHICK
(Bündnis 90/Grüne) and Prof. Dr. Jo-
hann EELHOFF, Institute of Economic
Policy, University of Köln. Also the nec-
essary measures have been weighted
very diff erently. There was an agree-
ment, however, that consolidation and
crisis prevention with no cuts are not
be uncomfortable for all.
The importance of a new stability and
consolidation of culture, not only in
Germany but throughout Europe, em-
phasized Wolfgang STEIGER, Secretary
General of the Economic Council of
Germany, very impressive in his clos-
ing remarks: “in the EU, each country is
responsible of its own debt. Therefore
more important is the entrenchment
of a debt brake on the German model
in the constitutions of all EU Member
States “.
■ UK
The FCS Members in the United King-
dom held a meeting the 2nd of Decem-
ber 2010, chaired by the Vice-President
of the CLA, Mr. Michael SEYERS. Dur-
ing the meeting, a lively debate took
place regarding the forthcoming CAP
reform, where more than 25 mem-
bers of FCS actively participated to the
discussions on the Commission’s pro-
posed changes in the CAP. Thierry De
l’ESCAILLE made an overview of the
ELO’s activities during the year, and
Professor Allan BUCKWELL presented
the key issues of the forthcoming re-
form. Eventually, Sebastian HILLGARTH
presented the Young Friends of the
Countrysides’ activities, in order to up-
date the evolution and new aspects
of the younger generation in terms of
landownership and management.
28
EVENTS
■ ITALY
150th anniversary of the
unifi cation of Italy: From Italy
unifi ed to the new prospects of
the European Union
On the occasion of the 150th anni-
versary of the Unifi cation of Italy, The
Friends of the Countryside-meta (FCS-
meta) and the Associazione Italiana
delle Aziende Familiari (AidAF), repre-
senting important industrial families,
promoted an initiative with great suc-
cess on October 23rd at the property
of Ferruccio FERRAGAMOe in San Gi-
ustino Valdarno (Arezzo), “il Borro”. The
event was also supported by SYNGEN-
TA, a leading agro-pharmaceuticals
and by Banca Nazionale del Lavoro
(BNL Gruppo BNP Paribas).
Mario BOSATELLI, Honorary President
of AidAF, and Giuseppe VISCONTI,
President of FCS-meta underlined the
importance of the alliance between
the world of agriculture and industry
to achieve the common good and the
essential role they had and continue
to hold for growth and development
of Italy.
Giovanni GENTILE, President of Con-
fi ndustia di Firenze focused mainly on
the importance of the European Un-
ion leadership in dealing with the re-
cent economic crisis, however recog-
nizing the problems that Italy is going
through concerning competitiveness,
labor costs and GDP, and the necessity
to solve them to allow the develop-
ment of the territory.
29
EVENTS
The fi rst meeting was titled “Agricultur-
al and industrial entrepreneurs: a con-
tribution to the unifi cation process”,
moderated by George LEONARD. The
speakers were Ciuff oletti ZEFFIRO, Pro-
fessor of contemporary history at the
University of Firzenze, Stefano CORD-
ERO DI MONTEZEMOLO, Academic Di-
rector at the European School of Eco-
nomics, Francesco LECCHI, Professor of
Agricultural Economics at the Univer-
sity of Milano, and Franco SCARAMUZ-
ZI, President of Georgofi li Academy of
Florence. The speakers faced various
issues such as economic conditions
and social pressures in addition to the
ideals that brought the unifi cation of
Italy, the consequences of the unity
in the economic and social prospects
and the new opportunities brought
about by the European Union.
During the second meeting took part
the writer and journalist Isabella BOSSI
FEDRIGOTTI, Federico VECCHIONI,
President of Confagricoltura, Piero
ANTINORI, the wine entrepreneur
and fi nally Claudio BISCARELLI RUFF,
Professor of European Law at the Uni-
versity of Milano-Bicocca. It has been
discussed in depth the role of the rural
United Europe also highlighting the
many excellent european products in
the global market. It was also under-
scored the urgent need to implement
an eff ective governance at European
level, but without forgetting history
and traditions.
VISIT OF THE BORRO:
AN HISTORIC CORNER OF
TUSCANY
A breakfast was organized after the
meeting. It took place in a typical
Tuscan style at the Borro’s tavern, fol-
lowed by a tour of the Borro estate of
FERRAGAMO. Il Borro is not only an es-
tate with thousand years of history, an
exclusive health club, a restaurant and
a luxury resort, but also a renowned
winery. Finally, Ferruccio FERRAGAMO
has exposed to the public his valuable
private collection of historical engrav-
ings.
30
EVENTS
3rd Forum for the Future of
Agriculture 16th March 2010:
The Economics and Politics of
Food security vs. Climate Change
The Forum for the Future of Agricul-
ture aims to bring together all those
who have a stake in agriculture and
environment to catalyze thinking on
the way agriculture, particularly in
Europe, needs to respond to the ma-
jor challenges of the sector – deliver-
ing food and environmental security.
Launched in March 2008 by the Euro-
pean Landowners´ Organization (ELO)
and Syngenta, the Forum has featured
responses by the European Commis-
sioners, MEPs, National governments,
ministers, industry leaders, NGOs, and
International Organisations, including
OECD and FAO, and academics on the
future of European and world agricul-
ture.
The third edition took forward the de-
bate with stakeholders in shaping the
development of European agricultural
and environmental models in a global
context. The Forum in 2010 analysed
the interrelationships between climate
change and food production.
This was timely as the forum closely
followed the Copenhagen Summit on
Climate Change which proved a failure
and therefore European and global
leaders sought to address this impact.
FFA 2010 featured keynote speeches
from International Trade Economist
Jagdish BHAGWATI and the Commis-
sioner for Environment Janez POTOC-
NIK. It has become apparent that two
subjects still remain unresolved in to-
day’s international matters, these are:
the evolution of the world’s environ-
ment and food security.
As Franz FISCHLER, Chairman of the
RISE Foundation and Chair of the Fo-
rum for the Future of Agriculture, said
during his opening speech: “Today’s
focus on the role of climate change in
food production is particularly timely
(…) Mainstream scientists are actually
more and more worried and fi nd that
the evidence of global warming is worse
than the IPCC assessment of 2007 (…)
Clearly, the new CAP will have to give
proper weight to food, ecology and cli-
mate change”.
The role of public goods is becoming
more important in the debate on CAP
reform. Mairead McGUINNESS MEP,
author of Private Initiative Report on
Food Security, Prof. Allan BUCKWELL,
Policy Director CLA/ELO and Ariel
BRUNNER Chief Policy Offi cer, Birdlife
International investigated how the
concept of public goods could span
the gap between agriculture, environ-
ment and climate change. They ex-
plored and explained the nature and
the concept of public goods and poli-
cies which might accelerate or hinder
their delivery. They also tackled the
creation of markets for public goods.
The FFA 2010 took matters to another
level. The Forum called on EU leaders
to reform the Common Agricultural
Policy to meet global challenges of
food security, climate change and
environmental degradatation and
warned that failure to act would have
detrimental eff ects on food produc-
tion, environment and climate. The Fo-
rum also highlighted the vital role that
farmers and land managers have to
play in tackling the food security and
climate change challenges –
The Forum called on the EU and its
Member States to make the CAP
more stable, predictable and fl ex-
ible; promote innovation, education
and knowledge transfer for farm-
ers; improve their access to markets,
strengthening their market power in
the food chain; facilitate the availability
of new agricultural technologies; re-
ward land managers for the provision
of environmental and social ‘public
goods’, that the market does not pay
for; and fi nally, endeavour to maintain
reasonable farm income levels in order
to foster ecosystem management and
slow down the rural exodus.
For more information concerning the
conference please visit our website:
www.forumforagriculture.com
All documents, pictures and videos
from all FFA meetings are available on
the FFA trusted network:
https://forumforagriculture.trust-
edarea.net/login
3rd Forum for the Future of Agriculture
31
EVENTS
© A
lison
Boy
es
■ 3rd Forum for the Future
of Agriculture – Budapest,
3rd June 2010
The ELO, in cooperation with Syngenta
and the GOSZ (the Hungarian Grain
Producers Organization), organised a
regional conference of the Forum for
the Future of Agriculture in Budapest
on 3 June 2011. Entitled “Challenges
of Modern Food and Feed Produc-
tion”, the conference attracted over
200 stakeholders representing the
Hungarian farming community & land
managers, government, NGOs, univer-
sities and research institutions.
The conference was followed by a trip
to showcase sustainable agricultural
projects. Rozalia PECZE from Syngenta
presented the company’s MARGINS
project which seeks to demonstrate
how soil erosion can be reduced
through minimum tillage and strategi-
cally placed and managed fi eld mar-
gins or buff er strips. There was also a
chance to see Operation Pollinator,
which aims to boost pollinator popu-
lations through the cultivation and
management of fi eld margins which
provide habitat and nutrition.
In conclusion, this FFA2010 Regional
Conference, together with the fi eld
trip, took matters to another level and
arguments put forward during the
conference reinforced the need for
food and environmental security to
be addressed together at both EU and
Member States and shows the ben-
efi ts which can be delivered when this
happens.
■ 3rd Forum for the Future
of Agriculture – Moscow,
September 2010
The event which took place for the
fi rst time in Russia, which brought
together over 140 participants repre-
senting governments, administration,
agri-businesses, NGO’s and research
communities to discuss “Russian agri-
culture and its place in the world: chal-
lenges & opportunities.”
The Forum was chaired once again
by Franz FISCHLER, Chairman of the
RISE Foundation and former EU Com-
missioner (Agriculture and Rural De-
velopment). He opened the debate
underlining that according to the Fi-
nancial Times, the price of grains and
grainproducts is set to rise sharply af-
ter Russia imposed a ban on grain ex-
ports triggering panic in commodities
markets.
The 3rd Forum for the Future of Agriculture- regional conferences
3rd Forum for the Future of Agriculture, Session 3
32
Alexander PETRIKOV, Deputy Minister
of Agriculture, welcomed conference
participants on behalf of Elena SKRYN-
NIK, Russian Minister of Agriculture.
He highlighted the importance of
agribusinesses for Russian economy,
notably grain production. He recalled
recent droughts that had compli-
cated the economic conditions of
agricultural commodity producers.
Mikhail ORLOV, Founder & President
of the Ambika Group explained that
Agriculture plays an important role in
Russian Federation, as it has 127 mil-
lion hectares of arable land. He men-
tioned the fact that only two per cent
of the world’s population live in Russia.
Therefore, Russia can play an impor-
tant role for food security on a global
scale. He underlined the necessity of
mutually benefi cial cooperation be-
tween Russia and the EU. It is of a vital
importance to develop commercial,
scientifi c and other mutually benefi cial
cooperation to build bridges between
Russia and the European Union.
The fi rst panel featured views of Alex-
ander PETRIKOV, Deputy Minister of
Agriculture of the Russian Federation;
Kazys STARKEVICIUS, Minister of Ag-
riculture of the Republic of Lithuania;
Romin MADINOV, Chairman of the Ag-
ricultural Committee in the Parliament
of Kazakhstan, Corrado PIRZIO-BIROLI,
President of the ELO and Vice-Chair-
man of RISE and Claudio VERSIENTI on
behalf of Paolo DE CASTRO on what
Russia’s agricultural potential is and
what is needed to unlock. Moreover,
distinguished speakers explored on
opportunities for mutually benefi cial
partnerships and collaborations be-
tween Russia and Europe.
The participation in the second ses-
sion with a special focus on farming
in Russia was accepted by Arkady
ZLOCHEVSKIY, President of the Russian
Grain Union, Alexey UGAROV, KWS LO-
CHOW GmBH; Dmitri RYLKO, Institute
for Agricultural Market; Dmitri VALIG-
Corrado PIRZIOBIROLI, Franz FISCHLER, Commissioner Janez POTOCNIK, Thierry DE L’ESCAILLE
URSKY, Moscow Farmer’s Union; Ste-
fan DUERR, Russian-German EkoNiva
Company; Sanduhadze BAGRAT, plant
breeder and member of the Academy
of Sciences and Pierre COHADON,
Chief Executive, Syngenta Russia.
In the third panel entitled “Trading &
Infrastructure: enabling Russian agri-
culture to reach its potential”, on issues
linked to trade and infrastructure: ena-
bling Russian agriculture to reach its
potential; and the Common Agricul-
tural Policy, the provocation speech-
was made by Boris ROZENWALD,
Director for Business Development,
Ambika-agro and it was followed with
Juri BELOUSOV, DKRU; Alexander GO-
LIKOV, BSBA; Oleg ROGACHEV, Rusa-
grotrans; Rob HANSEN, Cargill Grains &
Oilseeds Russia and Oleg KANANYKH-
IN, Russkiy Dom.
The fi nal panel, moderated by Thierry
de l’ESCAILLE, of the ELO, with the
speakers Anna GEORGIEVA, World
Bank; Peter BRYDE, European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development;
Mikhail ORLOV, the Ambika Group;
Vladimir PRIMAK, Alpcot Agro and
Andrey SIZOV debated investments
into Russian agriculture: risky, capital
intensive and a new frontier, and part-
nership opportunities for Russia and
Europe.
EVENTS
33
Since 2004 the ELO has been actively
involved in the Green Week, the larg-
est annual conference on European
environment, organised by the Di-
rectorate General for Environment of
the European Commission. Last year’s
edition with a special focus on biodi-
versity took place in Brussels from 1st
to 4th June 2010. The ELO on behalf of
its members had its stand during the
exhibition to showcase the experience
of the management of private proper-
ties through a range of examples of
best practices.
Over thirty sessions were organised
and specifi cally addressed the cur-
rent state of biodiversity and nature
in Europe, off ering potential solutions
to the current alarming rates of loss.
During The Green Week 2010, Prof. Al-
lan BUCKWELL, Chairman of the ELO
Policy Group and Policy Director of
the CLA, participated as a speaker in a
session dedicated to “Agricultural Land
Use and Biodiversity”. The session was
moderated by Corrado PIRZIO-BIROLI,
the ELO President and Vice-Chairman
of the RISE Foundation. Prof. Buckwell
made his presentation on Public goods
aspects of agriculture – biodiversity
and the CAP where he highlighted
that European goals for biodiversity,
cultural landscape and protection of
water, soil and air can only be achieved
by working side-by-side with farmers
and foresters.
The ELO stand attracted a lot of visi-
tors, notably the EU Commissioner for
Environment, Janez POTOCNIK, who
was hosted by the Secretary General
of the ELO Thierry de l’ ESCAILLE. The
ELO created a quiz with 20 questions
related to information that can be
found in the book “Creating the future
of the countryside- The European Es-
tates”, with regard to biodiversity. Fur-
thermore, all publications related to
the item has been presented and suc-
cessfully exposed to the participants,
such as the cork project, the 3 WatER
and the Make-It-Be.
The Green Week 2010 also saw the
launch of the new Business and Biodi-
versity platform of which the ELO is a
partner, which aims to raise awareness
of the business arguments for protect-
ing biodiversity. The Green week 2011
will take place from 24th to 27th May in
Brussels its theme is “Resource Effi -
ciency - Using less, living better”.
The ELO participation in the upcoming
edition has already reached its plan-
ning stage.
GREEN WEEK
Come and take part in the QUIZ
Landowners’ key contributions to halting the loss of biodiversity
Stand n°4
EVENTS
34
The CountrySide Magazine is a European newsletter for
entrepreneurs and political decision makers working for the
future of the rural world in the EU. Issued in English, French,
German, Italian and Spanish, it informs its readers about the
latest developments of European policies, and is a platform
for FCS members and partners to present their local, region-
al and national viewpoints. Numerous experts contribute
to its articles and give the magazine a sharper perspective.
The CountrySide Magazine is read throughout the EU
and beyond, by members of the European institutions as
well as national decision makers, landowners and land
managers.
Always looking for a better communication with our
network, 2011 will give a new look to the magazine.
The paper version will be edited every two months in
English and French, in a bigger format, and an adapted
electronic format also translated in German, Spanish will
be sent out on a monthly basis.
In order to improve the level of services provided to its members since 2006, the Friends of the Countryside has actualised, together with the ELO, a service which is aimed at giving advice to Friends in matters of European aff airs. This service should help the Friends to deal with problems initiated by the European legislation. Friends of the Countryside services SA is based in the heart of European Union in Brussels and has already made several achievements.
Members are receiving dedicated information through the CountrySide which presents current key European issues.
The CountrySide Magazine
Friends of the Countryside services SA
SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS© B
oden
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oret
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for
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U
1
European Landowners’ Organizat ion MARCH-APRIL 2011 - BIMONTHLY - EN
W e are proud to present to you this edition with a special focus on the questions and conclusions that arose during the 4th Forum for the Future of Agricul-ture (FFA), which the ELO organized on the 15th March with Syngenta, the support of the RISE Foundation, and its sponsors’ European Voice, BNP Paribas and Friends of the Countryside. The FFA brings a unique dimension to the debate on the future of the CAP and sustainable land management by attaching equal weight to food and environmental security. The 4th Forum was a great success, and I would like to thank all the panellists for the quality of their interventions as well as the large audience for their participation and thought-provoking questions.The ELO advocates a European agriculture that is competitive as well as sustainable, and a CAP reform which is acceptable to land managers and
society alike.
Land managers should be provided proper remuneration for their products and services in order to maintain a decent livelihood. European farming must further improve its production efficiency, produce more food and fibre with less, and enhance the production of public services such as attractive landscapes. Maintaining land in good condition is an extremely important investment in view of the indirect public services such as water storage and purification, carbon sequestration and biodiversity which are cur-rently and must continue to be provided through
proper land management. To do so requires “sus-tainable intensification”(F.FISCHLER). European Agriculture must also continue to contribute to world food security.It is essential that the new CAP enables land managers to have the financial means to con-tinue their profession (maintain SFP in Pillar 1). Anxieties, in general, are centred on current (and
perhaps future) greening policies within the CAP with little guidance and over reliance on dispro-portionate sanctions. Their contribution to sus-tainability cannot simply rely on regulations and sanctions, but depend on the right incentives.
Thierry de l’ESCAILLESecretary General
Editorial Key messages emerging from the 4th Forum For Agriculture
f
Corrado PIRZIO-BIROLI
Mella FREWEN
John ATKIN
Mairead MCGUINNESS
Paolo DE CASTRO
Refocusing security on food and natureCAP renewal for better farming.
NO132
Friends of the Countryside launched
a new communication tool in 2009
which becomes the principal com-
munication tool for the members. The
Trusted Network is a platform enabling
members to fi nd an up-to-date ad-
dress book of all the members, keep in
The Trusted family network
touch with them through an internal
messaging system, view the pictures
and download the presentations of all
the conferences, watch some exclu-
sive video interviews and access the
knowledge database of interesting ar-
ticles and documents.
This network also gives the opportu-
nity to reinforce communication be-
tween the members and to share ex-
periences by posting pictures, videos,
articles or documents.
Link only available on invitation.
35
SUPPORT FOR MEMBERS
The book which was presented at the
end of 2009 was printed in English
and French and was ready for the new
year of 2010. By the end of 2010 most
were already distributed amongst the
owners of the described estates, the
Friends of the Countryside, the Euro-
pean institutions, the ELO contacts
and all the speakers of the diff erent
conferences and workshops organised
during the year everywhere in Europe
as well in Russia and Morocco.
James JOICEY, member of the Friends
of the Countryside made a remark-
able description of the book edited by
Carlos OTERO with the contribution of
the ELO team, the Friends of the Coun-
tryside and the support of the BNP
Paribas:
“Whenever we look at the European
countryside, and wherever we look,
we see the hand of man. We see it in
trees planted, houses built, landscapes
shaped, crops grown, culture and
heritage maintained or adapted. The
countryside has always been created
and shaped by man.
“This book portrays 63 owners and
managers of private land from across
the whole of Europe, a small sample
of those who are today, at the outset
of the 21st century, responsible for
managing our countryside and for
creating its future for coming gen-
erations. Some of their properties are
large; others are small. Some have
been in the same family ownership
for over 500 years; others have been
acquired more recently. Together they
form a mosaic, the fascinating refl ec-
tion of the consequences of European
history, social development, style,
fashion, fortune, personal ambition,
Creating the future of the Countryside, The European Estates
climatic change, scientifi c advances,
and many other factors.
“Almost all land owners and managers
understand that decisions aff ecting
land management need very careful
thought, are usually costly, and take
a long time to come to fruition. One
just needs to think of planting trees,
conserving biodiversity, repairing old
buildings, or caring for sensitive and
vulnerable landscapes. The economic
return on these decisions is not in-
stant, nor indeed certain, even over a
period of half a century. But they are
crucial for a healthy and wholesome
countryside, which in turn, in an in-
creasingly pressured world, is a basic
precondition for the health and well-
being of Europe’s peoples. As in every
generation our prime concern is that
the countryside must be sustainably
conserved. We use a background of
continuity, stability, vision for the fu-
ture, experience.
“The future of the countryside has
always been created by land manag-
ers, who have loved it, cherished it,
enjoyed it, and shared it. Without the
fl ora and fauna and biodiversity, and
the people who live in it, there would
be no countryside. This book shows
how owners and managers of private
land continue the art of creating the
future of the European countryside.
More importantly, it shows how much
they love and enjoy the challenge, de-
spite the fact that the future has never
seemed so complex.”
The website of the Friends of the Countryside, giving information and publish-
ing the most important dates and documents, has been refreshed during the
last year.
http://www.friendsofthecountryside.org/
Website
36
PARTNERSHIP
Since its funding, fi ve years ago, the
“Young Friends of the Countryside”
is off ering a real opportunity for the
new generation to be better informed
about issues playing a major role in our
modern rural world, preparing them
for challenges ahead. A goal achieved
due to the continuous involvement
and support given by the FCS.
During this time, the YFCS has proven
to be a successful way of improving
the debate among its members on
current issues and in raising aware-
ness of relevant European policies. The
YFCS intranet platform is an example
on how this idea comes into life, as it
allows “friends” with common interests,
to post articles and other documents,
to react on the content available, to be
informed on current issues and keep
track on the organisation activities.
The YFCS continues to grow and in-
tends to increase its representativeness
in Europe, by boosting the involve-
Young Friends of the Countryside
ment of young rural entrepreneurs,
aged between twenty and thirty-fi ve.
It now helps people from seventeen
EU countries to meet each other and
exchange similar experiences. In addi-
tion, last year, the organisation devel-
oped several partnerships to increase
the visibility and scope of the organi-
sation, through the concretisation of
diff erent projects and sharing of infor-
mation.
Among the advantages of being in
a close relation with the FCS, is that
members have the opportunity to
learn from their substantial experience
by joining them in diff erent events,
such as the FCS General Assembly,
which last year took place in Apel-
doorn, in the Netherlands and counted
with approximately 40 Young Friends
for 3 days.
For its own General Assembly, the
board of the YFCS select Madrid as ven-
ue for 2010, also the place chosen for
the ELO’s General Assembly. In addi-
tion, on the 1st of October, some Young
Friends went to Dublin for the 30th An-
nual General Meeting of the Board of
the Governors of the European Historic
Houses Association.
In fact, 2010 was a busy year, starting
with a gala dinner in February to pre-
sent the book “Creating the Future of
the Countryside” and the 3rd Forum for
the Future of Agriculture, which count
with the participation of well-known
experts such as Jagdish BHAGWATI,
Professor of Economics & Law at Co-
lumbia University, Janez POTOCNIK,
EU Commissioner for Environment or
Franz FISCHLER, Chairman of the RISE
Foundation and former EU Commis-
sioner for Agriculture. Another impor-
tant event in Brussels was the Green
Week 2010 that turned the spotlight
on biodiversity.
In the United Kingdom, the Young
Friends organised a stand during the
37
PARTNERSHIP
© Thomas de Dorlodot
CLA Game Fair and some months af-
ter they were invited to a CLA Meet-
ing, where Thierry de l’ESCAILLE gave
the UK FCS their annual briefi ng and
Sebastian HILLGARTH had the oppor-
tunity to say some words about YFCS.
In Vienna, took place a recruiting event
that counted with 30 participants and
was followed by the St. Stephan Ball at
the Hungarian Embassy.
These are some examples that show-
case the unique and valuable oppor-
tunity given by the YFCS to the mem-
bers, and constitute one of the reasons
for the attribution of the Filippas Engel
Award 2010 to the organisation. A rec-
ognition only possible due to the sup-
port of the FCS, ELO, BNP Paribas and
other strategic partners, who remain
fundamental of the organisation.
www.yfcs.eu
38
2010 has added further key building
blocks to the architectural framework
supporting the young RISE Foundation
in its development in full independ-
ence from any other organisation.4 In
the early months of 2010 following
the publication of its infl uential Euro-
pean task force report on ‘Public Goods
from Private Land’ led by Professor Al-
lan BUCKWELL in December 2009, the
RISE Foundation took the concept on
the road across Europe to gain support
for its argument that land managers
need incentives from the market and
public-private initiatives in order to de-
liver environmental services and public
goods alongside their core business of
producing food and fi bre.
In addition, the 3rd Forum for the Future
of Agriculture also was the occasion for
RISE Chairman and FFA Chair, Franz
FISCHLER to emphasise that public
goods were the missing link in the pur-
suit of a well-balanced environmental
and economic framework supporting
European agriculture. Consolidating
this work, the RISE Foundation won a
tender contract in December along-
side the IEEP to provide recommen-
dations for the European Parliament
advising as to what tools and mecha-
nisms could optimise the delivery of
environmental and social public goods
as part of the reformed CAP (to be pub-
lished in May 2011).
2010 was also the year of the publica-
tion and dissemination of an impor-
tant and infl uential paper from Cor-
rado PIRZIO-BIROLI who issued a stark
warning to European policy-makers
about the dangers of rushing into bi-
lateral free-trade agreements (FTAs)
such as the proposed EU-MERCOSUR
FTA, as against concentrating on mul-
tilateral trade negotiations within the
WTO. The European Parliament (Com-
The RISE Foundation
mittee on Agriculture and Rural Devel-
opment), who did not initially oppose
restarting those negotiations for lack
of arguments has now called-up the
Commission for failing to carry out ob-
jective impact assessments and for in-
adequately defending the interests of
the European Union in the MERCOSUR
negotiations on the crucial issues of
food security, sustainability and climate
change, and standards.
Finally, 2010 saw the recruitment of a
part-time Managing Director, Bernard
GRACIET to help with the on-going
task of fundraising and securing fi nan-
cial partnerships for the Foundation.
This will be a key focus of RISE eff orts in
the early part of 2011 and throughout
the year.
For more information check the web-
site http://www.risefoundation.eu
4. For the Foundation’s full activity reports as approved by its Board please consult the web-site
www.risefoundation.eu. The 2010 full activity report will be approved on 7 June 2011.
PARTNERSHIP
39
The new Brussels liaison offi ce of Eu-
ropa Nostra, the Voice of cultural herit-
age in Europe is, since 1st March 2010,
hosted by the ELO offi ce in Brussels. The
pan-European federation for cultural
heritage has as its mission the raising
of awareness of the value of Europe’s
unique and rich cultural heritage and
works, to protect it for present and fu-
ture generations. As the representative
platform of over 230 heritage Member
NGOs, 160 Associate organisations
and 1500 individual active members
throughout Europe, it is the voice of
this vast movement of European civil
society, active in the fi eld, targeting the
concerned international bodies, in par-
ticular the European Union Institutions,
the Council of Europe and UNESCO.
As well as one of the Friends of the
Countryside associations’ objective, Eu-
ropa Nostra is dedicated to place herit-
age and its benefi ts in the mainstream
of public consciousness and to make
heritage a priority for public policies
both at European and national levels.
Its specifi c objectives are to promote,
at a European level, high standards of
quality in the fi elds of heritage con-
servation, architecture and urban and
rural planning, and to advocate a bal-
anced and sustainable development of
the built and natural environment.
Europa Nostra supports national and
international campaigns for the pres-
ervation and rescue of Europe’s herit-
age at risk. It encourages exemplary
initiatives in favour of the conservation
and enhancement of cultural heritage
by recognising outstanding heritage
achievements, in particular through
the running of the European Union
Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa
Nostra Awards. The awards 2010 were
presented by Mrs Androulla VASSIL-
IOU, the European Commissioner
Europa Nostra
responsible for Education, Culture,
Multilingualism and Youth, and Denis
de KERGORLAY, Executive President of
Europa Nostra, during the 8th Annual
European Heritage Awards Ceremony,
which took place in Aya Irini in Istanbul,
Turkey, on 10 June 2010, as part of the
Europa Nostra Annual Congress. This
event contributed to the celebration
of Istanbul as the European Capital of
Culture 2010.
Through its various activities, Europa
Nostra seeks to highlight the impor-
tance of cultural heritage as a build-
ing block of European identity and as
a contribution to the strengthening of
the sense of European citizenship.
One of Europa Nostra numerous ac-
tivities in 2010 concerns more specifi -
cally the future reform of the Common
Agricultural Policy (CAP) and its eff ect
on Europe’s natural and cultural herit-
age. Following an experts round table
discussion organised by Europa Nos-
tra in March 2010 on this issue, a joint
statement, endorsed by 8 important
European organisations, including ELO
and the RISE Foundation, and entitled
“Europe’s living landscapes: Cultural
heritage as a force for rural develop-
ment”, was prepared giving 8 key mes-
sages. It was stressed that the CAP is a
fundamentally important instrument
in terms of the diversity and attrac-
tiveness of Europe’s landscapes and
conservation, public enjoyment and
sustainable re-use of its cultural, as well
as its natural heritage.
Europa Nostra and its partners believe
that this is a matter of vital interest to
rural communities within Europe be-
cause the quality of their local heritage
and landscape promotes their sense
of identity, enhances social cohesion
and provides a cornerstone of their
prosperity, not least through tourism.
It is imperative, therefore, that the next
round of CAP reform recognizes the
European landscape and cultural herit-
age as a key public good, alongside bi-
odiversity, food security and the need
to respond to a changing climate.
www.europanostra.org
PARTNERSHIP
40
1. Anders Wall Award
The Anders Wall Award was created
in 2002 by the ELO, with the coop-
eration of the Anders Wall Foundation
(Sweden), Friends of the Countryside,
European Commission - DG Environ-
ment and the Royal Swedish Academy
of Agriculture and Forestry. Its aim is
to recognize those who have made a
special contribution to the rural envi-
ronment within the European Union.
The achievement should preferably
include the following elements – pres-
ervation and enhancement of the
landscape and/or biodiversity, pres-
ervation of the rural cultural heritage
and contribution to sustainable local
economic development.
This years’ winner of the Anders Wall
Award is the very young latvian owner
of the “Jaunumuli” Estate, Mr. Madars
KALNINS. The mission statement of the
Estate is that the spirit and purpose of
the “Jaunumuli” Estate is to realise an
excellent forest management, where
local people are employed in forestry
and local companies are business
partners for Rostes LTD, the company
of which Mr. KALNINS is the manager,
whilst improving the naturally con-
structed environment to the highest
standards now and for future genera-
tions. Furthemore, the will is to off er
those who live and work on the Estate
a share in the experience of its increas-
ing prosperity.
2. Environment and Soil
Management Award
The European Landowner’s Organi-
zation (ELO) under the patronage of
Commissioner for the Environment
Janez POTOCNIK, the auspices of the
European Commission (DG ENVIRON-
MENT and the Joint Research Centre),
in association with the BOKU and Lju-
bljana Universities and Syngenta In-
ternational awarded the “Environment
and Soil Management Award” at the
4th Forum for Agriculture, which took
place on the 15th March in Brussels.
The award was presented to the Net-
work Land Stewardship (XCT), a non-
profi t organization registered in Cata-
lonia and established in March 2003
in Vic, Spain, where it is based. The
initiative “Land Stewardship Network:
a strategy for owners and citizens for
the conservation of biodiversity” has
received the prize of € 2,500 and a di-
ploma, recognizing that management
practices contribute to soil protection,
improvement of environmental quality
and, in particular, to mitigating threats
to the natural environment. The award
also recognizes the economic, social
and environmental impact of the ini-
tiative, an initiative that is innovative,
original and transferable.
During the ceremony Thierry de
l’ESCAILLE and John ATKIN (Chief Op-
erating Offi cer- Syngenta Crop Protec-
tion) introduced the award, which was
AWARDS
followed by a few words from Matthias
Buck on behalf of Commissioner Janez
POTOCNIK. The award itself was then
given by Winfried BLUM (president of
the Jury, from BOKU university of Vi-
enna) and was received by Sergi MARI,
member of the board of the Land
Stewardship Network, Joan BOTEY,
The ELO, Friends of the Countryside and their partners have created a series of European Awards in order to promote sustainability in rural areas. The aim of these awards is to reward outstanding achievements in the European countryside.
Anders Wall award
Charles FORBES ADAM, Ladislav MIKO
41
AWARDS
landowner in Gavarres and Jordi PIETX,
director of the XCT, with the testimony
of approximately 300 participants.
ELO welcomes new projects which
fi ts the criteria and contributes to
mitigate the threats that European
soils faces nowadays.
The application should be
submitted directly by a European
physical or legal person or a public
institution working in the fi eld of
land use or land management, or
indirectly through organizations.
Besides, it must contain the name
of the project, the mail address
(with zip code), the phone number
and E-mail address, an executive
summary (maximum 1 page) and
the main document, describing the
achievements presented for award
(maximum 20 pages).
For this year prize, the
applications should be sent in until
the 30 November 2011.
Any requests for application or fur-
ther information may be submitted
to the Awards Coordinator of ELO
by post or mail at forest@elo.org.
3. Belleuropa Award
The Belleuropa® Project was launched
in the late 1990’s. The Belleuropa Award
is given in collaboration with the RISE
foundation, Agroittica and the Institu-
to Doénco Medio Ambiente, a leading
Italian fi rm in the environmental sec-
tor. The aim of this award is to promote
improvement of landscapes, biological
diversity, CO2 abatement, noise reduc-
tion, pollution control and foster the
creation of a fertility reserve, the most
important strategic food reserve. It is a
prize destined to the agricultural com-
panies that, using agro-environmental
The winners Sergi MARI, Joan BOTEY and Jordi PIETX
measures, have realized an important
example of “Agricultural Productions
of Third Generation”. The jury received
numerous excellent applications, but,
in the end, decided to recognize the
eff orts of Mr. Luigi LOVISOTTO for his
project “Villabruna”, as recognition for
his outstanding work to recover and
manage a damaged natural habitat,
contributing to the protection, conser-
vation and sustainable management
of land.
During the last 25 years, Luigi LOVI-
SOTTO adapted the management to
the current European standards, espe-
cially in the use of renewed traditional
techniques and of seeds. It is a unique
example for this region in Italy of how
land management can be done.
The site represents one of the last
stretches of the ancient wood of Friuli’s
plain. The lagoon of Grado and Marano
is one of the major eco-system in Italy
containing endemic endangered spe-
cies of North of Adriatic habitats. The
project resulted in a landscape which
still today overcomes the signifi cant
impact of the existing urban and in-
dustrial surroundings areas.
42
FINANCES
Bilan au 31/12/2010 en euros
ACTIF 2010 2009
IMMOBILISATIONS INCORPORELLES 0 0
IMMOBILISATIONS FINANCIERES 1.000,00 1.000,00
CREANCES A UN AN AU PLUS
Créances commerciales 60.361,32 158.228,20
Clients 69.146,99 167.679,37
Créances douteuses - 10.000,00
Autres créances 528,17 20,66
Compte courant 686,16 0
Produits autres à recevoir 528,17
Réduction de valeur sur créances (10.000,00) 0
Placements de trésorerie 0 0
VALEURS DISPONIBLES 54.971,28 267.633,86
Banque FORTIS/EUR 13.183,01 210.915,87
HOARE GBP 18.428,09 18.120,91
BNP Paribas Italie 23.360,18 38.592,08
Virements internes 0,00 5
COMPTES DE REGULATION
Charges à reporter 0 0
TOTAL DE L’ACTIF 116.332,60 426.862,06
43
FINANCES
Bilan au 31/12/2010 en euros
PASSIF 2010 2009
RESULTAT REPORTE 110.172,88 107.776,69
Bénéfi ce reporté 107.776,69 105.227,86
Bénéfi ce de l’exercice 2.396,19 2.548,83
Provision pour autres risques et charges 0,00 10.000
DETTES A UN AN AU PLUS 6.159,72 170.085,37
Dettes fi nancières 0 0
GB/FB 0 0
Dettes commerciales
Fournisseurs 3844,25 85.076,57
Factures à recevoir - 82.160,12
Note de crédit à émettre - 0
Dettes fi scales et sociales - 758,21
Etablissement de crédit (25,00) 0,00
Autres dettes 2.340,47 2.090,47
COMPTE DE REGULATION
Produits à reporter - 139.000,00
Comptes en attentes - 0
TOTAL DU PASSIF 116.332,60 426.862,06
© Karlov
44
COMPTES DE RESULTATS AU 31/12/2010 EN EUROS
FINANCES© Wrams Gunnarstorp
2010 2009
VENTES ET PRESTATIONS
Chiff re d’aff aires
Cotisations 274.240,00 264.950,00
Sponsorship 159.000,00 145.006,45
Autres produits d’exploitation
Remboursements - 206,93
Récupération de frais 47.889,00 153.180,00
Exonération & allocation - 2.322,24Total 481.129,00 565.665,62
COUT DES VENTES ET DES PRESTATIONS
Services et biens divers 469.107,28 540.741,44
Location locaux 5.000,00 5.000,00
Téléphone 3.203,00 7.025,00
Frais de poste 15.451,45 14.634,73
Fournitures de bureau 11.341,81 19.618,88
Honoraires secrétariat 354,45 1.212,00
Honoraires comptable 4.658,50 2.456,30
Actions et soutiens 277.394,00 278.313,62
Publications 4.795,00 1.195,60
Congrès et actions nationales 146.790,37 207.296,61
Maintenance informatique 118,70 3.988,70
RENUMERATIONS & CHARGES SOCIALES 16.206,94 9.750,92
Rémunérations et charges 16.206,94 8.741,13
Secretariat social - 1.009,79
AUTRES CHARGES - 623,02
AMORTISSEMENTS
Dot. Amort.
Dot. Charges autres risques et charges - 10.000,00
Reprises (10.000)
Total 475.314,22 561.115,38
Bénéfi ce d’exploitation 5.814,78 4.550,24
45
COMPTES DE RESULATS AU 31/12/2010 EN EUROS
FINANCES
2010 2009
PRODUITS FINANCIERS
Intérêts banque (10,27) (90,58)
Diff érence de change 57,45 -
Produits fi nanciers divers 1005,17 229,55
CHARGES FINANCIERES
Inter., commis., frais aff ér. Dettes - -
Diff érence de change et autres 2.201,58 1.479,87
Frais de banque 769,13 660,59
Ecart de paiement 732,91 -
Perte fi nancière 2.651,27 2.001,41
Bénéfi ce courant avant impôts 3.163,51 2.548,83
Produits exceptionnels (37,07) -
Charges exceptionnelles - -
IMPOTS
Impôts et prèc. dûs ou versés 730,25 -
Bénéfi ce de l’exercice 2.396,19 2.548,83©
Ram
s G
unna
rsto
rp
46
BUDGETS 2011
2011
INCOMES 514.000,00
Membership fees 300.000,00
Sponsorship BNP-Paribas 139.000,00
Divers 75.000,00
EXPENSES 505.000,00
GROSS MARGIN 9.000,00
FINANCES
47
BILAN
48
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