Today’s agriculture is more productive than ever, but at the same time, more and more butterflies, bees, and birds are disappearing from our fields and meadows. Trees and hedgerows are being cleared to make way for large machines—farming is becoming more efficient, but the landscape is becoming more lifeless. How can we strike a balance: an agricultural system that feeds us all and ensures a good income for our farmers, while also providing habitat for our wildlife and preserving our natural resources?
The European Union has set itself the goal of promoting this kind of nature-friendly agriculture. However, it is often difficult to predict in advance how a law would affect farmers and biodiversity.
To address this, we build computer models, such as the “Persefone” software (https://persefone-model.eu/de.html). We use these models to simulate how farmers’ practices affect animals such as birds and butterflies. We also want to find out under what circumstances it might be economically viable to restore hedgerows and other habitats. This allows us to examine what consequences new policy regulations might have for both farms and nature.
Here at our booth, we’ll explain how our computer models work and how we go about developing them. Visitors will also have the opportunity to try out the software for themselves.