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Naturland's new standards: Protecting ecosystems beyond rainforests

Pioneering ecosystem protection to safeguard biodiversity

Maria Dopfer, Naturland e.V.

We are currently living through several ecological crises, the two most pressing and interrelated being climate change and biodiversity loss. While the effects of climate change are gladly more and more conversant, many are still unaware of the consequences of biodiversity loss. Biodiversity is essential for vital ecosystem services, such as controlling soil erosion, pollinating crops and protecting of freshwater.¹ Alarmingly, climate change is increasing the loss of biodiversity.¹ Unfortunately, agriculture, especially in the form of land-use change, is a major factor in exacerbating both crises.² But just as the crises are linked, so are the actions that can be taken to help preserve both our climate and our biodiversity.³

One of the most important measures is to protect ecosystems. For this reason, primary ecosystems such as rainforests have long been protected by Naturland standards. The standards prohibit the conversion of primary forests and the cultivation of primary ecosystems since the year 2000. But there are also other natural ecosystems with biological or ecological importance or relevance for indigenous people.

Service & Expertise

Natural ecosystems

Primary ecosystems: Largely ‘pristine’ natural ecosystems that have not been subject to major human impacts in recent history. This includes, for example the Amazon rainforest and the Arctic tundra.

Other natural ecosystems: This includes human-managed ecosystems where much of the natural species composition, structure and ecological function are present, for example managed natural forests, native grasslands or rangelands that are, or historically have been, grazed.4

The concept of “High Conservation Values” (HCV) addresses this importance. An HCV is a biological, ecological, social or cultural value of outstanding significance or critical importance. There are six values: Species diversity, large-scale ecosystems, habitats, ecosystems services, community needs and cultural values.

“High Conservation Values”5

HCV 1: Species diversity

Concentrations of biological diversity including endemic species and rare, threatened or endangered species that are significant at global, regional or national levels.

HCV 2: Landscape level ecosystems, ecosystem mosaics and IFL

Large landscape-level ecosystems, ecosystem mosaics and Intact Forest Landscapes (IFL) that are significant at global, regional or national levels, and that contain viable populations of the great majority of the naturally occurring species in natural patterns of distribution and abundance.

HCV 3: Ecosystems and habitats

Rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems, habitats or refugia.

HCV 4: Ecosystem services

Basic ecosystem services in critical situations, including protection of water catchments and control of erosion of vulnerable soils and slopes.

HCV 5: Community needs

Sites and resources fundamental for satisfying basic necessities of local communities or indigenous people (for livelihoods, health, nutrition, water, etc.), identified through engagement with these communities or indigenous peoples.

HCV 6: Cultural values

Sites, resources, habitats and landscapes of global or national cultural, archaeological or historical significance, and/or of critical cultural, ecological, economic or religious/sacred importance for the traditional cultures of local communities or indigenous peoples, identified through engagement with these local communities or indigenous peoples.

As Naturland has recognised the need to protect natural ecosystems beyond primary ecosystems, new regulations have been adopted. From June 2023 onwards, also non-primary ecosystems containing HCVs will be under preservation, regulated by chapter B.I.9.2 of the Naturland standards on production. If farmers plan to convert natural ecosystems, they must inform Naturland, who will then carry out an assessment of the HCVs in the area. Conversion is only permitted if existing HCVs are maintained. Naturland can therefore impose specific management conditions in this respect.6 By incorporating the Concept of “High Conservation Values” into our standards, Naturland reaffirms its commitment to the holistic conservation of ecosystems. Join us in our mission to preserve the rich tapestry of life on our planet for generations to come.

Browse the Naturland standards on production, version 05/2023

Author

Maria Dopfer is a working student in the team International Member Support & Quality Assurance. Among other things, she is researching various topics concerning high conservation values and biodiversity. In cooperation with Naturland, she is currently writing her final thesis on the production costs of organic honey from Yucatan, Mexico.

Sources

¹ Habibullah, .S., Din, B.H., Tan, SH. et al. Impact of climate change on biodiversity loss: global evidence. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 1073–1086 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15702-8
² Campbell, B. M., D. J. Beare, E. M. Bennett, J. M. Hall-Spencer, J. S. I. Ingram, F. Jaramillo, R. Ortiz, N. Ramankutty, J. A. Sayer, and D. Shindell. (2017). Agriculture production as a major driver of the Earth system exceeding planetary boundaries. Ecology and Society 22(4) :8. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09595-220408
³ Shin, Y.-J., Midgley, G. F., Archer, E. R. M., Arneth, A., Barnes, D. K. A., Chan, L., Hashimoto, S., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Insarov, G., Leadley, P., Levin, L., Ngo, H. T., Pandit, R., Pires, A. P. F., Pörtner, H.-O., Rogers, A. D., Scholes, R. J., Settele, J., & Smith, P. (2022). Actions to halt biodiversity loss generally benefit the climate. Global Change Biology, 28, 2846–2874. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16109
4 Accountability Framework Initiative. Definitions: Natural ecosystem.
5 HCV Network. HCV Approach.
6 Naturland. Naturland Standards on Production. (05/2023).