Meadow birds

Applied Research Group

Education and information, setting up practical monitoring systems as well as revenue and business models in meadow bird areas are important subjects in the applied research group of meadow birds. The applied research group of meadow birds started on 1 May 2016, headed by Professor Astrid Manhoudt. The applied research group works on the basis of questions posed by its work field. In this context, there is close cooperation with the study programmes of Animal Management, Animal Husbandry, Agribusiness and Business Administration, and schools in secondary vocational education.

Key Focus

The key focus of the applied research group is the improvement of meadow bird management in practice, the efficient and effective organisation of monitoring and the development of business models for agriculture including meadow bird management in farming. In addition, a great deal of knowledge is available on meadow bird management at universities, knowledge institutes, land managers and agrarian collectives.  The implementation of knowledge into farm practice is often lacking because a translation to the practical situation or mutual coordination are lacking.

In order to protect meadow birds, the applied research group of meadow birds is committed to the sustainable and effective anchoring of management, design and monitoring in dairy farming, the agrarian collectives and education. It aims to do so by means of working and learning in practice, education and research.

About the professor

Astrid Manhoudt has gained a great deal of experience in knowledge transfer and exchange with collectives. Her PhD focused on a subject surrounding agrarian nature management, and she has worked for the foundation for collective agrarian nature management (Dutch abbreviation: SCAN) for several years. She will continue to work for this organisation for two days a week. This will secure the connection with the knowledge agenda of the collectives, and will contribute to the nationwide implementation of activities.

Objective

A starting point for Professor Manhoudt will be the questions that are posed by her surroundings. Important subjects are education and information, setting up practical monitoring systems and revenue and business models in meadow bird areas. There will be close cooperation with the study programmes of Animal Management, Animal Husbandry, Agribusiness and Business Administration, and schools in secondary vocational education. There is an ambition to involve other green educational institutions in the development of the applied research group as well.

The most important ambition is the connection with the field, not least with farming practice. Questions from that field are leading in applied research and the programme of projects.

Inauguration on 10 May 2017 

On Wednesday 10 May, Astrid Manhoudt was officially appointed Professor of Meadow Birds. To this end, the symposium 'Farmers with meadow birds - Working and learning together in practice, education and research' was organised. 

Mission 

The applied research group of meadow birds is committed to the sustainable and effective anchoring of management, design and monitoring in dairy farming, the agrarian collectives and education.

Vision 

Meadow birds are regionally and sustainably protected on the basis of ecological and economic customization. For each type of dairy business, a set of effective and practical management measures is developed which contributes to the sustainable preservation of meadow birds and the business model of the entrepreneur. New business models are developed at essential locations in which agricultural production is subordinate to the protection of meadow birds. The Dutch meadow bird population cannot be protected in a sustainable manner within the current agricultural practice in combination with agrarian nature and landscape management. New business models in which agricultural objectives are subordinate to meadow bird management have to be developed.

New insights

While there are areas with far-reaching subsidised measures for the adapting of management and design for the benefit of meadow birds, there are other areas where there is a commitment to a cost-neutral implementation of protection measures. By conducting action-oriented research with collectives, area coordinators, farmers and land managers, new insights are implemented in practice immediately. By interconnecting various aspects of business operations including grassland and soil management, cow health, water management and economic management, entrepreneurs and society will gain an understanding of the added value and costs of meadow bird management.

Area-based meadow bird protection occurs through close cooperation and coordination of management between farmers, collectives and land managers.

Projects 

• Cows and herbs
• Herbal grassland in the Province of North Holland 
• Workplaces for customised management

Applied research group

Anne Jansma, project leader
Desirée Thesingh, Animal Management
Imra Klein, project engineer
Jelmer van Belle, Animal Management
Jan Hania, Business Administration and Agribusiness
Goaitske Iepema, Animal Husbandry and Livestock Farming
Marjolein van Dieren, Animal Management

Want to know more?

If you would like to know more about the applied research group, then e-mail your question to [email protected] or call +31 (0)58 284 63 31 (Nelleke Fledderus, secretariat).

Address Leeuwarden

VHL University of Applied Sciences (VHL)
Agora 1
PO Box 1528
8901 BV Leeuwarden

Address Velp

Hogeschool VHL
Larensteinselaan 26a
PO Box 9001
6880 GB Velp