Biotope networks in the agricultural-dominant landscape - evaluation of establishment and conservation possibilities support systems

The drastic decline in the biodiversity of agricultural-dominant landscapes has been highlighted by a number of studies in recent years (ECA 2020; EEA 2020; IPBES 2019). The establishment of biotope networks could be one of the most effective responses to address the climate and biodiversity crisis in agricultural-dominant landscapes (ECPA 2014; Haddaway N.R. et al. 2016; D.B.Westbury et al. 2017). Therefore, the aim of our research is to explore the Hungarian and EU legal systems related to the conservation and establishment of the biotope network, and to compare them with the future support measures. The evaluation provides an answer to what extent the development plans provide solutions for the shortcomings of the current support systems. Based on our evaluation, the measures of the planned support programs can lead to an improvement in approximately half of the shortcomings. However, only 37.5% of the measures of the planned support programs contribute directly to the establishment and conservation of biotope networks. Therefore, without underestimating the importance of the planned support programs that are long overdue, it should be noted that achieving the target of converting 10% of agricultural land to high biodiversity value by 2030 (EU BS 2020) will require more intervention. In order to achieve this goal, mandatory regulations will certainly need to be applied more widely than at present