EU agricultural landscapes are vital for biodiversity. Intensive agricultural practices
constitute, however, key drivers of biodiversity loss. The EU Biodiversity Strategy
for 2030 aims to restore "at least 10 % of agricultural area under high-diversity
landscape features", yet it lacks specific guidance for assessment and implementation.
Here, we develop an approach to (a) map and assess agricultural landscape features
(LF) cover at a landscape scale, (b) cluster agricultural landscapes by complexity
using both compositional and configurational heterogeneity metrics, and (c) prioritise
landscapes and sites for LF restoration by targeting areas of lower productivity and
higher erosion risk, to enhance farmer acceptance and increase restoration benefits.
Using Brandenburg, Germany, as a case study, we found that 94.4 % of landscapes fall
short of the 10 % landscape features cover target. We categorised five agricultural
landscape types ranging from simple to complex mosaics. At the local scale, in ten
randomly selected landscapes, we identified an additional 11 % of agricultural areas
on which LF could be restored. Our study helps advance methodologies to prioritise
LF restoration. It can provide guidance for administrators and planners to assess
the LF status and advance their adoption by farmers. We recommend prioritising landscapes
and selecting restoration actions based on overall landscape complexity assessment.
At the local scale, we recommend participatory processes involving local stakeholders.
We believe our methodology is transferable to other EU regions, and highlights both
the opportunities and challenges in developing a standardised, EU-wide approach for
prioritising LF restoration to support agroecological transitions in Europe.
