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Effects of reduced pesticide use on flora and fauna in agricultural fields Preface and AcknowledgementsIn 1995 the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy called for projects, which should elucidate possible effects on flora and fauna of reducing pesticide dosages experimentally at large scale. The present project was successful in the tendering. The project was first designed in 1995 and further elaborated after a pilot phase in 1996 by the partners below who also executed the practical part of the project. It included the three main areas, botany, entomology (arthropods), and ornithology and in a addition supporting disciplines such as yield estimation, economic aspects and statistics. The project was initiated with a pilot year on one farm in 1996 and had its main period of practical work on five farms 1997-98-99 The finalization of sampling and counting took place in late summer and autumn 1999, ending with assessments of accumulated weed problems and occurrence of birds on stubble fields. The treatment of data and statistical analyses were finalized in 2001. The Partners and assisting partners of the project were: Botanical aspects: Dept. of Physiological Ecology, Botanical Institute, University of Copenhagen (Anne-Mette M. Jensen and Ib Johnsen) Entomological aspects: Zoology Section, Dept. of Ecology, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (Peter Esbjerg and Søren Navntoft) Ornithological aspects: Ornis Consult A/S (Bo Svenning Petersen) Yield effects: The Danish Agricultural Advisory Centre (Hans Kristensen and Poul Henning Petersen) Economic aspects: Economy Section, Dept. of Economy, Forestry and Landscape, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (Clemen Rasmussen and Svend Rasmussen) Statistical advice: Section of Mathematics and Statistics, Dept. of Mathematics and Physics, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (Ib Skovgaard et al.) Project coordination: Center for Ecology and Environment / Dept. of Ecology, Royal veterinary and Agricultural University (Peter Esbjerg) Further the project has been assisted in assessments of annual yield reductions and of final weed accumulation by "The foundation for Sugar Beet Research", Alstedgaard, (Jens Nyholm Thomsen), "Syd-Østsjællands Landboforening" (Jørgen Dabelsteen and Niels Skov) and "Køge-Ringsted Landboforening " (Morten Nygaard). For the practical execution of the project it was necessary to find landowners with suitable fields and crops. Among a rather limited number suitable of farms with suitable fields the owners and managers of the five listed below accepted the contract based collaboration. Gjorslev Estate, Landowner Peter Tesdorf and Chief Manager J. Klith Jensen The above landowners and managers are thanked for their collaboration without which the project could not have been carried out. Thanks are also due to all other assisting organizations and persons who contributed to a multifaceted project like this. Furthermore thanks are due to the below members of the steering committee of the project: Henning Clausen, Inge Vibeke Hansen, Jørn Kirkegaard and Kaj Juhl Madsen,
Danish Environmental Protection Agency
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