Auctions in an outcome-based payment scheme to reward ecological services in agriculture – Conception, implementation and results

4. The regional payment scheme

4.1. The components of the payment scheme

From 2000 to 2003 the outcome-based payment scheme was compiled. In figure 1 the
payment scheme is drafted and below the substantial components of the concept are
presented (Fischer et al., 2003; Gerowitt and Marggraf, 2001):

Outcome orientation - Ecological goods: Contrary to present agri-environmental programs
this concept comprises an outcome orientated reward. The farmers will not be rewarded for
particular actions but for the results of ecological services. These results are defined as
ecological goods of plant diversity (Bertke et al., 2002). Ecological goods have to be
clearly defined by transparent floristic criteria, so that farmers are able to prove their
fulfilment and a justiciable control of the supplied ecological goods can take place as a part
of the payment scheme. The aims of the production of the so called ecological goods
“grassland” are the protection of regional endangered plant communities, the preservation
of grassland on marginal sites and the promotion of species-rich grassland. Therefor the
number of species per plot and a catalogue of grassland species that are adapted to
extensive grassland management and characteristic for regional plant communities are
suitable for the definition of ecological goods grassland. Related to the ecological quality -
represented by the number of species - three kinds of ecological goods grassland were
defined. Grassland I represents the lowest and grassland III the highest level of ecological
goods. An appropriate direct linkage of the remuneration of farmers and ecological results
leads to a more efficient employment of public means assume as in existing agri-

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