Grassland restoration at a landscape scale

Grassland restoration at a landscape scale

In two pilot areas in Transylvania, ADEPT and Rainforest Concern will work with local farmers, carrying out demonstration habitat restoration to show the economic as well as biodiversity benefits of maintaining grasslands at a landscape scale. The small-scale ownership of haymeadows and common pastures grazed by village herds means that a cooperative approach is the most practical way of achieving economic and biodiversity results.

Funded by: Rainforest Concern
Project Duration : September 2018- October 2019
Budget: €70,000 of which €35,000 financed by Rainforest Concern

Project Objectives

Restore 50 ha of haymeadows and pastures in 2 pilot areas, as a demonstration for local farmer associations, backed up by training of 2 farmer associations so that they become more stable.

Impact: small-scale farming systems more economically viable. Better conservation of scale and connectivity of landscapes through implementation of agri-environment schemes at landscape scale.

Actions: In two pilot areas (areas managed by one village or farmer group) we will:

  • implement cooperative conservation management with farmer associations or farmers groups.
  • As part of the conservation management, we will, together with the local farmers restore 50 ha of meadows and pastures, in order to motivate local farmers.
  • The project will use these examples to promote cooperative conservation management among farmers, local authorities, and regional and national policy-makers.

Project Updates

Restoration of 50 hectares was carried out by a mixture of mowing and clearing scrub, and controlled rotational grazing by ADEPT’s herd of cattle.

Late mowing, and prevention of overgrazing and use of rotational grazing, has allowed grasses to regrow and allowed forbs (flowering plants) to come to flower and set seed.

Floristic diversity, and populations of associated butterfly and other invertebrate species (bees, crickets, grasshoppers etc.) have noticeably increased.

Restoration by mowing 2019-2020

Some of the grassland before restoration, 2018

Restoration in progress 2019

Benefits begin to become clear in 2020

Restoration by controlled grazing 2019-2020

Poor condition grassland in 2018

ADEPT cattle grazing improved grassland in 2020

ADEPT cattle grazing improved grassland in 2020

Managing Body & Contact

Nat Page

President

UK Tel: 0044 (0)1747 830834
UK Mob: 0044 (0)771 2828216
RO Mob: 0040 (0)744 966239 npage@copac.org.uk

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Our Partners

Biodiversity conservation and community development in Transylvania
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