The project aims to help the sustainable use of hay meadows and thus to maintain high biodiversity, important ecosystem services and healthy local communities. Our land is of exceptional natural value, with many protected areas, but many yet unknown that are not protected. These include different types of meadows still managed using traditional practices.

 

We emphasize that traditional land use practices are still present and viable in the local communities of our area. It is of utmost importance to document and preserve traditional knowledge on land use management because this provides high resilience against global challenges such as climate change and economic crises.

 

Traditional land use practices in our area are threatened by forces of the market economy and economic development. For example, EU regulations put severe restrictions on milk quality, starting in January 2010, which imperil traditional sources of income for the local population.

 

We believe that the traditional systems for milk production are of key importance to the local maintenance of agroecosystems with a high biodiversity and provide a wide range of ecosystem services, including carbon storage with direct effect on global climate change, and sustainable income generation through ecotourism and ecological products.

 

Timeline: 2009 September – 2011 February

 

Main objectives:
To create a database on hay meadow biodiversity
To create integrated management plans for two sites
To create benefits for landowners from biodiversity and sustainable land use

 

Main activities:
Inventory of meadow biodiversity (plant, bird, amphibian, reptile, selected invertebrate groups)
Consulting local farmers about land use
Promoting the International Year of Biodiversity and bringing together knowledge about meadow biodiversity, rural sociology and economy
Proposing sites to be included in the Natura 2000 network
Making and proposing local policies regarding sustainable land use and nature conservation
Compiling management plans and best practices guide
Creating environmental education trails
Increasing income from milk production (e.g. cheese making training course, purchase of equipment to meet milk quality standards)
Integrating project results in local school curricula and outdoor activities