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LIFE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF DRY GRASSLANDS IN EASTERN SLOVENIA (LIFE TO GRASSLANDS)
Start date: Nov 1, 2015, End date: Oct 31, 2020 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Background Dry grasslands – semi-natural dry grasslands on calcareous substrates (6210) and species-rich Nardus grasslands on siliceous substrates in mountain areas (6230) – have a bad/unfavourable conservation status in Slovenia. Overgrowth resulting from land abandonment is a critical threat for these habitat types. Additionally in the past few decades, orchards have been disappearing rapidly for economic reasons. Objectives The LIFE TO GRASSLANDS project aims to: Restore 260 ha of habitat type 6210 and 257 ha of 6230 through the removal of overgrowth; Reintroduce grazing/mowing management aimed at maintaining open patches of 6230 in the forest (on around 5 ha); Establish the long-term sustainable use of target areas; Revitalise 45.5 ha of traditional orchards, thus preventing land sliding and enhancing species diversity; Incorporate sustainable dry grassland management into agricultural and environmental policy in Slovenia; Establish a network of landowners and potential land users to reduce land use fragmentation; Improve the viability of sustainable dry grassland use by identifying alternative activities; and Increase public awareness of the importance of dry grasslands. Expected results: Conservation guidelines for sustainable management of 6210 and HT 6230; At least 15 ha of dry grasslands leased and 18 ha purchased; Overgrowth of at least 81 ha cleared from 6210 and 52.57 ha from 6230; Appropriate long-term use of dry grasslands on a surface of more than 500 ha; Traditional orchards revitalised on a surface of at least 45.50 ha of dry grasslands; Online platform for the networking of landowners in the Haloze project sub-area; At least 49 farm management plans for dry grasslands drawn up; Prepared expert proposal for AEP measures for integration into the 2021- 2027 rural development programme of the Republic of Slovenia; Identified economic interest for further sustainable use of dry grasslands; Improved social and economic perspective of agriculture in target areas and beyond; Increased awareness on the importance of dry grassland; and Improvement of conservation status of 6210 on 2 342 ha, and of 6230 on 309.57 ha.

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