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Maintaining Semi - natural G rasslands in Slovakia

Explore the sustainable management practices for semi-natural grasslands in Slovakia, focusing on biodiversity integration, valuable habitat identification, and targeted conservation efforts. Learn about the specific ecological groups and habitats, gaps in knowledge, achievements, and challenges faced in the agri-environmental schemes. Discover the importance of grassland certification and future design considerations for effective implementation and increased budgeting.

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Maintaining Semi - natural G rasslands in Slovakia

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  1. Miroslava Plassmann MaintainingSemi-naturalGrasslands in Slovakia Brussels, 15th March 2012

  2. Number ofsemi-natural habitattypes in EU-10 Romania 35 Slovenia 29 Slovakia 25 Hungary 23 Czechrep. 20 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 40 Number ofhabitats Farmlandbiodiversity in Slovakia • Highdiversityofgrasslandhabitatsdepending on farming • NATURA 2000 covers 11.9% ofnationalterritory • Farmlandcovers 14% of NATURA 2000 land (app. 80 000 ha) PL CZ AT UKR HU No specificschemeavailableforhabitatsconservation (includingNATURA sites)

  3. TargetingAgri-EnvironmentalSchemes Step 1: integrationofbiodiversityinto AEM Tool: scheme for conservation of the semi-natural and natural grasslands Step 2: identificationofvaluablegrasslands (HNV) Tool: NationalGrasslandInventory Tool: grasslands devided into seven ecological groupsaccording to habitattypes Step 3: specificgrasslandmanagementadressingbiodiversity Systemforsubsidyallocation ensuringalsobasicmanagementin NATURA 2000 sites.

  4. Habitatspecificmanagementunderthe Slovak AE scheme • Schemeforconservationofsemi-natural and naturalgrasslands: • Grasslandsdividedintosevenecologicalgroups: • DryGrasslands • Mesicgrasslands • Mountainhaymeadows • Wetgrasslandsofloweraltitudes • AlluvialCnidiongrasslands • Wetgrasslandsofhigheraltitudes, Fen and Moliniameadows • High-mountaingrasslands Gaps in knowledge on favourablemanagementpracticesfordifferenthabitats “Management models for grassland habitats” in 2010 (methodological instrument)

  5. NationalGrasslandInventory • startin 1999 fundedby PIN-MATRA programme, laterWB/GEF project, nationalsources(MoE) and smallprojects • in 2006 more than 96% ofpotentialsemi-naturalgrasslandsmapped • informationsystemwithmore than 16,000 polygons • extensivedatabasewith 1 millionofspeciesrecords • HNV represents about 60% of grasslands in the LPIS system Semi-naturalgrasslandsdefinedon basisofcharacteristicspecies Semi-naturalgrasslands in Slovakia: 323 000 ha (NationalGrasslandInventory 2010)

  6. Grasslandcertification • Certificatedefiningsemi-naturalgrasslandseligiblefor AE support and theirmanagement : • mapwithdistributionof HNV within LPIS blocks • definitionofmainhabitats • basicmanagementrecommendations • allcertifiedgrasslands are available on thewebsiteofSoilProtectionInstituteresponsiblefor LPIS maintenance in Slovakia www.podnemapy.sk • 2003-2006: DAPHNE responsiblefor • certification (later State NatureConservancy) AE Schemeimplementedonly on semi-natural (HNV) grasslands

  7. Achievements and gaps in AE scheme • Highparticipationoffarmers in scheme • „Conservationofsemi-naturalgrasslands“ – keyagri-environmentalscheme • Managementpracticesdefinedforeachhabitat type (e.g. grazingregime, mowingfrequency, etc.) • More than 120,000 hectares of semi-natural grasslands were certified • More than 102,000 ha are subsided by MoA(17 million EUR per year) • Gaps: • managementpracticesdefined on nationallevel, lackofterritorialapproach • insufficient control– some areas were not properlymanaged • inappropriate design of scheme rules in some cases (rotationgrazing) • insufficient payment for some types of special management

  8. Problems in NATURA 2000 site management Hedgerowmanagementforbutterflies

  9. Wishesforfuturedesignofthe AE scheme • Strenghteningthefocus on valuableareasunderthe AE scheme • implementedonlyforsemi-naturalgrasslands in NATURA 2000 sites • more specificmanagementpractices per polygon • based on existingdatafromNationalInventory and localresearch • welladaptedpayments (more attractive to smallscalefarmers) • monitoring Implementationoffarmplans Effectiveadvisorysystem Increaseofbudget

  10. Diversityisimportant!

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