Conservation of endangered species and habitats through near-natural grazing in the Ramsar area of Upper Rhine

ongoing

There has been a sharp decline in biodiversity since 1960. The Ramsar area of Upper Rhine is not excluded from this decline: The diversity of its habitats has decreased significantly since the regulation of the Rhine and the intensification of agriculture on the adjacent areas. The most affected habitats include open to semi-open habitats with their considerable wealth of animal, plant and fungus species. These habitats were previously constantly re-created by river floods and/or preserved by herbivorous wildlife or grazing with farm animals. Today, these habitats are maintained only with machines very unsatisfactory and not environmentally friendly. Grazing with frugal herbivores has proven useful for managing these sensitive habitats. However, the actual impact on biodiversity is still hardly documented. Which animal species should be selected? How close should the grazing be? For which plant species? What livestock farming? What costs are incurred and by whom will they be borne? What economic opportunities are there? What regulations are to be complied with? For all these questions, the project “Biodiv’Grazing” will look for answers. For three years, the Alsatian and Baden nature conservation associations, which are sponsors of the project, will aim to improve knowledge of the impact of extensive grazing on biodiversity, to develop concrete measures to protect species and land threatened along the Rhine and to find practical solutions for viable business models. In cooperation with French and German experts, the specialist teams will draw up a list of sites along the Rhine and elsewhere in Europe, which are managed with natural grazing or by the use of machines. These surfaces can then be carefully examined using a specially designed analysis grid. On the basis of these studies, the teams will select pilot sites suitable for near-natural grazing. Finally, practical answers are proposed with regard to the following aspects: standardised methods, monitoring of herds, business models, adaptation to climate change and training and training of stakeholders. The project aims to draw up a comprehensive guideline with measures to be implemented and concrete recommendations within three years so that they can be applied at the selected pilot sites in a next phase.

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