In a network of six partners from science, nature conservation and agriculture from Saxony-Anhalt with broad project experience, innovative solutions for promoting structural, plant and animal species diversity on grazed grassland are to be developed and implemented on demonstration sites of the project partners. Building on this, a broad range of consulting services will be developed to encourage other land users to implement promising measures on their sites. The Pasture Diversity Network will initially be active in seven model pasture areas in Saxony-Anhalt with a wide variety of pasture types, grazing animals and habitats. In total, measures are to be implemented on at least 700 hectares during the five-year project period. All activities will be accompanied by a wide range of public relations work.

The project focuses on three current challenges:

(1) the successful establishment of floristic and faunistic target species on formerly structurally and species-poor intensive grasslands or abandoned land by means of adjustments to the grazing regime and the creation of innovative establishment gaps with threshing material and/or certified wild seed mixtures.

(2) Reduction of deficits in the transfer of knowledge on solution approaches and in communication between the various stakeholder groups through target-oriented mediation and broad public relations work at various levels and using modern methods.

(3) The sum of the measures is intended to counteract a further decline in low-intensity livestock grazing. The awarding of a PastureDiversity certificate is also intended to motivate land users and reward their services to the common welfare. Web tutorials and the establishment of an education program at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences will also ensure that the project results are used nationwide.

Work package 1: Creation of demonstration sites to increase structural, floral and animal species richness by adapting the grazing regime (2023-2028)

In terms of adaptive management, grazing management on demonstration grazing sites is to be continuously evaluated over the entire duration of the project with regard to structural and plant species diversity as well as the supply of blossoms, and management is to be continuously optimized on the basis of the results. Key control variables for grazing management are a temporary change in stocking rates or temporary supplementary mowing measures to suppress undesirable plant species (e.g. dominant stands of grasses). However, the creation of protection zones during the flight period of insects and the development of flower-rich fringe structures as well as the targeted retention of overgrown vegetation as hibernation habitat for insects are also important control variables. The aim is to create a mosaic of different vegetation structures that meets the habitat requirements of as many characteristic plant and insect species as possible and does not just focus on individual species or species groups. The dung from grazing animals can also make a significant contribution to improving the food supply for insect species associated with it (and also for pasture birds via the food chain). For this reason, antiparasitics should be used more carefully on grazing animals and not generally as a preventive measure.

Work package 2: Reintroduction of floristic target species on demonstration sites (focus 2023-2025)

In this work package, demonstration sites on fresh to (alternating) moist pastures are to be enhanced by means of exemplary measures. This should be done via 3 x 3 m to 5 x 5 m establishment gaps, into which wild seed mixtures is introduced or threshing material is applied so that the pasture sites are enhanced. This includes sites where floristic target species are either locally extinct (former intensive pastures) or have not been able to migrate after conversion from arable land to grassland (spontaneous succession or seeding with grass mixtures), even after long periods of low-intensity grazing. When sowing, a special focus is placed on the development of a continuous flowering aspect with important nectar and pollen resources as well as an intensive seed supply throughout the vegetation period. The success of the measures will be monitored over the entire project period with regard to plant species diversity and the establishment of the introduced target species as well as the effects on wild bees and butterflies/widders.

Work package 3: Restoration and improvement of habitat types (2023-2025)

This work package focuses on the restoration and improvement of fauna-flora-habitat types (Habitats Directive). Corresponding measures are planned primarily on grazing areas, especially goat pastures, in the Lower Saale Valley, where habitat types (especially dry calcareous grasslands 6210(*), steppe grasslands 6240(*)) are to be restored or their conservation status improved, as they have largely lost their habitat-typical species composition due to undergrazing or abandonment and associated fallow processes (e.g. shrub and/or grass encroachment). After initial restoration through shrub removal or, alternatively, an intensive phase of goat grazing, it should be checked whether the target species can re-establish themselves spontaneously. In order to support the success of the restoration, target species that have failed to re-establish are to be reintroduced using the methods described in work package 2. In addition, the Hecklingen inland salt marsh, which is characterized by salt marsh vegetation (habitat type 1340*) but is heavily reeded in large parts, is to be upgraded as part of this work package. If necessary, initial measures should be implemented here to push back the reeds in order to promote biodiversity and the local Konik grazing. Furthermore, improvement measures are intended by reducing maintenance deficits in the area of wet grasslands grazed by Koniks and Heck cattle (habitat types 6510, 6440).

Work package 4: Establishment of a regional and nationwide consulting service and development of a PastureDiversity award certificate (focus 2026-2028)

Building on the many years of experience of the project partners and incorporating demonstration sites that have already been successfully developed and newly created in the project, target group-specific consulting and mediation services are being developed. A wide range of grazing animals are represented on these areas (including Boer goats, Exmoor ponies, Galloways, Heck cattle, Koniks, sheep and water buffalo) in order to be able to take into account the different approaches to grazing management. In addition to traditional approaches such as the organization of target group-specific workshops, field days and public excursions, the creation of a pasture guide and simple identification aids for typical wild plants on pastures, modern media (online advice tool with web tutorials/teaching videos, a smartphone app) will also be used for public relations work. Project-relevant information is also to be distributed via social media such as Instagram.

In cooperation with the project partners, a selection process is to be established as part of this work package in order to reward farmers for their achievements in creating a species-rich and structurally diverse pasture landscape and to award them with a PastureDiversity certificate. Among other things, this is also intended to support regional value chains (especially the marketing of products from the landscape conservation). The project consortium is also offering to play a consulting role in the design of nature conservation measures for the next funding period (further development of agri-environmental schemes and federal state programs) in Saxony-Anhalt. The aim is to better reward farmers' additional efforts to improve biodiversity and structural diversity in the future in order to counteract a further decline in grazing that preserves biodiversity, particularly on marginal sites that are dependent on cultivation.

Work package 5: Transferring the results to Saxony-Anhalt (focus 2026-2028)

Building on the services developed in the project, further farmers in Saxony-Anhalt will be consulted and motivated to implement measures on their land. Thanks to the very good contacts of all project partners with regional farmers, the first consultations are to take place as early as 2024, but the focus will only be on transferring measures successfully implemented on the demonstration sites to other pasture areas in the second half of the project.

Work package 6: Evaluation of the project results (in-process evaluation over the entire project period)

Indicators include structural and plant species diversity as well as the supply of blossoms and the occurrence of wild bees and butterflies. The results of the in-process evaluation will be used for the ongoing adaptation and optimization of grassland management and for public relations work over the entire duration of the project.

Kick-off workshop 2024

The kick-off workshop for the “PastureDiversity” project took place at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences on March 14. The event was attended by around 100 participants from politics, science and nature conservation from all over Germany, including State Secretary Dr. Steffen Eichner from the Ministry of Science, Energy, Climate Protection and the Environment of Saxony-Anhalt (MWU Saxony-Anhalt) as well as representatives from the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and the program office of the Federal Biological Diversity Program (project management agency DLR). A varied program included a detailed presentation of the PastureDiversity project and all project partners as well as other thematic presentations (the presentations are linked as PDF):

• Situation Weidegrünland in Deutschland: Herausforderung und Chancen (Dr. Anja Schmitz, Bundesamt für Naturschutz) | The situation of pasture grassland in Germany: challenges and opportunities (Dr. Anja Schmitz, Federal Agency for Nature Conservation)

• Biodiversität und Beweidung - Erfahrungen zu Beweidungseffekten aus verschiedenen Projekten (Prof. Dr. Sabine Tischew, Hochschule Anhalt) | Biodiversity and grazing - experiences on grazing effects from various projects (Prof. Dr. Sabine Tischew, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences)

• Vorstellung des neuen WeideVielfalt-Projektes (Dr. Daniel Elias, Hochschule Anhalt) | Presentation of the new PastureDiversity project (Dr. Daniel Elias, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences)

• Bedeutung der Beweidung für Insekten (Prof. Dr. Thomas Fartmann, Universität Osnabrück) | Importance of grazing for insects (Prof. Dr. Thomas Fartmann, University of Osnabrück)

• 20 Jahre auf und ab - Heuschreckenmonitoring auf beweidetem Grünland (Dr. Andreas Zahn) | 20 years up and down - grasshopper monitoring on grazed grassland (Dr. Andreas Zahn)

• Weidewonne – das Unterstützungsnetzwerk für Landschaftspflegeschäfereien in Thüringen (Stefanie Schröter, Naturstiftung David) | Weidewonne - the support network for landscape conservation sheep farms in Thuringia (Stefanie Schröter, Naturstiftung David)

• Offenland-Management Nationalpark Hainich - Schwerpunkt Beweidung (Madlen Schellenberg, Nationalpark Hainich) | Open land management Hainich National Park - focus on grazing (Madlen Schellenberg, Hainich National Park)