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The value* of grassland The big idea *The value of grassland depends upon the valuer The area covered by natural and semi-natural grasslands has considerably decreased in the Baltic States throughout the last century as a result of estrangement of people from rural lifestyle. The semi-natural grasslands were converted to arable land or forest or became urbanized. Farmlands were lost to natural succession and overgrew with forests. The loss of biodiversity, soil quality and pollution of water were caused by intensification of agriculture. LIFE Viva Grass project aims to address socio-economic constraints to nature conservation policy by developing models for economically viable management of grassland biodiversity that would be applicable all over the Europe and particularly in marginal areas that experience socio-economic decline, land abandonment and consequent loss of farmland biodiversity. The project will contribute to strategic planning processes by delivering an Integrated Planning Tool as an instrument to perform ecosystem-based approach and to strengthen linkages among social, economic, environmental and agricultural policies. However, marginal grassland areas or areas not suitable for intensive agriculture still contain high biodiversity. Loss of grassland biodiversity leads to degradation or even destroying of the ecosystem functions and services. To maintain or provide these services artificially would require enormous financial investments. The project will demonstrate opportunities for multifunctional use of grasslands as basis for sustainability of rural areas and stimulus for local economies. Actions %% Assessment of grassland ecosystem services Provisioning services – hay for animal feeding, biomass for energy production, herbs for medical treatment, genetic resources; Regulating services – water regulation, ent regulation, pollination; soil retention, nutri- Cultural services – rural and urban landscape and its aesthetic qualities and cultural heritage, providing basis for recreation and tourism, as well as quality of life for living in that area; at the selected case study area - county, municipality, protected area and farm level. %% Development of the Integrated Planning Tool by addressing ecosystem-based planning and socio-economic matter in nature conservation policies. %% Demonstration actions to create preconditions for valuable grasslands management. %% Capacity building for the relevant target groups on applying the Integrated Planning Tool on national, regional, protected area and farm level. Case study areas Project areas in Estonia Who we are The LIFE Viva Grass project has 15 partners in the three Baltic States. Among them environmental and social NGOs, municipalities, governmental and scientific institutions, GIS operator, regional park directorates and farmers. Tallinn 1. Lääne county – to develop pilot scenarios for sustainable grassland management and to elaborate ecosystem based planning proposals for a regional strategic plan. 2. Lääne-Saare Municipality – to generate solutions for sustainable grassland management in an area with emerging interest for intensive use of cattle breeding. 3. Farm “Kurese” – to create preconditions for keeping a 300 cattle herd as stipulation to perform restoration and long-term management of valuable grassland area. Project areas in Latvia Baltic Environmental Forum - Lithuania Baltic Environmental Forum - Latvia Baltic Environmental Forum - Estonia Farm “Kurese” Farm “Šovītes” JSC Hnit-Baltic University of Latvia Estonian University of Life Sciences Otras Majas Municipality of Cesis Pavilniai and Verkiai Regional Park Dubysa Regional Park Silute District Municipality Lääne-Saare Municipality Institute for Environmental Solutions ! Rīga 1. Cesis municipality – to generate solutions for landscape restoration and maintenance, based on economically viable models for long-term grassland management. 2. Madliena parish – to prepare business-stimulating proposals on economically viable solutions for grassland management. 3. Farm “Šovītes” – to restore 80 ha of abandoned grassland and elaborate sustainable business opportunities for multifunctional use of grassland products and socio-economic benefits provided by ecosystem services. Contact us Baltic Environmental Forum – Lithuania Užupio str. 9/2-17, LT-01202 Vilnius, Lithuania Project areas in Lithuania Kęstutis Navickas Project manager Phone +370 5 255 9146 E-mail [email protected] Vilnius 1. Šilutė municipality – to implement business catalytic activities by promoting nature tourism, where grassland management shall be essential precondition for developing the areas as an attractive tourism destination. 2. State Šušvė landscape reserve – to restore 20 ha of semi-natural grassland and to define practical long-term management measures for the protected area. 3. Verkiai and Pavilniai regional park - to restore 8 ha of semi-natural grassland and to prepare a long-term grassland maintenance recommendations. More about the project: www.vivagrass.eu The project “Integrated planning tool to ensure viability of grasslands” (LIFE Viva Grass) No LIFE13 ENV/LT/000189 is co-financed by the EU LIFE+ Programme, Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, Latvian Environmental Protection Fund, Estonian Environmental Investment Centre and the project partners. PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER