Best practice examples for environ- mental protection & agriculture Landcare Associations in Natura 2000 sites 2 Contents Ebersberg Streuwiesen Water meadows on the 4 Lech near Augsburg 20 Dillingen river mussels Höchstadt wetlands 8 24 Dingolfing bird Würzburg paradise farmland biotopes 12 suzbah - fotolia.com 28 Heathland in the Bamberg Albtrauf area 16 Editorial information PUBLISHED BY: Deutscher Verband für Landschaftspflege e.V. (Landcare Germany) Promenade 9 91522 Ansbach Tel: 0981/1800 990 [email protected] CONCEPTUAL DESIGN AND COPY: Christiane Feucht PHOTOS: Peter Roggenthin, www.roggenthin.de LAYOUT: Nicole Sillner, alma grafica UG PRINTING: Thuy GmbH, Ansbach Carbon neutral; printed on 100% recycled paper © All rights reserved; Second, revised edition Ansbach 2018 3 Voluntary collaboration – Landcare associations in Natura 2000 sites The Natura 2000 network was set up to protect the diversity Farmers, nature conservationists and local politicians work of species and biotopes in Europe. Bavaria has designated a together on an equal footing in Landcare Associations. This total of 11.4 % of its area as Natura 2000 sites. The diversity brochure highlights how they collaborate by managing Natura that they contain is our region’s natural treasure. These sites are 2000 sites. dependent on careful management in many ways. Employees of the Landcare Associations are at the forefront. The species and biotopes in Natura 2000 sites have to be They inform, advise, communicate and are reliable partners for conserved and developed. Managing these areas is not easy local authorities and agriculture. My thanks go to them together because there are often conflicting interests of owners, land with my recognition of their commitment and work. users and nature conservationists. The DVL approach focuses on “cooperative nature conservation” and is based on voluntary cooperation of all parties. Landcare Associations have been mentioned several times by the European Commission as exemplary organisations for Josef Göppel collaboration with local authorities and farmers. Chairman of Landcare Germany (DVL) Leo Ott Farmers are a godsend 5 for this area. Ebersberg Streuwiesen JOSEF RÜEGG LANDCARE ASSOCIATION EBERSBERG Natura 2000 site Gutterstätt Streuwiesen (meadows cut for animal bedding) Locality Ebersberg rural district Size of site 16 ha Landowners Predominantly private owners, district Agricultural use Grassland, predominantly approved for direct payments Programme of the Bavarian Ministry Landcare and nature Mowing, scrub clearance for Environment and reserve regulation Consumer Protection 6 mall is beautiful”: Josef Rüegg, Di- fritillary can be espied on occasion. he Landcare Association was able to rector of the Landcare Association prevent a change of management in “SEbersberg, puts it in a nutshell when de- owever, this change did not happen Tthe Gutterstätt Streuwiesen. When many scribing the six hectares of the Gutterstätt by itself – it is the result of excellent farmers abandoned the unprofitable Streuwiesen. Hcooperation between the nature conser- meadows in the early 1990s, the area These are meadows of purple moor grass vation authority, the Landcare Association, threatened to return to scrubland. This and low-lying marshlands on the north- landowners and farmers. would have meant the loss of numerous ern edge of the foothills of the Alps. The Purple moor grass meadows and low-ly- species of flora and fauna. In order to agrobiologist enthusiastically explains ing marshlands are to be found primarily avoid this, the Landcare Association talked how these meadows, which are poor in the south of Germany, with their main to many landowners and they agreed to in nutrients but rich in species, are still geographical concentration in the Alpine maintain extensive mowing. The Landcare used as traditional meadows for provid- foothills of Bavaria. The meadows were Association submitted its first application ing animal bedding – as they were 150 created by extensive late mowing and are for funding from conservation funds and years ago – where the marsh gladiolus mostly very rich in species, which makes started looking for farmers to mow the blossoms once again and the marsh gen- them so valuable for nature conservation. grass and cut the bushes. tian spread. Where the dusky large blue They react very sensitively to fertilisation flutters and the highly endangered marsh and changes in utilisation. The Streuwiesen meadows are Josef Rüegg discusses The numbers of the rare marsh fritillary have a jewel for nature conservationists. upcoming activities been steadily increasing over the years since with the three farmers. the meadows have been cut. 7 n 2007 the Gutterstätt meadows were he three livestock owners Josef Abin- here, and we can preserve them through designated as European protection ger, Martin Hutterer and Hans Zehet- our work for the Landcare Association.” Iarea. “I thought that everything would Tmaier traditionally mow the meadows in be forbidden” Josef Abinger, farmer and September and use the cut grass as animal hey are paid for their work by the landowner, remembers. But this was far bedding. “It’s physically very demanding Landcare Association and they receive from the case, as he and his colleagues because a lot of the work is manual. We Tdirect payments for the management of were astonished to find. “Nothing has do it because we live here. We see nature the area. Josef Rüegg smiles. “These three changed really. We keep on mowing the all the time, we drive past here often farmers are a godsend for the area! With it meadows and we’ll do that as long as we enough. We can see the success. It’s also being used agriculturally, these meadows, can and we get money for it.” On the basis an extra way of making money, particularly rich in species, have been created and we of the many years’ good cooperation be- nowadays when, as a farmer, you always can only maintain this jewel with the help tween the Landcare Association and local have to look for ways to earn a little extra. of these farmers and appropriate funding” players, discussions between the nature But we don’t do it just for the money, we he explains, with a satisfied look over the conservation authorities and all parties in- want to do something good for the area. meadows. volved regarding the designation of nature For ourselves but also for everyone else. protection area ran smoothly. We like the plants and animals we’ve got The three farmers and livestock owners The farmers mow the meadows once a year, These meadows, with their numerous orchids, are happy with the as their ancestors did, and keep an eye on the can only maintain such a rich diversity of management of the Natura 2000 site. diversity of plant life. species by late mowing. In order to keep streams in their 9 natural state, we have to consider the whole catchment area and make a lot of adjustments. Dillingen river mussels SUSANNE KLING DONAUTAL-AKTIV E.V. Natura 2000 site Nebelbach, Klosterbach and Brunnenbach streams Locality Dillingen rural district Size of site 318 ha Landowners Private owners, district authorities, local authorities, the Free State of Bavaria Agricultural use Woods, arable land, meadows and pastures, approved for direct payments Contractual nature conservation 22 ha extensive use of grassland Programme of the programme Bavarian Ministry Hydromorphological implementation of for Environment and Guidelines for grants for stream the Brunnenbach concept, hydromor- Consumer Protection basin management phological measures Biodiversity project “Bringing back Swabia’s best river mussels” – Swabian Other projects and regional government; BayernNetzNatur project “River mussels in the funding authorities Dillingen rural district” – Bavarian Nature Conservation Fund; boden:ständig – Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry 10 illingen has the largest stocks he river mussels live in clear, fast-flow- the streams have an uninterrupted course of river mussels anywhere in ing streams with dense, sandy to and are well structured. Settling ponds and “DBavaria! We bear a great responsibility” Tgravelly beds. They are dependent on fish buffer zones are created in places affected Susanne Kling from Landcare Association such as minnows to reproduce, which act by erosion. Susanne Kling agrees all proj- Donautal-Aktiv justifies her active commit- as alternate hosts. Soil and nutrient con- ect activities with the owners and users ment to these rare animals. The streams tamination, water pollution and the drying of the area, applies for funding from con- Nebelbach, Klosterbach and Brunnenbach up of stream sections are having a nega- servation, agricultural or water manage- actually have significant stocks of river tive impact on the river mussel and other ment funds and oversees implementation. mussels on a European scale. That is why water inhabitants. Local authorities are responsible for main- their interconnected flowing water system taining small waterbodies. Susanne Kling has been designated a European nature n order to keep streams in their advises them how to keep the streams protection site. The landscape planner and “Inatural state, we have to consider clear sustainably and improve their eco- her team have been taking especial care the whole catchment area and make a logical value. This means they can also of them for three years now and receive lot of adjustments” Susanne Kling ex- contribute to flood prevention. monies from conservation funds of the plains. Man-made obstructions have to Free State of Bavaria. be removed and natural elements such as ince agricultural use of the land in the stones and tree trunks brought in so that S catchment area can have a negative The river mussel is The river mussel needs clear flowing water and Checking progress at the stream: Susanne Kling threatened with extinction a sandy, gravelly bed. and volunteer Leo Schaudi inspect the river and is under strict protection. mussels. Susanne Hochwald 11 impact on the quality of water, Susanne some farmers to create riparian strips, use mussels.” For example, when a landslide Kling has started an advisory service for mulching methods for sowing and use silts the water badly, then they have to farmers.