Introduction Introduction to the INTERREG CENTRAL Europe to the INTERREG CENTRAL Europe Project:Project:

Semi-natural grassland as a Semi-natural grassland as a source of biodiversity source of biodiversity improvement - SALVEREimprovement - SALVERE

Michele Scotton - SALVERE Project coordinator

University of Padova (Italy)Department of Environmental Agronomy and Crop Production

The programme INTERREG Central Europe The programme INTERREG Central Europe 2007-20132007-2013

ObjectiObjectiveve

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The Programme The Programme Interreg Central Europe Interreg Central Europe 2007-20132007-2013

Geography of Central Europe 8 EU countries + Czech Republic+ Germany, parts+ Italy, parts+ Hungary+ Austria+ Poland+ Slovenia+ Slovak Republic

SALVERE within Central EuropeSALVERE within Central Europe

General traits + funded for the period 2009-2011

+ reference to the 3rd Priority “Using our Environment Responsibly” “Developing a high quality environment by managing and protecting natural resources and heritage”

+ eight partners from 6 EU countries

SALVERE partnershipSALVERE partnership

Background of SALVEREBackground of SALVERE

+ strong biodiversity decrease in Europe + 1992 Rio de Janeiro Convention on Biological Conservation and recent EU regulations promoting biodiversity protection + need of biodiversity rich native plant material

General aim of SALVEREGeneral aim of SALVERE

+ to contribute to the practical realisation of the EU regulations regarding biodiversity by utilising the semi-natural grasslands as donor sites of biodiversity rich propagation material

Principles for the use of Principles for the use of seeds and plants of native seeds and plants of native speciesspecies

+ seed and plants should come from the same biogeographical region as the surface to be restored

+ seed and plants have to be get from sites with similar characteristics as regards altitude and soil

Main methods to obtain Main methods to obtain seed of native speciesseed of native species

1. Cultivations specialising in seed production

2. Harvesting from semi-natural grassland  Approach chosen by SALVERE + less studied + adoptable in every situation + particularly useful for environments with high diversity

Structure of SALVEREStructure of SALVERE

SALVERE: knowledge SALVERE: knowledge acquisitionacquisition

Work packages 3 to 6 Core activity+ WP5: study of the methods to harvest seed from semi-natural grassland

Other studies connected

+ WP4: seed amounts produced in semi-natural grassland

+ WP6: efficacy of the seed obtained in restoration

+ WP3: role and future of species rich semi-natural grassland

SALVERE Knowledge acquisition

Types of communitiesTypes of communities

SALVERE Knowledge acquisition

+ Arrhenatherion elatioris: all partners

+ Mesobromion, Molinion and Cnidion dubii: only one or two partners

Studies on the donor sites: Studies on the donor sites: WP5WP5

Aim:assessment of the efficiency of harvesting methods

+ Harvesting as Green hay

+ Threshing

+ Seed stripping

+ Harvesting as Dry hay

SALVERE Knowledge acquisition

AAspects consideredspects considered

+ amount of harvested seed

+ quality of harvested seed

+ possible effects on the donor site

+ harvesting costs

+ methods for the evaluation of the quality of the seed mixtures

+ methods to separate seed of single species within a seed mixture

SALVERE Knowledge acquisition

Studies on the donor sitesStudies on the donor sitesWP4: WP4: studies on the seed studies on the seed production production

Aims

+ to obtain basis knowledge

+ to obtain information necessary to evaluate the results of the harvesting trials Aspects considered

1. total seed production of the important species

2. seed quality of the important species

3. modelling of the total seed production and of the standing seed yield

SALVERE Knowledge acquisition

Studies on the receptor sitesStudies on the receptor sitesWP6: WP6: studies on the quality studies on the quality of the restored sites of the restored sites Aims

+ assessment of the quality of the herbaceous covers as a consequence - of the harvesting methods - of the type of receptor site

Aspects considered

1. botanical composition and density of the herbaceous covers

2. cost/benefits analysis of the restoration techniques

SALVERE Knowledge acquisition

HNVF in Central EuropeHNVF in Central EuropeWP3: WP3: role and future of species role and future of species rich rich semi-natural grassland semi-natural grasslandAim

+ put the acquired knowledge into the context of the importance of semi-natural grassland  Aspects considered1. status quo of HNVF in Central Europe2. agro-environmental policies and their impact on HNVF3. future development of HNVF4. attitudes of the affected stakeholders5. strategic approaches to maintain and increase HNVF

SALVERE Knowledge acquisition

SALVERE: knowledge SALVERE: knowledge transfertransfer

Explicit requirement of the Central Europe programme (“Effective knowledge creation and transfer”) 

Aims

+ to integrate the knowledge acquired in the project with that contained in the literature

+ to exchange the knowledge within the project group

+ to transfer the knowledge to the main project target groups

SALVERE Knowledge transfer

Internal knowledge Internal knowledge transfertransfer

+ sharing the methods and the results (WP’s 3-6)

+ joint drafting of Manuals and Guidelines (WP’s 2-6)

+ participation of all partners in the national workshops (WP2).

SALVERE Knowledge transfer

External knowledge External knowledge transfertransfer

Target groups

1.decision makers and technicians of public administrations and private companies

2. farmers of intensive and extensive agriculture

SALVERE Knowledge transfer

ActivitiesActivities

Publication of Guidelines and Handbooks

+ Guidelines on Seed harvesting in HNVF

+ Guidelines for Donor sites

+ Guidelines for HNVF

+ Handbook for the utilisation, the seed harvesting and the establishment of HNVF

+ Proposal of a Native Plant Certificate

SALVERE Knowledge transfer

ActivitiesActivities

Direct contacts with the target groups

+ a pilot action in each involved country

+ national workshops and international conference

Indirect contacts with the target groups

+ website (www.salvereproject.eu)

+ electronic newsletter

+ press releases and articles

SALVERE Knowledge transfer

ConclusionsConclusions

SALVERE provides the integration of

+ public interest of biodiversity protection and interest of private restoration companies

+ partners with different backgrounds and competences

+ acquired knowledge and already available knowledge 

SALVERE will succeed insofar as its partners will be able to carry out all these integrations

Main requirements of the Central Main requirements of the Central Europe programmeEurope programme

1. Transnational thematic focus

2. Coherent approach

3. Transnational partnership

4. Effective management

5. Effective knowledge creation and transfer

6. Concrete outputs and results