Webinar: Grasslands under the magnifying glass of the European Union
For three years now, the permanent grassland has been under the magnifying glass of a group of EU scientists from 19 different units under the SUPER-G (Sustainable Permanent Grassland Systems and Policies) project.
Poland is represented by a group of specialists from the Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agriculture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, under the supervision of prof. dr. hab. Piotr Stypiński.
The project includes a series of scientific and practical activities. From the very beginning, the work has been concentrated on the better understanding of the permanent grasslands distribution in the European Union, updating their typology and developing some agri-environmental indicators to assess the ecosystem services they provide. Over the past few decades, the number of horses kept on farms was sharply reduced due to the development of technology and mechanization of agriculture. Currently, horses are used mainly for recreation and sport purposes, on a local scale. An application which is to be an effective tool supporting the management of meadows and pastures within individual farms is under preparation. As indicated by the first reports, the existence and management of permanent grasslands is the key to the provision of many ecosystem services in Europe. However, the grassland functions are threatened by suboptimal management, cultivation in agricultural production systems focused on high efficiency, and the abandonment of cultivation in remote and marginal areas. Education and the exchange of experience between farmers all over Europe are the very important aspects of the project. Therefore, on 26 April 2022, the special 3-hour webinar devoted to the management of grasslands in areas of great natural importance on the example of the Biebrza National Park – one of the largest national parks in Europe, is to be organized. The main topic of the meeting is as follows: How to manage grasslands in order to use their natural and productive functions? Farmers, environmental advisers, members of nature foundations, scientists and local government officials are invited to the discussion. Participation in the event is free, although it requires prior registration. The presentations of the guests from Poland, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands will be in English, hence there will be a possibility of translation into Polish.
The detailed program of the webinar and the registration form can be found on: Stakeholder Webinar – 26 April 2022 (google.com)