The value* of grassland*The value of grassland depends upon the valuerThe 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 suc-cession and overgrew with forests. The loss of biodiversity, soil quality and pollution of water were caused by intensification of agriculture.

However, marginal grassland areas or areas not suitable for intensive agriculture still contain high biodiversity.

Loss of grassland biodiversity leads to degra-dation or even destroying of the ecosystem functions and services. To maintain or pro-vide these services artificially would require enormous financial investments.

The big idea LIFE Viva Grass project aims to address so-cio-economic constraints to nature conser-vation policy by developing models for eco-nomically 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 farm-land 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.

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

at the selected case study area - county, munic-ipality, 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 precondi-

tions 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.

Provisioning services – hay for animal feeding, biomass for en-ergy production, herbs for medical treatment, genetic resources;

Regulating services – water regulation, soil retention, nutri-ent regulation, pollination;

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;

Case study areas Who we areThe LIFE Viva Grass project has 15 partners in the three Baltic States. Among them environmental and social NGOs, municipalities, gov-ernmental and scientific institutions, GIS operator, regional park directorates and farmers.

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.

1. Cesis municipality – to generate solutions for landscape resto-ration 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.

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-nat-ural grassland and to prepare a long-term grassland maintenance recommendations.

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Baltic Environmental Forum - Lithuania

Baltic Environmental Forum - Latvia

University of Latvia

Municipality of Cesis

Farm “Šovītes”

Otras Majas

Baltic Environmental Forum - Estonia

Estonian University of Life Sciences

Lääne-Saare Municipality

Farm “Kurese”

Pavilniai and Verkiai Regional Park

Dubysa Regional Park

Silute District Municipality

JSC Hnit-Baltic

Institute for Environmental Solutions

Contact usBaltic Environmental Forum – LithuaniaUžupio str. 9/2-17, LT-01202 Vilnius, Lithuania

Kęstutis Navickas Project managerPhone +370 5 255 9146E-mail kestutis.navickas@bef.lt

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 Envi-ronmental Investment Centre and the project partners.

Rīga

Vilnius

Tallinn

Project areas in Lithuania

Project areas in Latvia

Project areas in Estonia

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