Restoration of priority grassland habitats in Slovakia and Romania

Introduction

DIVERSEED is a 7-year project focused on the restoration of priority grassland habitats shared between Slovakia and Romania. It brings innovative mapping and restoration techniques that will have a wide and long-lasting impact after the project ends.

Project Scope

The project will target 10 habitats, including:

1. 9 Priority Habitats in Annex I of the Habitats Directive
2. 1 Endangered habitat in the European Habitats Red List

These habitats are located in 33 Sites of Community Importance (SCIs), with 30 in Slovakia and 3 in Romania.

Restoration Goals

• At least 920ha of priority grassland habitats will be restored directly.
• A further 1,200ha will be restored indirectly through replications.

Capacity Building

In addition, the project will significantly boost future grassland restoration by:

• Demonstrating sustainable capacity for the harvesting of seeds from priority habitats.
• Developing protocols for seed collection and reseeding in protected grasslands.

Local seed mixtures are currently not available in Slovakia or Romania, and they are needed to meet the increasing demand for restoration.

Collaboration

DIVERSEED will work closely with:

• Farmers and farmer associations
• Environment agencies
• National authorities

All stakeholders have expressed their interest in participating in the project.

Restoration Techniques

Restoration will employ classic measures, including:

• Grazing
• Mowing
• Removal of invasive species

Additionally, an innovative seeding approach will be utilized to restore the species composition of grasslands. This will also benefit pollinators, as flora and pollinators will be monitored to assess the project's impact.

Mapping and Assessment

Importantly, the project will:

• Properly map and assess the critical decline of grasslands in Romania, which has been underestimated due to a lack of mapping capacity.
• Demonstrate the use of the latest mapping techniques.

Policy and Community Engagement

Project results will assist in improving agri-environment schemes in Romania, which are currently failing to halt grassland declines.

Many activities for volunteers, schools, and the general public will take place, alongside policy work with authorities and extensive farmer training.

Market Integration

The seed mixtures developed during the project will be designed for market uptake to ensure further replication after the project ends.