Restore and connect existing and new EU Priority dry grasslands (6210*, 6120*, 6230*) to secure favorable conservation status of habitat types and species (orchids, butterflies, and pollinators)

Introduction

The LIFE ORCHIDS project is targeted at improving conservation status on three EU priority dry grassland habitat types (6210, 6120, and 6230), the European Red Listed butterfly, Phengaris arion, and five endangered orchids. The LIFE ORCHIDS project is situated in the most important Danish Natura 2000 site regarding EU priority calcareous dry grassland habitats, with 17% of the overall national area with 6120 and 10% of 6210 in the continental biogeographical region.

Project Coordination

Vordingborg Municipality (Coo VK) is the project coordinator, while the following partners are involved:

• Danish Nature Agency (Ben DNA)
• Ravn Nature (Ben RN)
• Geocenter Møns Klint (Ben GCM)
• European Landowners Organization (Ben ELO)
• Eurosite – The European Land Conservation Network (Ben ES)

Ben DNA owns 522 ha of the project site, and the private Klintholm Estate owns 111 ha where Coo VK performs the project tasks.

Threats and Objectives

Following the Art. 17 reports and the latest Natura 2000 action plan for the project site, 15 threats to target dry grassland, forests, species, as well as 3 societal conservation hurdles have been identified. These will be addressed in the project by realizing 11 clear project objectives.

Habitat Consolidation

The project will permanently consolidate 311 ha of dry grasslands with ecological corridors by:

1. Restoring 72 ha of new EU priority dry grasslands (6210, 6120, 6230) on former arable land and forest plantations.
2. Conserving 162 ha of existing EU priority dry grasslands.
3. Designating 9.4 ha of habitat forest (9150, 9130) as untouched forest.

A clause on 111 ha of private land at the Klintholm Estate project site will permanently protect the new habitats.

Addressing Threats

Reduction of habitat connectivity, modification of hydrology, overgrowth, and lack of appropriate grazing are some of the most important threats to dry grasslands, which the project addresses. An international Expert Group with members from the UK, Schleswig-Holstein, and Denmark will deliver expert knowledge to the project implementation, thereby securing the use of best practice methods and innovative techniques.

The planned habitat improvements will include:

• Topsoil removal
• Harvest and sowing of nature seeds on former arable land
• Turf transplantation
• Use of Rhinanthus to reduce unwanted grasses
• Re-establishing natural hydrology
• Bringing back structures on the dry grasslands (e.g., stones)
• Counteracting overgrowth
• Fighting invasive alien species (IAS)
• Arranging a year-round multispecies grazing regime with cattle, Exmoor ponies, and goats

By addressing all threats to the habitats, the objective to obtain and secure favorable conservation status for the target habitat types is reached.

Butterfly Conservation

To save Phengaris arion from extinction in Denmark, a Supplementary breeding program will be conducted. At the butterfly’s last habitat in Denmark, the following steps will be taken:

1. Prepare two new habitats of 16 ha and improve the existing habitats for the arrival of the new population.
2. Produce and release 1,500 Phengaris arion larvae during four years.

With only approximately 100 adult Phengaris arion butterflies present in 2020, the breeding program, together with the expanded habitats of the rare species, will provide a much-needed increase in the population within the project duration. A volunteering group will work with spot management on 13 locations with 5 Red Listed orchids, thereby increasing the orchid populations and contributing to favorable conservation status in forest habitats.

Societal Conservation Hurdles

Three societal conservation hurdles have been identified. Ben ELO and Ben ES will secure a significant multiplication of impact in the EU by:

• Increasing know-how among professionals
• Making nature-friendly land use more accessible to European private landowners
• Raising awareness targeting the public and policymakers

LIFE ORCHIDS will, via study tours, interactive workshops, white papers, and toolkits, bring landowners, nature conservationists, and policymakers together to promote private land conservation.