Semi-natural pastures in Scania: grazing and the support system

Sammanfattning: Semi-natural pastures are one of the most species-rich habitats found in Sweden and many endangered species are connected to them. Strongly declining in area, semi-natural pastures in Sweden can be eligible for financial support within the EU agri-environmental scheme. The definition of pastures eligible for the scheme was changed in 2008, more specifically the amount of trees and bushes was restricted. This study aimed to investigate if farmers who previously had been part of the agri-environmental scheme, but left it, still kept maintaining pastures with grazing animals. 72 semi-natural pastures were randomly selected using ArcGIS and were visited during the fall of 2015. Grazing as well as tree and bush cover was recorded. Results showed that fewer pastures outside the scheme were grazed than pastures within the scheme. There was also a near significant difference between pastures outside and within the scheme regarding tree cover. The fact that many farmers abandon the management of pastures outside of the agri-environmental scheme is a strong threat to the biodiversity connected to semi-natural pastures. The root of the problem seems to be the unprofitability connected to pastures together with the change of pasture definition. This study suggests that the agri-environmental scheme needs to be evaluated and improved to stop the decline of meadows and pastures in Scania and the rest of Sweden.