important plant areas in central and eastern europe - Plantlife

Section 6
Habitats and land uses
Agriculture and grasslands
Agriculture, from horticulture to arable fields and grazing land, has shaped the landscape
and environment of Europe for millennia.Agricultural fields and grasslands provide
unique habitats for many thousands of species of plants and animals.Agriculture employs
millions of people in Europe and is the focal point of human, animal and plant
interdependence.
High Nature Value (HNV) farmland in CEE
The Dobris Assessment 1995 highlighted the damage to biodiversity on western
European farmland due to the extensive use of pesticides, fertilisers, intensive grazing,
and the reseeding and fertilising of grazing land. Countries such as the U.K. have lost
more than 90% of their semi-natural grasslands in the last 50 years.The Kiev
Declaration (2003) and the Message from Malahide (2004) also highlighted the need to
bring High Nature Value Farmland under biodiversity sensitive management.
The central and eastern European (CEE) region contains much of the European extent
of natural and semi-natural grasslands, some of the most rapidly declining habitats in
Europe. Practises such as low intensity grazing and annual hay mowing have maintained
the delicate balance of species rich grassland and prevented the growth of scrub and
forest.
Threatened grassland habitats
30 inland grassland habitats are recognised as threatened in the EU Habitats Directive
and 17 by the Council of Europe, Bern Convention. In CEE these range from the
steppes and dry grasslands of the south and east, mountain hay meadows, wetland and
forest meadows, to the Alvar meadows of the north. Many of the endemic plant species
of southern Europe depend on the existence of these grasslands for their survival.These
habitats rely on sustainable grazing and are particularly vulnerable to changes in
agricultural production and rural economies, such as intensification or land
abandonment.
IPAs and grassland habitats
517 IPAs (65%) contain grassland habitats.
439 IPAs (55%) contain EU Habitats Directive threatened grassland habitats.
296 IPAs (37%) contain priority grassland habitats.
97 IPAs (12%) contain Bern Convention threatened grassland habitats.
132 IPAs (17%) were assessed for species richness of grassland habitats under Criterion B.
Grazing or livestock agriculture was recorded at 267 IPAs (34%)
Hay making or mowing was recorded at 114 IPAs (14%)
Threats from agriculture at IPAs
The most widespread threat to IPAs from agricultural activity comes from abandonment
or reduction in the land management.Agricultural intensification or expansion is also a
significant threat.Afforestation affects a large number of IPAs, some of the afforestation
may occur on existing grasslands.
217 IPAs (27%) are threatened by land abandonment or reduction of management
126 IPAs (16%) are threatened by an intensification of grazing
86 IPAs (11%) are threatened by general agricultural expansion or intensification.
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