Measures – Euphydryas aurinia

Project
Partners

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By

Project Partners

Supported by

Measures
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HABITATS AND CORRIDORS

Restoration of Dry Grasslands

Restoration

Conservation in Practice

As part of our project, we aim to expand and improve the habitat of the Marsh Fritillary by restoring degraded sites. Our goal is to restore 15 overgrown or forested calcareous dry meadows, covering a total area of approximately 20 hectares. The shrubs will be cleared, and the cuttings will be processed into wood chips, which will be used as a climate-neutral energy source. Depending on its quality, the wood may also be used by the local community, for example, for constructing new hay sheds.

After clearing, the areas will be converted back into species-rich dry meadows over several years. Before further measures are implemented, a low-cut mulch mowing will be performed. To counteract the limitations on seed dispersal and spread, a hay transfer will follow. This involves using material from adjacent areas that have been traditionally mowed in July. Since the seeds of the main host plants for the Marsh Fritillary (such as the Small Scabious and Devil’s-Bit Scabious) mature only after the hay mowing, a targeted collection and distribution of these seeds will be carried out. Depending on the growth, annual mowing will resume on the restored areas starting the following year as part of conservation agreements.

To evaluate the success of the restoration, the measures will be accompanied by a comprehensive ecological assessment.

Lautersee und Karwendelgebirge

Soiernspitze

Blick über Buckelwiesen zum Wetterstein mit Zugspitze

Isaraue

Public Outreach

Conservation in Society

The local community is already well aware of the value of the calcareous dry meadows for both people and nature, and the tradition of hay mowing is deeply rooted in local customs. Therefore, our public outreach efforts primarily target tourism and stakeholders involved in managing the key populations of the Marsh Fritillary in dry habitats.

In addition to our project website, we will distribute flyers and provide a comprehensive booklet detailing the ecosystems of the calcareous dry meadows, with a special focus on the Marsh Fritillary. Our outreach will also include half-day field trips and the organization of two workshops during the final years of the project. The flyers and booklet will be made available at all tourist information centers in the “Niederwerdenfelser Land”. They are intended for tourists to help them understand the importance of extensively used ecosystems for biodiversity conservation and their economic value.