We, the Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology (University of Osnabrück), have been researching the Marsh Fritillary and its survival in today’s cultural landscape for several years. Key partners have always included those involved in practical nature conservation. Now, we aim to expand, apply, and consolidate our collected knowledge into a species assistance program, funded by the “Federal Biological Diversity Programme”. The overarching goal of the project is to establish the foundations for the long-term preservation of the Marsh Fritillary in dry habitats in Germany.

To achieve this, scientific studies on the ecology of the Marsh Fritillary will be conducted in the pre-alpine calcareous grasslands of the “Niederwerdenfelser Land” (Upper Bavaria) – one of the last vital metapopulations in dry habitats in Germany. Based on these studies, areas will be identified where calcareous grasslands should be restored as a priority to ensure the long-term survival of the Marsh Fritillary’s metapopulation. In total, 15 calcareous grasslands, covering about 20 hectares, will be restored through scrub clearance, biomass use of the wood cuttings, and the transfer of mowing material. These areas will then be integrated into continuous management using traditional late-summer mowing practices. Through an ecological and socio-economic evaluation of these measures, we aim to assess the restoration success from both a biodiversity and societal perspective. All findings, along with our existing knowledge, will be compiled into a species assistance program (Species Action Plan). This plan will offer recommendations for habitat management and the sustainable restoration of calcareous grasslands as a foundation for the long-term preservation of the Marsh Fritillary populations in Germany.