Client: Environmental Investment Centre
Period: 2018-2019
Semi-natural grasslands are species-rich meadows that require moderate agriculture in the form of grazing or mowing. These natural environments are important as they act as reserves for many of the ecosystem services needed by humans, such as pollinators and pest-killing predatory insects and birds. It is the exceptional richness of species that gives these grasslands the environmental protection value.
The aim of the study was to provide recommendations for the management policy of semi-natural grasslands in a way that the nationally set area targets are achieved.
Centar’s task was to prepare an interview questionnaire to find out the cost of restoring and managing semi-natural grasslands for their managers, and the problems of current support system from the managers’ point of view. Centar also calculated the cost and benefits of managing semi-natural grasslands by type of habitat based on the interviews and expert opinions. The calculation for a forecasted total cost of meeting the government’s area target of managed semi-natural grasslands by 2030 was also included.