Y54IPSGP

3298

13 avril 2021 13:45

13 avril 2021 13:45

The developments in European Agricultural Policy have caused large changes in European farming and agricultural research systems, and new strategies and socio-economic factors need to be increasingly taken into account by farmers, scientists, advisors, environmentalists, and other stakeholders. Nevertheless, grassland will continue to play an indispensable role in obtaining high-quality products from ruminant farm animals. In Estonia and several other countries roughly two groups of stakeholders, thinking and acting differently, have emerged: a) environmentalists who focus their research and activities on maintaining the diversity of nature (incl. grasslands) and wildlife, and regard agriculture as an environmentally hazardous factor, b) agricultural producers who have focused their operations on gaining profit in order to stay and be competitive on the market. The interests of both groups should not be ignored, and it is essential to find solutions to meet their goals. This situation has led the organisers of the EGF 2005 Occasional Symposium to select ΄Integrating Efficient Grassland Farming and Biodiversity΄ as the general topic. The main goal of the Symposium was to find solutions how to integrate the biodiversity and efficient grassland management, including socio-economic aspects. The overlapping aspects of biodiversity and grassland farming and the question how to evaluate biodiversity in economical terms were underlined during the Sessions. Novel approaches to combine the benefits for the wildlife and producer were discussed. It was underlined in the contributions that although nature conservation is very interested in species-rich grasslands, the grassland management for nature conservation purpose only is not sustainable in the long run. Profitable use of natural grasslands should be found by stakeholders with support from environmental agencies. The present book covers some 145 scientific papers allocated to three Sessions. About 30 countries, each with different environmental and economic conditions, are represented by the authors. Thus, the book gives a broad overview of the current research work in this field in Europe. We have also a great pleasure to mention the large interest among European grassland family in the EGF 2005 Symposium in the year of the XX International Grassland Congress (in Ireland and UK, 2005) During pre- and mid-conference tours, the participants were acquainted with the types of (semi) natural grasslands in Estonia – alvars, coastal meadows, flooded meadows, and wooded meadows. The present situation, perspective for the future and the overall value of the (semi)natural grasslands as a habitat for the endangered plant and animal species were covered. Advanced farms with different sown grassland management and research institutions were also visited. We wish to thank numerous people for their help that made the organisation of the Symposium and the publishing of this book possible: the members of the Organising and Scientific Committees, the external reviewers and anglicisers, and the EGF secretary. The invaluable help of Tiina Kivisäkk in correcting and formatting of the manuscripts is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are also due to the sponsors and supporting organisations for their financial aid. This made it possible to keep conference fees on a moderate level. We hope that those who attended the programs of the Symposium had pleasant and useful experiences from the 13th International Occasional Symposium of the European Grassland Federation, in Tartu, Estonia, 2005.

None

• AB - Non-spécifique
• FREDO biologie et travail du sol
• FREDO fourrage et prairie
• GEO Europe
• biodiversité
• grassland
• pâturage

31/08/2005

31 août 2005