Semi-natural grasslands provide habitats and feeding grounds for many rare species, as well as help to maintain landscape diversity and the biodiversity of farmland. As many grasslands that were once rich in species have overgrown with shrubs or been replaced by other ecosystems altogether, the Environmental Board’s role is not only to maintain existing grasslands, but also to restore semi-natural grasslands that have been neglected.

Since last year, semi-natural grasslands have been restored through public procurement, as this is the most appropriate way to find partners and to meet the requirements and conditions for the use of project funds. This is currently the Environmental Board’s second call for tenders to restore semi-natural grasslands. The first call for tenders (launched at the end of 2023) resulted in contracts for the restoration of around 140 hectares of wooded meadows and coastal meadows.

The aim of the call for tenders is to restore maintainable grasslands. In particular, this means cutting down trees and bushes for thinning, and partially removing reeds. To make maintaining the meadows possible in the future, dead tree trunks and stumps must also be removed. Both natural and legal persons can participate in the tender.

The restoration of semi-natural grasslands will be supported by the LIFE IP ForEst&FarmLand and WOODMEADOWLIFE projects, as well as the EU Cohesion Fund projects for restoring wet grasslands. The expected cost of the contracts is around €1 million.