Thank you to all 314 meadow owners and caretakers who responded to the survey! Respondents were divided into four categories.

The largest proportion (30%) of respondents were small meadow caretakers, caring for up to 5 ha of meadows. For this group, caring for meadows is more of a hobby, and their main source of income besides agricultural support is paid employment. This group of respondents cares for the meadows that are part of their home, which are often inherited, and they intend continue doing so as long as possible.

Sometimes, however, their future plans also include scientific research related to meadow communities.

We also asked what kind of help would be needed to manage the meadows. The responses revealed that help would be needed in finding a future carer, knowing what to do with the products (hay) and receiving restoration support in the amount covering the costs.

Twenty-four per cent of the survey respondents were large meadow caretakers with more than 20 ha of meadows; the largest of them with as much as 1000 ha of land, and meadow management was their main job. They also often care for and restore other people’s meadows. They generate income from the meadow and agricultural products, including animal husbandry, timber sales, tourism services, and nature education.

Their future plans depend on the content and credibility of the CAP action plan currently being drawn up. A stable economic environment and a long-term land-use perspective are needed for them to continue operating. ‘Please listen to the advice of the carer/restorer gathered through the almost 30-year traineeship’, they say.

Twenty-three per cent of respondents were small, versatile caretakers who care for and restore meadows of different sizes (up to 20 ha) and are self-employed. As well as receiving agricultural subsidies, they generate additional income by keeping animals, selling timber, marketing agricultural products, and providing tourism services and nature education. They wish to manage the land sensibly and caringly, increase the area being maintained, and to restore overgrown areas. They also wish to preserve heritage and earn income by maintaining and preserving it.

‘Inspiration alone is not enough – it is also important not to have to pay for what you do,’ they say.

What kind of help would be needed? Ideally, we would need help with organising and carrying out restoration work on the meadow, from ordering the work to finding a tenant. Additionally, assistance would be required to assess the type of maintenance that would be possible or reasonable to implement in a given area, enabling the subsequent development of an action plan.

Twenty-three per cent of respondents owned a small, hectare-based meadow. They did not restore or care for the meadow, were in paid employment, and did not manage the meadow because it was not profitable – ‘let nature take its course’. However, some in this group who would like to start restoring their land and, if possible, find a tenant to bring their animals to the area. 
 

Initial proposals by researchers at the University of Tartu