September, 2010
Nordic grasslands: Species at risk
Nordic meadows and pastures, the product of hundreds of years of grazing or mowing, are unique in their biodiversity. Habitat changes caused by land use changes are, however, putting this rich biodiversity at risk. The old hay meadows and pastures are being ploughed up for crops, planted with trees or left to grow wild.
In Finland and Sweden, only fragments remain of the habitats that existed 150 years ago. Finland previously had 1.6 million hectares of meadow, but now only a few thousand hectares are left. Norway boasts Northern Europe’s most diverse and best-preserved cultural landscape, but farming was discontinued on 90% of its grassland during the 20th century. The remaining open grassland of Denmark is protected by conservation legislation, but its biodiversity will remain at risk threatened as long as it is not maintained in the traditional manner.
