Summary

Abandonment is caused by socio-economic

factors. When farming on low-productivity land
brings only small incomes and there is little
or no support from the Common Agricultural
Policy (CAP), farmers give up their enterprises
and the land is left unmanaged. The grassland
quickly becomes tall and rank and is soon
replaced by scrub and woodland.
The EU Biodiversity Strategy recognises the
poor conservation status of grasslands and of
their characteristic butterflies. The actions set
out in this Strategy need urgent implementation.

Photo:

Appropriate management is vital both for

grasslands designated as Natura 2000 areas and
on HNV farmland outside these areas. Financial
support for biodiversity-friendly actions and
programmes should also be further enhanced
through the Common Agricultural Policy
measures.
Butterflies offer the possibility to be used as
a structural headline indicator, not only for
grasslands but also for other habitats, and to
track other pressures such as climate change.

Abandoned grassland get overgrown by shrubs and trees leaving no habitat for grassland butterflies Chris van Swaay

The European Grassland Butterfly Indicator: 19902011