Sustainable management of floodplain meadows as contribution to biodiversity conservation

Sustainable floodplain meadows management through the renewal of traditional grazing in areas important for the conservation of globally endangered species is being tested in the Republic of Belarus. 

15 individuals of the auroch-like Heck cattle were brought from the Latvian national park “Kemeri” floodplain meadows of the Pogost tract of the national landscape reserve “Srednaya Pripyat”  and were released for free pasture. Earlier auroch lived on this territory (reserve “Srednaya Pripyat”), a species that disappeared from Europe in 1627. In the 30s in Germany attempts were made  to revive the ancient species by breeding Heck cattle.

Sustainable traditional use of meadows and keeping them open will allow to restore and preserve the key nesting sites of rare bird species (Greater Spotted Plover, Greater Spotted Woodpecker) and the sites of the largest concentration of migratory bird species in Europe on the Turow Meadow (Pintail, Wigeontail, Greater Spotted Plover, Ruff).

Restoration of traditional grazing aims at sustainable management of ecological systems and contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 13 (combating climate change) and 15 (preserving terrestrial ecosystems). 

The release of Heck cattle on floodplain meadows of the Pogost tract was carried out under the Wetlands project funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of Belarus.

Photo by UNDP