Project

The project ‘grasslands for meadow birds’ which is supported by the EU and NRW will run from 2012 until 2025. The aim of the project is to improve the habitat conditions for endangered meadow birds in the EU bird protection area ‘lower Niederrhein’. These improvements are to be implemented on a collection of fields in key areas of the Düffel which are currently still inhabited by meadow birds. The basis for this project is the measures concept for the EU bird protection area.

Experience has shown that bird conservation is particularly successful on extensively cultivated marshy grasslands. Ownership of the areas is important when it comes to implementing necessary measures without conflict. It is crucial for meadow birds that the wet grasslands stay wet for as long as possible in the spring. Only then will black-tailed godwits and red shanks breed in the area. For that reason around 200 hectares of agricultural land – mainly grasslands – are to be bought in the course of this project and leased back to local farmers. After reviewing independent expert reports, various measures are to be implemented to improve the water situation. These will include the temporary and adjustable water accumulation in dammed ditches or the creation of water-filled ground depressions.

This project should involve successful collaboration with farmers for the sake of meadow bird conservation in the Düffel. That is why communication with local famers makes up such a substantial part of the project work. Building on this, offers of collaboration are to be made. In addition to this website, brochures, leaflets, a project film as well as observatories in the field are planned to keep the general public informed and up-to-date.

The project is funded with 12.3 million Euros from the LIFE-program of the European Union and the ministry for environment, agriculture, nature and consumer protection of NRW. The project will run until 2025.