At the end of June 2024, we are concluding the three-year project “Incorporating ecosystem services into sustainable agriculture, with the example of ensuring the species diversity of flowering meadows”, or more concisely, EIP 16.5 Flowering meadows. The project was led by Makrobios Panonija so.p., with Notranjska Regional Park participating as a partner responsible for public outreach and expert support.
The commonly used term “flowering meadows” primarily refers to (semi-)dry extensive grasslands, which are among the most species-rich yet also most endangered ecosystems in Europe. The project focused on preserving these unique habitats, enhancing species diversity by introducing native plant species, and promoting the ecosystem services provided by meadows.
The practical part of the project was carried out on five farms across Slovenia, where we tested various methods for introducing missing plant species:
At Zaplana 1890 Farm, we also established an in situ seed bank, which will serve both educational purposes and future meadow restoration efforts.
Farmer motivation was key to the project’s success. We therefore placed strong emphasis on the ecosystem services of meadows and raised awareness of their practical value — in culinary use, education, aesthetics, beekeeping, and medicinal plants. All knowledge gained through the project will be compiled into a best-practices manual, which will be made publicly available at the conclusion of the project.
Collaboration between farmers and experts was essential. We tested the methods under various climatic and soil conditions, increasing the relevance and applicability of the results.
Among the tested approaches, the transfer of green biomass from selected donor areas to target sites proved to be the most feasible — especially from the perspective of farmer motivation and ease of implementation. While manual seed collection allows for better control over seed quality and quantity, it is time-consuming. The use of commercial seed mixtures carries the risk of introducing unwanted species.
Based on our findings, we recommend a combination of methods and multiple introductions of seed material from verified sources to achieve the best results.
The project is being implemented in the period from 29 June 2021 to 29 June 2024, under measure M16 Cooperation of the Rural Development Program of the Republic of Slovenia 2014-2020, within sub-measure 4. JR sub-measure 16.5 Support for joint action to mitigate or adapt to climate change and for joint approaches to environmental projects and sustainable environmental practices in forestry, and is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union from the Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
The implementation of extensive nature conservation projects exceeds the financial capacity of the local community, therefore Notranjska Park regularly applies for projects with the possibility of co-financing by the European Union.
The implementation of large-scale conservation projects exceeds the financial capabilities of the local community, therefore Notranjska Park regularly applies for projects with the possibility of co-financing from the European Union.
