Extensively management of pasture are of crucial importance for the European biodiversity, that is why the farmers and breeders are constantly involved in the implementation of biodiversity conservation measure through national initiatives, regional conventions, LIFE and Interreg projects and rural development programmes.

One of the goals of LIFE GRACE was making biodiversity conservation a priority in the management of semi-natural grassland habitats. The Environmental Biology Department of La Sapienza University prepared a Cooperation model on best management practices for grassland habitats as a tool for both individual farmers and Municipalities/ Agrarian Universities that manage these habitats and want to prioritize the conservation and restoration of grasslands with interventions such as periodic mowing, rotational grazing, selective brush clearing, creation of water points, and restoration of fences and pens.

In addition, the DAFNE Department of the University of Tuscia collaborated with the project to create an additional product, the Guidelines on management and conservation of semi-natural grasslands, a more detailed document that proposes specific interventions and management goals for each protected area (Reatini Mountains, Tolfa Mountains, Ausoni-Aurunci Mountains).

Other projects carried out in different European countries developed best management practices for grassland conservation and monitoring, which were researched and included in the scoping study produced at the beginning of the LIFE GRACE project:

• Grazing Animal Project

The Grazing Animal Project was developed in the UK, to encourage farmers to implement conservation measure for native breeds of horses, goats,sheep, and pigs through conservative grazing. Some of the best practices implemented in this project are the creation of both physical and virtual marketplaces that allow farmers and breeders to create a local market with products supplied by their native breeds. To increase the interest of citizens on agriculture practices and animal husbandry a number of agricultural parks has been identified in which activities such as picnics,guided tours, eco-tourism, educational activities are carried out. The key point of the project raising farmers awareness on their relevant role on biodiversity and native breeds conservation. The project promotes training courses the exchanges of best practices between farmers through online forum. 

• SMARTCHAIN: Towards Innovation - driven and smart solutions in short food supply chains

“SMARTCHAIN: Towards Innovation - driven and smart solutions in short food supply chains” is a project financed by European Union through the Horizon 2020 programme with the aim of promoting and speeding up the transition towards short food supply chains (SFSCs) andintroducing solid measures which can strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of European agri-food sector.

The project utilizes the GAIN model and blockchain technologies to facilitate the transition from long food supply chain to a shorter and less complex food chain. In addition, the presence of the digital platform allows access to informative content to set up the methodology and interpret the results of the market analysis aimed at understanding the attitude of consumers towards the consumption of meat from N2000 sites. 

• Aran – Manage the habitats of the Aran Islands to maximize their agricultural and ecological production

The AranLIFE and Caomhnù Arann are two projects developed in the Aran islands with the aim of improving habitat conditions through a new experimental results-based on agri-food programme.Within the projects, a farm management plan was created  in which the farmers are linked by a contract which details the work to be make on each parcel and the relative cost of this work. To evaluate the optimal grazing, the project developed a scoring system from 1 to 5 which represent the quality of habitat  and grazing level achieved, with the aim of encouraging farmers to grazeat determinant level and testing the approach based on results, to be used in future agri-environmental programmes at the conclusion of the project.The project is using drone technology to monitor the quality of habitat decreasing the necessity for field survey work and other high administrative costs. 

• Collaboration Agreements in Natura 2000: farmers as main actors in management

The Junta de Extremadura has developed a new initiative in which the farm owners become Natura2000 managers, responsible for the development of conservation action in order to reduce the conflict between conservation and land use of Natura2000 sites. The tools developed for this initiative are “Aid for sustainable development” and “Collaboration agreement”. These complementary tools allow agricultural, livestock and forestry companies to improve company performance in managing and conserving species and habitats, providing an economic contribution in return to a clear commitment to the conservation of habitats and species.Through collaboration agreements, farmers are encouraged to become the managers responsible for the conservation of the natural values present on the lands they own land. While the Aid for sustainable development is non-productive investments financed through measure 4 of the RDP with the aim of balancing the economic interests of farms with the conservation of species and habitats. 

• Biodiversitätsmonitoring mit LandwirtInnen (Biodiversity monitoring with farmers)

The Austrian project "Biodiversitätsmonitoring mit LandwirtInnen" (Monitoring biodiversity with farmers) is co-financed by the Austrian Rural Development Program and represents a "citizen science" approach, in which farmers and agricultural students acquire a new awareness of biodiversity issues and are asked to collect on a voluntary basis data relating to the presence and distribution of animal and plant species. For a greater and immediate involvement of the farmer in the conservation of biodiversity, the slogan "We care for ..." was created. In this project, the farmer can join on a voluntary basis the Package of Measures (OPUL) specifically dedicated to the conservation of nature by committing to carry out a series of interventions within his property or carry out conservation measures in his own company and be paid by the PSR based on the conservation results achieved. A key point of the project is the transfer of information from experts to farmers and students, in order to achieve a solid confidence and a sense of mutual responsibility. Within the project, as regards the monitoring activity, a specific APP was created to facilitate data collection by farmers.

Other good practices:

• The LIFE FOGLIAGE project: funded in 2020 aims at improving forest governance through the development of specialised software to be used by stakeholders.
• Agriculture for Natura 2000: an EU document that provides a set of practical ideas, examples and recommendations on the management of agricultural land in Natura 2000 sites to achieve conservation objectives, based on positive practical experiences from Member States throughout the territory of the EU.
• Agricultural land management in the context of Natura 2000: collection of 27 case studies on agricultural land management in Natura 2000 sites in various EU countries. The EU document outlines different types of initiatives successfully undertaken to promote and support agricultural practices that contribute to the conservation of rare or threatened protected species and habitats.
• Study on the feeding behavior of the Esperia Pony in plant communities of Ampelodesmos mauritanicus: ARSIAL in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences of the University of Tuscia, as part of sub-measure 10.2.1 of the RDP, has carried out a study to evaluate the contribution of the feeding behavior of the Esperia Pony in plant communities of Ampelodesma in the prevention of fires on the Ausoni-Aurunci mountains in southern Lazio.