Retaining native grassland
Grasslands rich in wildlife, once to be found on every farm, now survive only where traditional farming and crofting is practised.
The momentum that created the first grasslands, the drive to get more from the land, has continued to shape Scotland unabated. Traditionally managed grasslands are still being converted to arable or reseeded as leys; with their rapid decline they are losing their ability to support a diversity and abundance of wild plants and animals. The last refuges for traditionally managed grasslands are on crofts and small farms. If we are to keep grasslands as havens for wildlife then traditional farming practices in these areas must be supported and encouraged.
Funding is available to farmers through agri-environment programmes run by the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department. Scottish Natural Heritage also offers advice on ways of managing land to encourage wildlife.
We have barely begun to understand how to restore wildlife interest to
grasslands that have been destroyed by intensive management under a modern
agricultural regime. If we are to maintain the breadth and variety of our
living landscapes, preserving the remaining unspoiled natural and semi-natural
grasslands left in Scotland is essential.