Influencing grassland conservation policy and practice
Before embarking on new research, it is important to know what has already been accomplished in the given field. Scientists at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER) in the UK investigated in detail the current bibliography relating to grasslands used for pasture. IGER focused on the impact of grazing on the biological diversity of grasslands, in terms of both plant and animal life. It was revealed that the species of grazer is the key parameter, in particular the size of the animal. Conversely, variation among breeds of the same species was minimal. Another important finding is that the pathway through which the grazers influence biodiversity is by changing the composition of the top layer of the grassland, called the sward. IGER recorded its findings in scientific articles submitted to peer-reviewed journals. Copies of the articles are freely available from the FORBIOBEN project web site: http://www.iger.bbsrc.ac.uk/Forbioben/index.html(odnośnik otworzy się w nowym oknie). IGER has itself been active in disseminating this knowledge through other channels, namely through contacts with organisations and consulting services. The information contained within the papers provides insight into the limits of sustainable grazing practice and hence can be exploited by conservation managers, the farming industry, environmental groups and of course policy makers at all levels.
