Project site is in the North?East Lithuania (Zarasai and Ignalina districts). The project plans to maintain and preserve 14,8 ha of natural meadows on calcareous substrates and lowland hay meadows habitats that are becoming very rare in Lithuania due to agricultural activities.

Two main problems will be addressed in this project: loss of traditional land use, and the lack of information about values of natural meadows: in some cases local people don?t use meadows at all and they overgrow with bushes, or they cultivate meadow by deep plugging and spread manure and fertilisers on meadows, which makes negative impact on natural habitats. The project aims to promote sustainable use of such meadows.

The grantees will have intensive communication with local farmers and other takeholders on the presevation of natural meadows. Practical nature management measures will be carried out according to prepared nature management plan: old grass hay making and bush cutting by local farmers living in the neighbourhood of those meadows. Moreover, planting of extremely rare plant Glycerietum striatae is also included in the project activities. Training and information campaign on protection of meadows will educate specialists and farmers on practical nature management.

Social questioner of local people indicated that they are interested and will support planned activities, as they would further maintain natural grasslands for valuable hay making (right now they are not using them as old hay and bushes make difficulties for using the grasslands). The sustainability of results will be ensured by providing farmers with the needed equipment under signing of a special cooperation protocol.

The project partners are local farmers, municipality of Zarasai, Grazute Regional park administration, scouts of Zarasai region.