The first steps towards guided grazing are taking shape

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As part of LIFEstockProtect, several areas in Austria, Bavaria and South Tyrol are being monitored over four years to assess the impact of grazing on vegetation and biodiversity. More information on guided grazing and the study can be found in a previously published article:

The second study area has now been established in South Tyrol – the alpine pastures in the Tiers am Rosengarten area of the Dolomites. In addition to a LIFEstockProtect employee, the responsible alpine pasture manager and the vegetation ecologist responsible for selecting the study areas were also present.

The situation in Tiers

A total of 3 herdsmen look after the grazing livestock: two cattle herdsmen with 249 animals and one sheep herdsman with 180 animals. The high and low pastures extend over 270 hectares and are divided into more than 20 individual areas. A major challenge for efficient grazing and the livestock protection!

In the coming years, the LIFEstockProtect team will draw up a grazing plan to optimize the use of the pasture depending on the growing season and at the same time maintain it in the long term. This year, livestock protection will also be implemented for the first time on the high-altitude sheep pasture. The animals are kept together with night pens and herding. It is also hoped that the situation will improve after several animals fell victim to wolf attacks in the last grazing season and the cattle drive had to take place earlier than normal as a result. livestock protection should protect the animals from renewed attacks and at the same time the quality of the pasture can be gradually improved over the coming years through paddocks and the supervision of a shepherd. The Tierser Alm will be actively supported in this process by expert advice from LIFEstockProtect.

Further study areas are currently being determined in Bavaria and Austria – we will keep you up to date.