LIFE application and grazing of meadows within LEADER
All according to plan, the application for the project Life Älväng was sent to the European Commission in October 2015. A decision from the Commission is expected in June 2016.
The aim of the project is to create open river meadows. Brushwood and shrubbery are to be eliminated and fencing for future grazing installed. The application consists of nine Natura 2000-areas with a total of 577 hectare river meadows that will be restored during a period of six years starting in 2017. The river meadows will after the project ends, in the long term, be grazed or mowed by contractors in the region. In the long term perspective the project is also expected to work as a catalyzer for the contractors to restore and graze or move adjacent river meadows.
The project name is Life Älväng,”Restoration of River Meadows in Nedre Dalälven region, LIFE RIME”. The application has been written by NeDa in close cooperation with the County Administrative Boards of Gävleborg and Uppsala. The two County Administrative Boards is financing the project and will be active participants in the project. Bergvik Skog and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is co-financing the project.
The project plan is consistent with Neda's ambition to maintain and develop the attractive open landscape that will favor both people and nature.
Community-led local development project application
A meeting took place In October 2015 to discuss the future progress of restoration of river meadows in the region. The invite was wide spread with participants from municipalities, County Administrative Boards, The Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF), local contractors, associations and interested public. The meetings participants came up with several wise comments, ideas and suggestions. Neda's intention after the meeting conclusions is to write a project application to Leader Nedre Dalälven. The main aim of the project is to inspire the local contractors to apply for funding to restore and graze or move river meadows in the region. The idea is to focus on the contractors and several of the suggestions brought up at the October meeting is part of the application.
The application will include the following parts:
- Networking, a central part of the project, with focus on the long term sustainability of the project actions after the project ends.
- Meetings.
- Support and coaching.
- Guidance and contact with landowners.
- Fieldtrips for inspiration.
- Education in EU-funding and other laws and regulations.
The plan is to run the project in parallel with LIFE Älväng. NeDa has completed two earlier Leader projects with focus on restoring river meadows. This project will be a natural continuation of the previous projects. The project is entirely in line with the regional landscape strategy “people, mosquitoes and nature” as well as the objectives highlighted in the Biosphere Reserve River Landscape Nedre Dalälven.
The main long term aim of NeDas efforts in the topic of restoring river meadows is to gradually increase the proportion restored river meadows along the river Dalälven and simultaneously create both greater biodiversity, job opportunities, an attractive countryside and thereby attract more tourists to the region.
At this moment we are working on getting the application for Leader finished. The plan is to send it to the Swedish Board of Agriculture in the end of February, a decision is expected in the middle of Mars.