Temporary and permanent grassland: area

The area of grassland is slowly diminishing and grassland is being ploughed in more often, so that other crops can be grown. This is disadvantageous for meadow birds.

Trends

Between 1980 and 2001 the total area of grassland dwindled by 200 000 ha. The grassland has been replaced by residential development, roads, and suchlike.

The way the remaining grassland is used is changing: more of the grassland has become temporary, i.e. every 4 or 5 years is ploughed in and resown with grass or with another crop (usually maize or bulbs).

The dwindling of the area of grassland and of the proportion of permanent grassland is aggravating the decline in the meadow birds because certain species find temporary grassland less suitable for nesting.