Grazing management and performance monitoring of calcareous dry grasslands in the FFH area “Dead valleys southwest of Freyburg”
The “Tote Täler” nature reserve, which covers the same area as the FFH area “Tote Täler südwestlich Freyburg” and thus part of the Europe-wide coherent network of special areas of conservation, represents a typical section of the dry area along the Saale and Unstrut rivers and is part of the shell limestone plateau on the eastern edge of the Naumburg Muschelkalkmulde. The area’s current appearance is the result of centuries of diverse use, including coppice management, grazing, viticulture and agriculture, orchard cultivation, and limestone quarrying. Species-rich semi-dry grasslands have established themselves on the plateau, which was kept open until 1992 for military use as a tank training area. These are closely linked to mesophilic, near-natural deciduous forest communities and the species-rich dry and semi-dry grasslands with sub-Mediterranean and continental elements on the adjacent slopes. The habitat type listed in Annex I of the FFH Directive, “Near-natural calcareous dry grasslands and their scrub stages,” is of particular importance in the area due to its large areas rich in orchids, such as the spider orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) and the three-toothed orchid (Orchis tridentata), which give the occurrences in the area the attribute of “habitat type to be protected as a priority.”
The open land areas of the nature reserve are home to a total of approximately 470 species of vascular plants. In addition to abundant occurrences of dark red helleborine (Epipactis atrorubens), greater butterfly orchid (Listera ovata), fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea), fly orchid (Ophrys insectifera), military orchid (Orchis militaris) and purple orchid (O. purpurea) in the ecotone areas, the open areas of the plateau are covered with a population of bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) that is significant on a supraregional level and is located at its northeastern range limit in Saxony-Anhalt. Due to the pronounced dry periods, scrub encroachment on the pastureland on the plateau (Rödel) was low at the start of the project: individual groups of rose bushes (Rosa spp.), hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) and blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) characterize the semi-open landscape. The dry grasslands on the slopes, on the other hand, were severely threatened by advanced scrub encroachment. The area has a special responsibility for the conservation of the FFH habitat types found there: the proportion of FFH LRTs in the state’s inventory is high (25% LRT 6210*, 29% LRT 6110*, 50% LRT 8160*).
The avifauna is significant, with 52 breeding bird species (16 species listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive) and 71 species of butterflies and zygaena moths (as of 2018). A population of the endangered red-winged grasshopper (Oedipoda germanica) forms the third northernmost occurrence in Central Europe. A total of 23 grasshopper species occur in the study area.
Until 2009, with the exception of the orchid trail (continuous sheep grazing through Trift), the discontinuation of historical forms of cultivation led to increasing grassification, matting, and scrub encroachment of the valuable open land areas. In order to maintain and restore a favorable conservation status for the habitat types listed in Annex I and the species listed in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive, the plateau has been grazed by horses all year round since 2009. Since 2012, four of the south- and west-facing slopes of the dry valleys running off the side of the plateau have been grazed by goats from April to November.
Project priorities
The supraregional feature of the nature conservation and FFH area “Tote Täler (südwestlich Freyburg)” is its above-average biodiversity. At the same time, however, the area showed significant maintenance deficits in some areas. The aim of the project is to convert further of these originally open sub-areas to a targeted use in order to optimize them with regard to the implementation of the Natura 2000 network.
The nature conservation performance review is intended to evaluate the long-term suitability of the above-mentioned site-adapted grazing methods in the FFH area. On areas of high conservation value, little-tried but nationwide grazing methods such as sheep paddock grazing are to be systematically tested. Suitable management options for the conservation and promotion of the cross-leaved heath, which has become rare in Saxony-Anhalt, are to be tested and evaluated.
In addition, the population should be made more aware of nature conservation and multipliers should be informed about the objectives of nature conservation through targeted knowledge transfer into statewide practice. The organization and implementation of voluntary maintenance work represents a transitional solution for valuable open land areas that have not yet been put to use.
Project region
Saxony-Anhalt
Further project details
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Year-round grazing with horses: In spring 2009, an 87-hectare year-round pasture was established on the extensive plateau and populated with horses of the Konik Polski breed. The animals counteract the advancing scrub encroachment and matting of grasses on the worn semi-dry grassland. Winter grazing is particularly important here. With approximately 13 adult animals and several foals, the stocking density in the summer months is approximately 0.1 to a maximum of 0.3 LU/ha.
Summer grazing with sheep: Since the nature reserve was established in 1964, sheep have been grazing (at least for the most part) on the terraces and some of the slopes of the exceptionally species-rich orchid trail. Currently, a shepherd with a flock of around 200 sheep grazes the 17-hectare area.
Rotational grazing with goats during the summer months: The heavily overgrown slopes on Naumannsberg, Lissenberg, Altem Weinberg, and Hasselberg (17 hectares in total) have been maintained since 2012 using rotational goat grazing (2 x 30 animals, approx. 0.25 LU/ha). The grazing period for the eight sub-areas is adapted to the phenology of the valuable plant species that are predominant in each area, especially orchids.
Since 2009, Konik Polski horses, a robust breed, have been working year-round on the Rödel to prevent overgrowth and matting. @Michael Jung 
Grazing sheep on pasture in late summer @Georg Hiller 
Rotational grazing with goats during the summer months @Martina Köhler -
The influence of different grazing practices on the species present and their habitats is regularly examined as part of a nature conservation performance review. Surveys are conducted at various scales (see also LORENZ et al. 2013).
Spatial scale level Indicators Investigative methods Landscape level/total pasture area (87 ha) Area share and distribution of FFH habitat types in open land biotope mapping Characteristics of habitats and biotopes (structural parameters, bee orchid and other orchids) raster mapping Breeding bird population of open and semi-open land (key species) Territory mapping (according to SÜDBECK et al. 2005) Grazing animal activity (space utilization, feeding behavior) Telemetry, direct animal observations Level of FFH habitat types Parameters relating to vegetation structure: degree of scrub encroachment, proportion of grass indicators, areas of open ground, litter cover, grass-herb ratio Recording on 75 m x 75 m macroplots (divided into quarter quadrants) Total species range, number of species Recording on macroplots plant species richness Vegetation surveys on 25 m² permanent observation areas Level Species/species groups Orchids: Population development of bee orchid, spider orchid, three-toothed orchid, autumn helleborine Individual-based recording on 1 m² permanent observation areas four times a year (according to KLEIN 2008) Gentian Experiment with management variants (early/late mowing, grazing) Autumn orchid, three-toothed orchid, species powers of other plant species Experiment comparing sheep grazing versus mowing: individual-based recording, vegetation surveys, analysis of soil parameters Reptiles: Occurrence and frequency Grass snake, sand lizard Recording on the entire pasture area, including with snake boards (according to HACHTEL et al. 2009) Butterflies/Zygaena moths: Occurrence and frequency Area-wide surveys with standardized survey effort on macroplots Grasshopper fauna: occurrence and frequency Recording on macroplots using isolation squares (based on SCHLUMPRECHT & WAEBER 2003, among others) Red-winged grasshopper Capture-Mark-Recapture-survays The parameters are analyzed for changes using data from previous years. If the conservation status deteriorates, as measured by the indicators, grazing management is adjusted by changing the stocking rate or grazing time and, if necessary, by implementing additional maintenance measures.
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Analyses of the spatial use of the large grazing animals on the plateau show that the entire grazing area, with the exception of the quarries with sparse vegetation, is used relatively evenly for foraging (Fig. 1). Only the peripheral areas that are very far away from the central area (including watering places) tend to be used less, but in winter they are used with similar intensity to the central grazing area. Since field observations showed comparatively increased browsing on woody plants, especially in the winter months, winter grazing is of crucial importance in terms of the desired effects of keeping the area open. Furthermore, there was no formation of nitrophilic (tall forb) vegetation as a result of latrine formation. The development of pasture grasslands is also mosaic-like across the entire area and their distribution is dynamic.
The habitat-typical species inventory, which is a fundamental component for assessing the conservation status of the FFH habitat type “near-natural calcareous dry grasslands” (6210*), developed positively over the entire grazing period (plateau). On the vegetation survey areas, the number of species increased by an average of 10 species between 2009 and 2018. In contrast, the control areas show a downward trend in species numbers due to the deterioration of the vegetation structure.
Development of plant species numbers within ecological groups on the 25 m² vegetation survey areas; the decline in 2018 is due to extreme drought. Statistics: ANOVA with repeated measurements. A total of 12 orchid species now grow in the horse pasture. The orchid species with the largest population there is the bee orchid (Ophrys apifera). During the extensive survey of individuals in the leaf rosette stage in 2018, approximately 2,700 individuals were counted. Compared to the 2013 survey (approximately 1,800 individuals), the population has thus increased significantly. Analyses correlating the occurrence and development of the bee orchid with the spatial behavior of the horses did not reveal any negative effects of grazing. In fact, there are further indications that the orchid species benefit from horse grazing: Since grazing began in 2009, the orchid species lizard orchid (Himantoglossum hircinum), spider orchid (Ophrys sphegodes), and three-toothed orchid (Orchis tridentata), which are rare in Saxony-Anhalt, have reappeared and flowered on the Rödel.
The orchid populations benefit from year-round, extensive horse grazing on the Rödel; in the foreground, the bee orchid (Ophrys apifera) @Georg Hiller In addition to the species inventory typical of the habitat, the habitat structures typical of the habitat are decisive for the assessment of the conservation status according to the FFH Directive. In particular, the dominance of polycormic plants and/or tall tufted grasses leads to a poor assessment of the characteristics of the habitat type calcareous dry grasslands (6210*). These stages of grass encroachment on the Rödel were mainly characterized by upright brome (Bromus erectus), false brome (Brachypodium pinnatum), and tall oatgrass (Arrhenatherum elatius). Since grazing began in 2009, there has been a significant decline in upright brome and tall oatgrass in particular.
Accordingly, litter accumulation in the herbaceous layer, which inhibits the establishment of less competitive plant species, was halved. The proportion of herbs doubled. The expansion of open ground caused by the trampling of grazing animals can be considered positive in terms of habitat structures for animal groups and less competitive plant species. The comparatively sparse tree cover in the initial state increased only slightly. The manure is evenly distributed (average coverage 0.1% per 0.6 ha plot). The availability of untreated manure is of existential importance for many insects. For example, pill bugs and dung flies, which have become very rare in the normal landscape, form an important part of the food base for the bird species found on the pasture land. The dotted pore fungus (Poronia punctata), a dung-colonizing fungus that was considered extinct in Saxony-Anhalt, is once again abundant on the extensive year-round pastures of the Oranienbaumer Heide and the Toten Täler.
The unfavorable conservation status (C) of habitat type 6210* at the start of grazing was solely due to the poor development of the habitat structures typical of this habitat type (lack of maintenance). Extensive, year-round grazing with horses quickly restored the habitat structures to a favorable condition (A) while preserving and promoting the species inventory typical of this habitat type.
As the analysis of data from surveys of fauna species groups on the plateau showed, the number of species listed in Saxony-Anhalt’s Red Lists (as of LAU 2004) is comparatively high: 6 bird species, 3 grasshopper species, 25 butterfly and zygaena species. The target breeding bird species woodlark (Lullula arborea), red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), and barred warbler (Sylvia nisoria) are also species listed in Annex I of the European Birds Directive. Since grazing began, 18 individuals of the endangered smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) have been recorded and evidence of reproduction has been provided.
The average number of grasshopper species on the macroplots is 9.6 (2010), 7 (2011), and 10.3 (2012). The average number of butterfly and zygaena species remains constant at 7.5 (2010), 8.7 (2011), and 8.2 (2012), while the average number of individuals is rising steadily: 58.2 (2010), 70.2 (2011), and 131.7 (2012). The mountain witch (Chazara briseis), which is particularly endangered and worthy of protection throughout Germany, also increased its population significantly.
Matter Pillenwälzer (Sisyphus schaefferi) @Torsten Ruf 
Dungfliegen (Scathophagidae) @Martina Köhler 
Himmelblaue-Bläulinge auf unbehandeltem Pferdedung @Michael Jung -
Goats are well suited to restoring dry grasslands with advanced stages of scrub encroachment to a more favorable state of conservation. As omnivores with a split upper lip and optional bipedalism, goats cover a large part of their nutritional needs by biting and peeling woody plants up to a height of 1.80 m. During direct animal observation, the goats spent 70% of their time grazing on woody plants. Blood-red dogwood (Cornus sangiunea) and wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana) were eaten particularly frequently. These woody plant species also accounted for the largest proportion of woody plant cover on the slopes studied. Goat grazing in the spring („Naumannsberg“) resulted in the greatest reduction in shrub cover. On average, the tree cover on all pastures was reduced by 21% after six years of grazing. The average tree cover at the outset was 55%.
The floristic species inventory remained stable over the six-year grazing period (2012 to 2017) with a total of around 40 species per 25 m². The differentiation into ecological groups also made it clear that the target group “characteristic (semi-)dry grassland species” did not suffer any losses as a result of grazing. The orchid species studied have so far shown stable populations during summer and fall grazing. However, during spring grazing, the species did not reach fruit maturity. Even though the number of individuals has remained more or less constant to date, population development should continue to be documented. For the rare spider orchid (Ophrys sphegodes), summer grazing proved to be the optimal time, as the population size increased significantly. Ruderal species established themselves without exception on the approximately 20 x 20 m storage areas
Wiederherstellung der verbuschten Trockenrasen durch Ziegenbeweidung @Martina Köhler 
Ziegen decken als Mischfresser ihren Nahrungsbedarf bis zu 70 % aus Gehölzen @Martina Köhler 
Der Gehölzverbiss wird in dem typischen Beweidungshorizont weithin sichtbar @Martina Köhler -
View all publications.
2023
KÖHLER, M., SCHMIDT, A., HÖLZEL, N., BAASCH, A., TISCHEW, S. (2023): Positive long-term effects of year-round horse grazing in orchid-rich dry calcareous grasslands–Results of a 12-year study. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11: 1107987.
2020
HILLER, G., ELIAS, D., KÖHLER, M., TISCHEW, S. (2020): Förderung der Rotflügeligen Ödlandschrecke (Oedipoda germanica) – Ziegenrotationsbeweidung auf verbuschten Kalktrockenrasen. Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung 52 (11): 518-523.
KÖHLER, M., ELIAS, D., HILLER, G., HÖLZEL, N., TISCHEW, S. (2020): Restoration of orchid-rich dry calcareous grasslands by rotational goat pasturing. Tuexenia 40: 201-223. DOI: 10.14471/2020.40.009
2019
KÄMMER, G., KÖHLER, M. & TISCHEW, S. (2019) Orchideen. In: Bunzel-Drüke, M., Böhm, C., Ellwanger, G., Finck, P., Grell, H., Hauswirth, L., Herrmann, A., Jedicke, E., Joest, R., Kämmer, G., Köhler, M., Kolligs, D., Krawczynski, R., Lorenz, A., Luick, R., Mann, S., Nickel, H., Raths, U., Reisinger, E., Riecken, U., Rößling, H., Sollmann, R., Ssymank, A., Thomsen, K., Tischew, S., Vierhaus, H., Wanger, H.-G. & Zimball, O. (Hrsg.) (2019): Naturnahe Beweidung und NATURA 2000. Ganzjahresbeweidung im Management von Lebensraumtypen und Arten im europäischen Schutzgebietssystem NATURA 2000. Heinz Sielmann Stiftung, Duderstadt. 2. überarbeitete und erweiterete Auflage: 261-263.
KÖHLER, M. & TISCHEW, S. (2019): Kalk-(Halb-)Trockenrasen. In: Bunzel-Drüke, M., Böhm, C., Ellwanger, G., Finck, P., Grell, H., Hauswirth, L., Herrmann, A., Jedicke, E., Joest, R., Kämmer, G., Köhler, M., Kolligs, D., Krawczynski, R., Lorenz, A., Luick, R., Mann, S., Nickel, H., Raths, U., Reisinger, E., Riecken, U., Rößling, H., Sollmann, R., Ssymank, A., Thomsen, K., Tischew, S., Vierhaus, H., Wanger, H.-G. & Zimball, O. (Hrsg.) (2019): Naturnahe Beweidung und NATURA 2000. Ganzjahresbeweidung im Management von Lebensraumtypen und Arten im europäischen Schutzgebietssystem NATURA 2000. Heinz Sielmann Stiftung, Duderstadt. 2. überarbeitete und erweiterete Auflage: 113-117.
2016
KÖHLER, M., HILLER, G., TISCHEW, S. (2016): Year-round horse grazing supports typical vascular plant species, orchids and rare bird communities in a dry calcareous grassland. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 2016, Volume 234: 48–57. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2016.03.020
2015
KÖHLER, M., TISCHEW, S. (2015): Kalk-(Halb-)Trockenrasen. In: Bunzel-Drüke, M.; Böhm, C.; Ellwanger, G.; Finck, P.; Grell, H.; Hauswirth, L.; Herrmann, A.; Jedicke, E.; Joest, R.; Kämmer, G.; Köhler, M.; Kolligs, D.; Krawczynski, R.; Lorenz, A.; Luick, R.; Mann, S.; Nickel, H.; Raths, U.; Reisinger, E.; Riecken, U.; Rößling, H.; Sollmann, R.; Ssymank, A.; Thomsen, K.; Tischew, S.; Vierhaus, H.; Wagner, H.-G. & Zimball, O.: Naturnahe Beweidung und NATURA 2000. Ganzjahresbeweidung im Management von Lebensraumtypen und Arten im europäischen Schutzgebietssystem NATURA 2000. Heinz Sielmann Stiftung, Duderstadt. Gefördert durch: Thüringer Ministerium für Umwelt, Energie und Naturschutz (TMUEN), Bayerischer Naturschutzfonds, Stiftung Naturschutz Schleswig-Holstein: 95-99.
KÖHLER, M., HILLER, G., TISCHEW, S. (2015): Beweidungsprojekt Rödel/ Tote Täler. In: Baasch, A., Tischew, S. (Hrsg.): Die Offenlandlebensraumtypen Sachsen-Anhalts und deren Management. Tuexenia Beiheft 8: 95-109.
KÖHLER, M., TISCHEW, S. (2015): Standortangepasste Beweidung auf orchideenreichen Kalk-Trocken- und Halbtrockenrasen im Naturschutzgebiet “Tote Täler”. Saale-Unstrut-Jahrbuch 20: 174-187.
2014
KÖHLER, M., HILLER G., TISCHEW, S. (2014): All-year megaherbivore grazing in large-scale calcareous grasslands with orchids (Tote Täler). In: Tolvanen, A., Hekkala, A.-M. [eds.]: The 9th European Conference on Ecological Restoration – Abstracts: 78. ISBN: 978-951-40-2481-8.
SEIFERT, R., LORENZ, A., ELIAS, D., KÖHLER, M., HILLER, G. (2014): Extensive Beweidung mit robusten Rinder-, Pferde- und Ziegenrassen als Instrument zur Renaturierung von Offenlandlebensräumen.In: Mugele, J., Franke, G.H., Schnicke, D. [eds.]: 15. Nachwuchswissenschaftlerkonferenz: Tagungsband, S. 203 – 208. Meine Verlag, Magdeburg. ISBN: 978-3-941305-45-8.
2013
KÖHLER, M., HILLER, G.; TISCHEW, S. (2013): Extensive Ganzjahresbeweidung mit Pferden auf orchideenreichen Kalk-Halbtrockenrasen: Effekte im FFH-Gebiet “Tote Täler südwestlich Freyburg” (Sachsen-Anhalt). Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung 45 (9): 279-286.