Mowing and nest detection demonstration

Another good example of nature conservation, agriculture and wildlife management working together. Domestic grasslands are home of unique natural assets. Many of our wild animal and plant species find their essential living conditions in grasslands, which is why protecting these habitats is a key to their conservation.

Therefore it is crucial to understand that protecting the extent and condition of grasslands goes beyond nature conservation. 

Recognising this, BirdLife Hungary (MME), the Nature Conservation Committee of the National Chamber of Hungarian Hunters and Pro Vértes Nonprofit Ltd. jointly organised  the “Habitat Restoration and Conservation in Agricultural Areas – Focus on Grassland Habitats” conference and practical workshop on 22 June 2023. The event aimed to present opportunities for the conservation  of grassland habitats, conservation-oriented mowing practices, and the latest technological advancements in nest and wildlife  protection. The group of collaborators may seem unusual at first, however - as was emphasized by many at the conference - there are more connections than divisive and conflicting issues between the fields of nature conservation, agriculture and wildlife management. .Levente Viszló, Director of Pro Vértes Nonprofit Ltd., welcomed the participants as host of the event. He emphasized the necessity of nature-friendly farming and highlighted its effectiveness. In his welcome address Péter Bajdik, Secretary General of the Chamber of Hunters, highlighted the negative consequences of declining agricultural and natural diversity on game management, and underlined the necessity of cooperation between the relevant sectors. Gergő Halmos, CEO Managing Director of BirdLife Hungary, stressed the importance of monitoring changes in biodiversity, pointing out that halting and reversing negative trends can only be achieved through cross-sectoral initiatives.

The highlight of the event was a demonstration of mechanical mowing using the equipment of Pro Vértes Nonprofit Ltd. It showcased the importance of nature-friendly harvesting technologies. For grassland wildlife mowing is the most hazardous management activity, but , when carried out carefully, it can save large numbers of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals from the risk of being cut. By leaving the stubble high (5-10 cm) and adjusting the mower’s cutting plane, soil surface damage can be avoided, reducing the spread of invasive plant species in grassland, and contributing to the production of clean, pollution-free fodder. Proper use of a wildlife deterrent chain curtain also reduces the number of bird nests accidentally destroyed, as well as unintentional harm to hares or fawns during mowing. The demonstration provided an opportunity to see in action a technological innovation equipped with visual sensors that moves ahead of the mower to detect animals lying in the vegetation, preventing them from being accidentally cut.. Bird- and wildlife-friendly mowing was also put in practice - the showcased machines demonstrated the so-called “displacement mowing” technique, and the intricacies of row management on an uncut area. The demonstration also highlighted the importance of attentive, skilled operators: even the best technological solutions cannot replace the dedicated work  of machine operators who care for nature.

Afterwards, the participants were shown a demonstration of drone-based searches for ground-nesting birds and wild animals (e.g. hares, fawns) hiding within crops. During the programme, Róbert Kazi (Duna-Ipoly National Park Directorate) and colleagues from ABZ Drone presented two types of drones: one equipped with a multispectral sensor and another with a thermal camera. The "target" to be detected was a turkey concealed on the grassland. It is important to emphasize that the methodology for drone-assisted nest search is still under development, and a universally effective solution that works under all conditions has not yet been achieved. However, past tests have been promising: over the last year, this method successfully located several great bustard nests, allowing to establish  protection zones within the Kiskunság National Park Directorate area. During the demonstration participants could also encounter the limitations of the method: multispectral sensors provide less contrast on heterogeneous grasslands with patchy drying, while the effectiveness of thermal cameras is limited by the warming ground surface.

Following the practical demonstrations, Péter Tóth (BirdLife Hungary) presented the connections between the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and changes in biodiversity. He emphasized that the significant decline of natural diversity in agricultural landscape requires immediate and effective solutions, including the terms of subsidies. He also highlighted that although the so-called “green architecture” of the CAP Strategic Plan provides the necessary support measures, voluntary commitments do not always appear sufficient to reverse adverse environmental trends. In his presentation, Levente Viszló shared the experiences and achieved results on the Pro Vértes Nonprofit Ltd habitat rehabilitation objectives since its establishment.  Rich in natural imagery, his presentation provided a detailed account of their grassland management practices and their impact on biodiversity.

Áron Rung, Senior Officer of the Chamber of Hunters, in his presentation on the habitat development efforts of the National Game Management Fund, emphasized the role of game management organizations in preserving small game populations - and thus of biodiversity - within agricultural habitats. The funding scheme provided by the Chamber is well-known and popular among Hungarian hunting associations. Although its financial framework is limited, it has proven capable of achieving significant local impacts. In terms of habitat development, these impacts are particularly notable, primarily through initiatives that create smaller habitat patches – such as perennial forage mixtures and game plots - which break up the uniformity of arable lands, (, wild land) as well as through establishing wetland habitats.

From the presentation of Attila Králl and his colleagues participants learned about the results achieved so far in drone-based nest search and small game rescue experiments, along with their future plans and opportunities. Even in its current form, the technology already enables the remote detection of locating larger bird and game species. Beyond that it can also provide valuable support for game population assessment. At the same time, the speakers emphasized that the conservation and restoration of agricultural habitats require the full range of landscape-level protection tools – including the alignment of farming practices, legal and financial instruments and the development of cooperation among stakeholders. While precision technologies can serve as valuable complements, they can by no means replace the mentioned measures. 

Nothing demonstrates the importance of biodiversity conservation and the need for cross-sectoral alliance and collaboration more clearly than the fact that the event brought together 130 experts from 35 organisations representing the three sectors.

The short films on the conservation challenges of grassland and agricultural habitats, commissioned by BirdLife Hungary within the framework of The Cross-border Conservation of Great Bustards in Central Europe (LIFE15 NAT/AT/000834) project, are available on MME's YouTube channel.

Source: BirdLife Hungary