With a surface area of 67 million hectares, permanent grasslands (grasses that have been present for more than 5 years) currently cover 40% of the EU-27’s Utilised Agricultural Land. With few exceptions, these surfaces have shrunk by 20-30% since the 1970s, in plain areas particularly, in close connection with a concomitant drop in the ruminant populations which increase their value, and the intensification of forage production.
Agronomic and ecosystem services provided by long-term grasslan...