French permanent grassland at the heart of agricultural and environmental challenges: new guidelines for better management

Permanent grassland, which accounts for more than 30 per cent of France’s utilised agricultural area (UAA), is central to a range of agricultural, production, economic (particularly in relation to livestock farming systems) and environmental issues, with recognised positive impacts on water quality, biodiversity and the landscape. However, it is clear that these areas have been steadily declining for many years. Whilst the causes are primarily linked to changes in livestock farming structures, another reason is a lack of understanding amongst technicians regarding the potential of these areas, which are often regarded as difficult to manage, vulnerable to climatic hazards and unproductive. With the aim of improving understanding of these issues, a national study designed to provide technicians with guidelines for assessing and managing this type of grassland was carried out between 2008 and 2011. In total, more than 40 research, development and teaching organisations across the country were involved in a survey of over 1,300 plots spread across 80 farms, followed by in-depth monitoring of 190 plots over two years and the analysis of more than 4,000 samples. This extensive study now provides very comprehensive data for a wide range of lowland and semi-mountainous environments, covering the management practices, forage potential (production, nutritional value) and environmental characteristics of French permanent grassland. It has led to the development of a typology, limited to 19 types, which now serves as an easily accessible tool for agro-environmental assessment. All the results obtained in this study have been compiled in a synthesis publication entitled: ‘Permanent grassland: reference data to enhance its diversity’.