The Shepherd Culture Association is looking for partners for sustainable grazing.

When sheep, goats, and donkeys set out, the meadows come alive: Spring also marks the beginning of the new season for traditional grazing in Austria. Many of the herds are managed by the Hirtenkultur association, which is dedicated to sustainable landscape management with grazing animals and the preservation of herding traditions. The advantage for green space owners: Traditional grazing not only mows green spaces and protects them from bush encroachment, but also demonstrably improves soil health and measurably increases biodiversity. The association is currently seeking new project partners with green spaces and is receiving special funding from the Lower Austrian motorway operator Bonaventura.

“With this form of holistic land management, we are making a joint contribution to the preservation of the Weinviertel heath landscape with its valuable dry grasslands and creating expanded habitats for insects, birds and amphibians,” says project manager Lukas Bauer from Bonaventura.

"Traditional grazing is an investment that pays off in many ways – for the care and soil health of the areas, biodiversity and the preservation of a vibrant pastoral culture," says Stefan Knöpfer-McAllister, chairman of the Shepherd Culture Association, who advises grassland owners on grazing options, funding opportunities and accompanying services such as species monitoring on grazed areas.