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Landscape Conservation with Animals Forum

The Forum Landschaftspflege mit Tieren (Landscape Conservation with Animals Forum) grew out of the project:  “Netzwerk Schäfer schützen” (“Network to Protect Sheep Farmers”)

Background

Sheep farmers make a significant contribution to biological diversity, landscape conservation and regional value and agriculture in Brandenburg.

Sustainable land management in the state of Brandenburg is inconceivable without efforts to preserve and maintain grassland. This applies both inside and outside protected areas. Sheep grazing plays a particularly important role on sensitive sites because sheep also eat basic feed with a relatively low content of energy and raw nutrients. Their frugal eating habits and ability to adapt make them excellent “landscape maintainers”.

However, revenues from lamb production for meat do not generally cover the production costs. On average, about two thirds of the income of sheep farms is based on premium payments and payment for services that fall into the categories of landscape conservation and nature conservation. The economic conditions are so difficult that farm operators are concerned not only about the financial survival of their sheep farms in the short term, but also about their successors in the long term. This is because the younger generation of farmers cannot be motivated to become sheep farmers under these conditions. Other challenges that make changes in Brandenburg’s sheep farms and the general conditions vital are the impacts of climate change and the increasing social demands on land use and animal welfare.

Project goal

The aim of the “Network to Protect Sheep Farmers” (“Netwerk Schäfer schützen”) is to sustainably strengthen sheep farming in the state of Brandenburg and to make the profession of sheep farmer attractive again. An effective exchange of knowledge and increased cooperation between companies and practitioners, consultants, academics, researchers and trainers are to make a significant contribution to the development of resource- and climate-relevant innovations and their adaptation to conditions and dissemination in the state of Brandenburg.

Contacts at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development


Event to kick off the project “Protecting Sheep Farmers” | Guardians of diversity – Working together for more shepherds in Brandenburg

Event to kick off the project “Protecting Sheep Farmers” | Guardians of diversity – Working together for more shepherds in Brandenburg (Agenda) will be held on 26 October 2016. We are looking for young sheep farmers! The meeting will be the run-up to another series of events to familiarise young people with the profession of sheep farmers. The impetus came from representatives of the Schafzuchtverbands Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (Sheep Breeders Association Berlin-Brandenburg)

The presentations held at the event can be viewed here:

The meeting was followed by a working group consisting of interested academics, practitioners and members of organisations and associations, which is planning a first strategic meeting in December 2016.

Schafzuchtverband Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.

Schafzuchtverband Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.

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Sheep farmer on the way to the future…