STROBIO – Shoreline Natural Grazing and Underwater Biodiversity

Natural grazing is one of the most commonly used and well-documented management practices to benefit biological diversity in cultural and agricultural landscapes. Although natural grazing often occurs on shores and historically even extended into the water, knowledge about how natural grazing affects underwater biodiversity in Sweden is extremely limited. Targeted and evidence-based shoreline natural grazing, is a potential cost-effective nature-based solution to prevent overgrowth in the coastal zone areas along the country’s east coast, and larger lakes.

In this project, Nämdö Green Archipelago seeks to develop and disseminate recommendations on how shoreline natural grazing can be designed to optimize effects on underwater biodiversity.

The project is supported with 2 000 000 SEK.

The project is part of The Swedish Postcode Lottery Foundation’s initiative “Coastal Ecosystems in Sweden”, which aims to contribute to the biodiversity of coastal ecosystems and their ability to protect against the negative effects of climate change along the coasts.

What’s happening in the project?

– Conducting a scientific study on how shoreline grazing, primarily from cows and water buffaloes, can be designed to optimize effects on underwater biodiversity.
– Communicating recommendations and experiences to concerned stakeholders regionally and nationally, with special efforts to reach out along the east coast from Gävleborg County to Kalmar County.

Why is the project supported?

The project contributes to the richness of coastal ecosystems and their ability to protect against the negative effects of climate change along the coasts by developing and disseminating recommendations on shoreline grazing as a nature-based solution.