Who has the most beautiful meadow in Nature Park Goričko?

Public Institute Nature Park Goričko, Agriculture and Forestry Chamber from Murska Sobota and Centre for Cartography of Fauna and Flora have carried out the first edition of championship for the most beautiful meadow in Nature Park Goričko in July 2011. The goal of the championship was to draw its attention to biodiversity on meadows and to encourage farmers and meadow owners to maintain the meadows in more nature sensitive ways which is significant for many plant and animal species in Goričko. Especially butterflies from Phengaris genus and pollinators of cultural plants such as honey bees, wild bees and bumble-bees. Unfortunately decline of meadow grassland over the last thirty years has led to a biodiversity loss. Therefore the championship was also aimed to inform the meadow owners and other general public of nature conservation importance of meadow grassland on the one hand and on the other hand to reward those owners which already use (mow) grasslands due to good agricultural practise (nature friendly).

Eight farmers and land owners decided to participate at championship with meadows in Ropoča, Serdica, Grad, Vidonci, Gornji Petrovci, Čepinci, Selo in Dobrovnik. After registration each meadow was visited and surveyed by three-member survey commission of the representatives of above mentioned organisations. The 12 criteria to choose the most beautiful meadow in Goričko were as following: biodiversity - number of different plant species on meadow, number of protected and rare plant species, spread of alien species like giant goldenrod and common ragweed, different landscape elements like trees, hedges and bushes on meadow, size of meadow, connection of different landscape elements, mowing frequency in 2010, time of mowing in 2010, type of mower, fertilization of meadow in 2010, use of hay and environmental subsidies used by meadow owners.

After visiting all meadows and talking with their owners we had been positive surprised.

All owners are well aware of importance of meadows for humans and wildlife on them. Meadows are all maintained in nature friendly ways. And we got a winner. This is Mr. Karel Gašpar from Čepinci who has the most beautiful meadow in Nature Park Goričko due to the 12 criteria in which he collected the most points.

At the end we would like to thank all the participants and at the same time we would like to invite all other meadow owners from Goričko to take part at the next championship in May 2012.

Text and photo by: Gregor Domanjko (in the name of commission)

Photo here