Maintaining an open landscape: a 15-year multi-site experiment comparing seven management methods for semi-natural grasslands

The data and publications presented here stems from a field trial started in Sweden ca 1972 (at one site still running in 2023). The purpose of the trial was to compare traditional management of semi-natural grasslands by grazing or annual mowing with five alternative management methods. At eleven locations in southern Sweden, block experiments were conducted evaluating seven treatments in 5 m * 20 m plots: grazing, annual mowing, annual spring burning, mowing every third year, mechanical removal of woody plants, herbicide control of woody plants, and untreated control. After approximately 13 years, trends for woody plants and species richness, and the occurrence of management-dependent plant species, low-grown species, and pollinator-attracting plant species were analysed. Overall, the annual mowing and grazing treatments resulted in fewer woody plants, the highest species richness, and more management-dependent, low-grown, and pollinator-attracting species. The untreated control plots showed the opposite effect, whereas less intense management (annual burning, mowing every third year, and mechanical and chemical treatments of woody plants) showed mixed and often intermediate effects. 
On this ZENODO-page, one can find all the orginal publication, most in Swqedish. An article summarizing much of results can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02721