Encouraging yields through passive irrigation

As part of the pilot project "Targeted water management through passive irrigation," a farm in the Grosses Moos is currently testing whether the controlled retention of water in the drainage system can keep organic soil layers moist while also supplying crops with enough water from below, thereby reducing the need for irrigation. In the first growing season in 2025, surface irrigation was reduced significantly, agricultural yields were higher than expected, and initial measurements showed lower carbon dioxide emissions compared with similar areas in the region.

Restored areas bringing multiple benefits

Both agriculture and biodiversity need room to persist. Fifteen percent of the area in the Solutionscape "Development of the Grosses Moos" consists of what are known as biodiversity promotion areas. According to experts, however, two-thirds of these areas provide only limited benefits for biodiversity. These areas require regular maintenance to retain their ecological value. At the same time, farms are not specialized in managing these biotopes, and the existing incentives are limited compared with the high returns from vegetable production.

The "Biotopverbund Grosses Moos," a local foundation that promotes near-natural areas, has taken on the task of improving these low-value ecological areas through tailored maintenance measures and securing their long-term care. As part of the pilot project "Maintenance and care of biotopes in the Grosses Moos," the technical basis for this work was created in the form of a digital maintenance tool. Building on this, a maintenance concept and a new governance model were developed. The Biotopverbund aims to improve the quality of these areas, which leads to higher direct payments. In agreement with the land managers, these additional financial resources are then made available to the Biotopverbund to support ongoing maintenance. More than 80 restored hedge elements and 40 participating land managers already point to the strength of this approach.

Advisory support helps unlock biodiversity potential

Led by BirdLife Switzerland, the pilot project "Unlocking the potential of biodiversity promotion areas through advisory support" brings together the ecological knowledge of different actors in a comprehensive advisory service that is provided free of charge to farms. The Grosses Moos holds considerable potential for creating habitats for species that are now under threat. Together with land managers, the project develops farm-specific measures tailored to local conditions and designed to achieve the greatest possible benefit for target species such as the corn bunting, the European turtle dove, the northern lapwing, and the European green toad. The first advisory visits took place in 2025 and were assessed very positively by participating land managers.

The pilot project is complemented by the effort "High-quality biodiversity promotion areas in the right locations." In this context, new region-specific types of biodiversity promotion areas are being developed. These include site-adapted seed mixes, combined with groups of shrubs and other structural elements, tailored to the nutrient-rich soils and the local target species. Where needed, plots are also exchanged to ensure strong habitat connectivity. The impact of the newly developed "Bird&Life rotational fallow" seed mix was examined as part of a master's thesis. The study compared insect communities on these areas with those found on conventional fallow types in the Grosses Moos. The results show a significant difference in species composition and point to greater taxonomic and functional diversity. The study therefore provides early scientific evidence that site-adapted, target-species-specific seed mixes can make a measurable contribution to biodiversity promotion.