Alta Murgia

During the last three decades, in Murgia Alta the dominant semi-natural grassland ecosystem characterized by endemic and threatened species has been exposed to accelerated processes of habitat degradation, fragmentation and biotic contamination (i.e., woody encroachment), within and next to its borders, on local biodiversity, due to both agricultural intensification (transformation of grassland pastures into agricultural cereal crops intensification) and land abandonment. Furthermore, the long-term below-average rainfall (climate change), the increasing of either legal and illegal mining activities or wind farms infrastructures, fire events and the spread of invasive species contribute to the threat to the ecosystem, which is in danger of destruction.

Restoration field activity

Within the Alta Murgia National Park, a set of restoration methods was implemented in the pilot site of Masseria Modesti for the recovery of dry grassland communities in agricultural land. Within 42 rectangular plots (20 x 10 m), different combinations of restoration techniques took place, including sod cutting, seed sowing and hay transferring from close-by source areas, cover with jute net. The restoration actions have been developed in collaboration with the Botanical Garden of University of Bari and were carried out during autumn-winter 2022. Early-stage results, in term of changes of functional and structural patterns of plant communities, have been observed in the field during spring 2023.