Nardus grassland

The Nardus grasslands (Natura 2000 codes: 6230*) are generally fairly short grasslands dominated by frugal species including the Nard (Nardus stricta) and are established on acid siliceous soils, poor in mineral elements. The vegetation is short and not very productive, sometimes with a continuous cover or interspersed with spaces occupied by mosses. They are the result of overgrazing of the ericaceous heaths and are therefore often found in a mosaic within these heaths.

In Wallonia, this habitat, the result of ancient agro-pastoral practices, is mainly found in the Ardennes on plateaux and valley hay meadows. Today, with the exception of the Elsenborn military camp, only rare remnants of this habitat remain, having escaped the effects of forestation and intensive agriculture. Maintaining this habitat requires either itinerant grazing, which is not currently feasible, or very extensive grazing, or mowing with export of the product of the mowing.

In 2015, at the level of the project's Natura 2000 sites, this habitat was present on just under forty hectares, and we aimed to recreate a further 110 hectares.