Studies from other countries indicate that grazing leads to increased carbon storage in pastures. This is especially true for natural pastures. Pastures must not be plowed and must be managed without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. Over time, this will lead to great biodiversity in the soil along with a variety of plant species. Grazing must then be extensive with a well-implemented grazing regime. Scientists have seen that carbon is stored deeper in the soil than previously thought. Grass species have a large root system and a great ability to store carbon in the soil.
A balanced grazing pressure gives good results for carbon sequestration
A large diversity of plant species also leads to higher biodiversity in the soil. The biodiversity of microorganisms contributes to increased uptake of greenhouse gases, including nitrous oxide and methane. Grazing pressure has a lot to say about how well the pasture works. High grazing pressure can lead to erosion and increased emissions of carbon from the soil, while balanced use of pasture gives good results for carbon sequestration. Grazing stimulates the root system of the plants and thus carbon storage. The impact of carbon storage on pasture appears to be greatest in natural pastures where mycorrhizal fungi play an important role.
A natural pasture will never run out of resources if it is managed properly. Grazing animals keep the landscape open so that solar energy can pass through. In winter, a snow-covered, open landscape will reflect solar rays back into the atmosphere and thus help to mitigate global warming. This is called the albedo effect.
Increased food security
In addition to being positive for biodiversity, grazing creates increased food security by producing more food locally on Norwegian soil. Norway can use a much larger part of its open fields as pasture. According to Norwegian researchers, we can also use open fields in Norway and thereby expand the agricultural area up to 45% of our land area.
Natural pastures are not plowed, sown or fertilized. We find the most species-rich natural pastures on calcareous soil. The pastures are important for the diversity of birds, plants, fungi, insects and a number of pollinators such as bumblebees and wild bees. Many red list species are native to these areas.
Photo: Aina Bye
