‘Wildlife rescuers’ are often used to prevent animal mowing victims. In the context of the Flemish support for non-productive investments, these will henceforth be subsidized for the full 100%.
Firstly, an answer from Flemish Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) to Flemish MP Sofie Joosen (N-VA) showed that further sensitization of farmers can certainly contribute to reducing the number of victims during mowing. ‘Will rescuers’ are often used for this.
In the meantime, there was also a consultation between the Nature and Forest Agency and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Both administrations are examining which awareness-raising initiatives can be taken at the Flemish level. “With the subsidy measure ‘support for non-productive investments’, I foresee that game rescuers will be subsidized at 100%,” answers Flemish Minister of Agriculture Hilde Crevits.
Field birds and Montagu’s harrier
During the preparation and implementation of the species protection plans ‘Field Birds’ and ‘Montagu’s Harrier’, constructive consultations have already taken place between the two administrations and the stakeholders. “This resulted, among other things, in various proposals for optimisation, supervision and advice to farmers, adapted agricultural techniques including mowing methods, use of wildlife rescuers and testing the use of drones. A number of these proposals have already been further elaborated: for example, fauna-friendly mowing has been included in the ‘Cattle, grassland and other forage crops’ module of the Agriculture and Nature practical guide.”
Farmers are also sensitised by the sectoral organisations and the practical centres. For example, in the spring of 2020, Inagro included a link in the newsletter to the mowing leaflet ‘Mowing without victims is how you do it’ The sector organisations, together with the Hooibeekhoeve and the Sint-Hubertus Association, have created and distributed a leaflet on fauna-friendly mowing,” concludes Minister Hilde Crevits.
