Forest pastures on the Jura heights - an ancient tradition with a future
Die Bäume auf den Weiden dienen als Schattenspender und Kratzgelegenheit und machen die Futterration abwechslungsreich. (Foto: Jakob Fritz)
The landscape of the Jura Arc is characterised by wooded pastures. Incidentally, the word Jura originally comes from the Celtic language. While the Celts called a mountain range “Jor”, the Romans called it “juris”to mean woodland. This may have been a reference to the extensive forests on the slopes of the Jura.
The Jura pastures developed in the Middle Ages, when monasteries and abbeys were established in the area and forests were cleared for grazing land. A lot has happened since then. This is not surprising, as a few centuries have gone by. For example, during industrialisation, much forest land was cleared to produce building and fuel material. With ever more alternative energy sources and growing urbanisation, however, the forest has reclaimed areas. Agriculture has also changed over time. Yet one thing has remained the same over the centuries on the Jura heights: turning grass into valuable foodstuffs like meat and milk (especially for Gruyère and Tête de Moine)!
In the forest pastures, the Natura-Veal enjoy shade and sun as they please. (Photo: Jacob Fritz)
Forest pastures are ecologically valuable with their great structural diversity. Various grasslands, shrubs, trees and dry-stone walls form a border habitat between forest and pasture, providing space for many species through their mosaic of light and shade. The biological quality and biodiversity of a forest pasture depends on the proportion of forest, the type and number of grazing animals and the duration of grazing. Traditionally, in the Jura, cattle and horses – the Freiberger originate from this region and are of great importance – are grazed together. This boosts biodiversity because the horses eat plants that the cattle spurn, thus preventing the spread of undesirable plants. However, the animals also influence the tree population with their feeding behaviour. For example, beeches with their delicate leaves and silver firs (Abies alba) with their relatively soft needles are easy targets for the hungry animals, whereas spruces with their prickly needles (Picea abies) survive to shape the landscape as striking trees.
A typical Jura scene: suckler cows and calves graze together with horses on large pastures interspersed with rocks and spruce trees. Such areas are ideal for simultaneous timber production and livestock farming. (Photo: Julien Berberat )
The animals originally roamed the pastures freely and were herded by a shepherd. Today, fences protect the animals from accidents with vehicles on the roads. The majority of forest pastures in the Jura belong to the communes or civic communities, which manage the areas through either lease agreements or their own grazing rights regulations. Although the animals are also obliged to share the areas with people seeking recreation, mutual respect and consideration make for good coexistence in the holiday and hiking parts of the Jura heights. Opportunities to experience and hike the forest pastures yourself can be found, for example, in the informative trail recommendations of the Doubs Nature Park.
Does this landscape have a future? Absolutely! The simultaneous use of the land for timber production and grassland-based livestock farming is optimal for biodiversity and value creation in the region. Tourism, driven by the attractive landscapes, also contributes to the latter. The trees ensure a stable fodder supply even in dry spells, as moisture preserved in their shade helps grass and herbs to grow. In addition, the trees themselves can also serve as a source of fodder.
Sources: Wikipedia, Parc du Doubs, www.espazium.ch
Excursus: Why are the Freiberge mountains called Freiberge?
In 1384, the then prince-bishop issued a charter for the still scarcely settled region, guaranteeing exceptional privileges for immigrants and their descendants, in the form of perpetual exemption from interest and tithes on cleared land. As a result, the area was given the name Franches Montagnes (in German ‘Freiberge’). The invasion of the French troops in 1792 marked the end of these special entitlements.
The Franches-Montagnes plateau in the Swiss Jura is the cradle of the eponymous and only Swiss horse breed. The Franches-Montagnes form a key economic and socio-cultural component of the region. (Foto: Jacob Fritz)
Source: Wikipedia
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