EU Grassland Watch

@copernicusland.bsky.social @eea.europa.eu @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @ec.europa.eu

❄️🌱 Season’s greetings from #EUGW 🌱❄️

As grasslands across Europe enter winter dormancy, our team has been hard at work preparing the service for its 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ launch!

Check out recent highlights, policy developments shaping grassland monitoring, key events, & more: www.linkedin.com/pulse/eugw-n...

Major update for vegetated High Resolution Layers A new product and several new layers are among the new changes.

Read more 👇
land.copernicus.eu/en/news/majo...

@copernicusland.bsky.social @eea.europa.eu @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @unepwcmc.bsky.social

🗺 Copernicus Land Service High-Resolution Layers updates are live!

➡ New Croplands product and improved #Grasslands layers

For #EUGW, this means:
🟢 More precise grassland management signals
🟢 Better annual trend tracking
🟢 Stronger support for #Natura2000 conservation

Martha Kearney: Why I'm concerned about our declining wildflowers The decline in UK wildflower meadows not only threatens wildlife, say experts, but could drive up certain food prices

What could the future look like if more isn't done to save wildflowers?🌼

Great piece from the BBC's Martha Kearney on the dwindling number of wildflowers & planting a meadow.

But there's hope...with more people joining the #NoMowMovement.🙌

Read here 👉 https://loom.ly/WUnru78
#NoMowMay

🌿 Natural grasslands make up around 30% of Europe 🇪🇺 & are among its most threatened ecosystems

With data from the @CopernicusLand, #EUGW makes it easier to track change, assess condition & support conservation across #Natura2000 sites

Explore how 👇
land.copernicus.eu/e...

📢 Highlight at the EuroGEO Workshop in #TheHague 🇳🇱:

Mark Dowell (DG JRC) mentioned the #EUGW service and indicated that DG Environment was considering setting up a similar project for the monitoring and preservation of European 🇪🇺 wetlands 💧

Stay tuned❗️

Red kite flying in a blue sky

Birds of prey are an essential part of a healthy, balanced eco-system - but they face many challenges, including persecution and habitat loss. That’s why places like Argaty, and the moorland habitats at Tarras Valley Nature Reserve are so vital.
More:
littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/birds…

@birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @copernicusland.bsky.social @eea.europa.eu @ec.europa.eu @ecmwf.int

🌿 Natural grasslands make up around 30% of Europe 🇪🇺 & are among its most threatened ecosystems

With data from the @CopernicusLand, #EUGW makes it easier to track change, assess condition & support conservation across #Natura2000 sites

Explore how 👇
land.copernicus.eu/e...

Copernicus Monitoring for Environment and Security In a changing world, reaffirming Copernicus’ dual mission matters more than ever By Geoff Smith In May and June of this year, I attended three events that brought into focus the challenges now facing ...

🔗 www.linkedin.com/pulse/copern...

@birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @copernicusland.bsky.social @eea.europa.eu

#ICYMI

We recently published an article exploring the dual role of 🛰️ Earth Observation (#EO) and #Copernicus

Rather than seeing defence and environment as competing priorities, the piece argues they should be viewed as complementary

Marshy
#blueskymonday #photography #water #marsh #nature #blue

Loads of the fantastic Marsh Dock Rumex palustris seen today at Port Meadow, Oxford. I completely missed the MASSIVE population in one wet ditch the other week 😅. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Figure showing two vulnerable bird species. Image (a) shows two Blue-throated Macaws perched on bare branches, displaying their distinctive green plumage with bright yellow-orange underparts and blue throat patches. Image (b) shows a Blue-headed Quail-Dove, a plump ground-dwelling bird with brown body plumage, blue-gray head markings, and reddish feet, standing on rocky ground. The caption explains these are endangered species with different responses to threat abatement measures, with photo credit to Joe Tobias. The images are labeled 'a' and 'b' and appear to be from a scientific publication about species conservation.

Mair, L. Threat explains why targeted recovery programmes are likely needed to prevent extinctions & preserve ecosystem functioning, citing the IPBES #GlobalAssessment as reference. 🐦🌱

Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02760-1

@birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @copernicusland.bsky.social @unepwcmc.bsky.social @unbiodiversity.bsky.social

📢 Highlight at the EuroGEO Workshop in #TheHague 🇳🇱:

Mark Dowell (DG JRC) mentioned the #EUGW service and indicated that DG Environment was considering setting up a similar project for the monitoring and preservation of European 🇪🇺 wetlands 💧

Stay tuned❗️

Food concerns everyone, and so do the rules that protect it. If the EU rolls back food and pesticide laws, we all lose: our health, nature, clean water.

We built these protections together over time. Now let’s defend them.

Speak up now: www.pan-europe.info/ban-toxic-pe...

#HandsOffNature

Dive into @drgeoffsmith.bsky.social op-ed exploring how the #EO & Copernicus 🛰️ communities are evolving to meet growing challenges by integrating environmental & security priorities, rather than separating them, to deliver shared, interoperable services that support both policy & defence needs

🔗 t.co/osSphMGhnn

@birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @copernicusland.bsky.social @unepwcmc.bsky.social @eea.europa.eu

Dive into @drgeoffsmith.bsky.social op-ed exploring how the #EO & Copernicus 🛰️ communities are evolving to meet growing challenges by integrating environmental & security priorities, rather than separating them, to deliver shared, interoperable services that support both policy & defence needs

"Nature is not a luxury. It is a must-have for Europe. It underpins everything we hold dear. When we undermine our natural systems, we also erode the systems that sustain our economies and societies. And we are seeing this happen, right now.

Now we need to maintain focus, stay the course, and [...]

@birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @copernicusland.bsky.social @unepwcmc.bsky.social @bmd-project.eu

#ICYMI

The #EUGW team presented at the 6th Eurosite #Natura2000 Monitoring Workshop❗

During the 'Monitoring Habitat Management & Restoration' session, @drgeoffsmith.bsky.social, presented our near-operational #EO service to experts & discussed the coverage we have in terms of grassland information

It is great to be at the #Eurosite 6th #Natura2000 Monitoring Workshop in Umea, Sweden. Come & speak to me about @esa.int Stakeholder Engagement Facility (esa-sef.eu/about/), EU Grassland Watch @eugrasslands.bsky.social & EAGLE (land.copernicus.eu/en/eagle). @bmd-project.eu #Copernicus #EO #eochat

@birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @copernicusland.bsky.social @unepwcmc.bsky.social @bmd-project.eu

Did you know that the 6⃣th #Natura2000 Monitoring Workshop is taking place next week? And we'll be presenting❗️

🗓️ 2 October

🕚 11:00 - 12:00

➡️ Session 12: 'Monitoring Habitat Management & Restoration'

Check out the event programme 👇
www.eurosite.org/event/6th-na...

@birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @copernicusland.bsky.social
@eea.europa.eu @lithuaniaineu.bsky.social

At the recent Eurosite Annual Meeting in #Vilnius 🇱🇹, George Catean (Fundatia ADEPT), highlighted how #EUGW can help better map and monitor the evolution of grasslands in #Romania 🇷🇴

He selected site Târnava Mare (ROSCI0227) as an example for evaluating ploughing and mowing events through time

🔗 www.eurosite.org/event/eurosi...

@birdlifeeurope.bsky.social @copernicusland.bsky.social
@eea.europa.eu @lithuaniaineu.bsky.social