Pre-alpine and alpine grassland systems – a challenge for maintaining biodiversity in the unesco Biosphere Entlebuch, Switzerland

This chapter describes the grassland and the biodiversity values of the different areas in the UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch (UBE). The main valley of the Little Emme runs from South West to North West, dividing the Napf Region from the first pre-alpine mountain row with the Beichlen and the Farneren. The valley is dominated by intensively used permanent grassland. Plateaux, mountain ridges and the lesser steep slopes offer the opportunity for settlements and small areas of permanent grassland. The pre-alpine and alpine mountain areas with their different rows and valleys are the core of the UBE's biodiversity. The chapter also describes economic and social importance of agriculture and the UBE-regulations. Tools such as monitoring, control of measures, network of ecological compensation areas, and participatory work to convince all stakeholders about the necessity of compensation measures should work together aiming for the maintenance of biodiversity in the UBE.Keywords: alpine mountain areas; Little Emme valley; pre-alpine mountain areas; UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch (UBE) areas