Location: Gruyère, Fribourg, Switzerland

Objective: have a large participation from farmers to manage about 8% of their land under the ecological compensation area scheme to protect a series of target species

Problems: canalisation of the river and intensification of the agriculture in the valley

Solutions: propose to the participating farmers a catalogue of possible measures. Official support and control

Results: existing compensation areas were better managed and new compensation areas were established

Critical factors of success: bottom-up initiative from local farmers supoported by agronomic institute and a biologist. Close monitoring of the results by an appointed specialist

Key learning points: a list of target species for conservation was established. Practical training in hedgerow maintenance was a directly applicable skill

Actors: local farmers

Communication: information to the public was provided through excursions, exhibitions and articles in the press

Financing: most direct costs were directly borne by the farmers. Overall project costs were covered by the Canton. The Swiss Bird Association financed the ornithological monitoring