Naturschutz in der Agrarlandschaft am Beispiel des Schutzprogramms Großtrappe (Otis tarda)

A survey of the current state of the German Great Bustard conservation program is given. We present positive results and failures. The most relevant success is that Great Bustards did not become extinct in Germany as it was to be feared in the mid 1990ies. The population even increased since then by more than twofold. This happened in three remaining Great Bustard conservation areas most of which are quite well managed with a marked increase of the faunistic and botanic diversity. During the last decade 14 Great Bustard chicks per year fledged, most of these however in areas fenced-off against foxes and other mammalian predators. Predation on clutches and chicks is one of the most relevant risk factors for the project. At least the population in the SPA “Havellaendisches Luch” is self-sustaining whereas the populations in the other SPAs – “Belziger Landschaftswiesen” and “Fiener Bruch” still depend on reinforcement because of insufficient reproduction. Methods and results of the reinforcement have improved over the last decades. The landscape outside of the conservation areas has become more and more unsuitable for Great Bustards. After losing breeding areas decades ago, today stepping-stones of habitat and feeding areas are continuing to decline as fragmentation continues. The maintenance of the connective net of conservation areas as a requirement of the EU Birds Directive is not guaranteed. Within the Great Bustard SPAs the area of maize fields is increasing and even above the Brandenburg average