Most of the beautiful grasslands on Monte Comino are dry meadows.

Dry meadows and grasslands, are semi-natural ecosystems that originated mainly as a result of traditional agricultural activities and are characterised by nutrient-poor soils subject to periodic drought.

Since agricultural yields are rather low, these areas are maintained by intensive grazing or mowing without using fertilisers or plant protection products.

The naturalistic and scientific interest regarding these environments is linked to the presence of a great variety of species that have adapted to these difficult conditions.

Among the more distinctive species that inhabit these environments are numerous varieties of orchids, butterflies, grasshoppers and crickets.

In Ticino, dry meadows are mostly found along very steep south-facing slopes, as well as along alluvial shores. (Department of Spatial Planning, Office for Nature and Landscape, Biodiversity Nature and Landscape).

The main threat to the dry meadows on the Monte Comino is the growth of the forest which is caused by the agricultural withdrawal of the outlaying areas.

Maintaining and restoring at least some of these habitats is the foundation of our whole project.

The reason for this is easily explained:

The dry meadows accomodate around 1,700 plant species, i.e. around two thirds of all Swiss plant species, 37% of which are rare or endangered plants. In addition, numerous unobtrusive but also endangered mosses and lichens grow in this area. Dry meadows provide an irreplaceable habitat for various groups of animals such as birds, reptiles, spiders and insects Almost half of all butterfly species live in dry meadows.

Since 2014, our farm Lamatrekkingticino has been ensuring regular cutting of about one hundred and seventy thousand square metres of meadows on Mount Comino.

Since 2017, every summer in the second half of July, a group of Pro Natura volunteers are joining us for a week during haymaking.

The Agriviva service also allows us to welcome young people from May to September who wish to experience life on a farm.