Grasslands are essential to preserve landscapes. In marginal areas, grazing is the only viable way for their conservation. The provision of numerous ecosystem services by grasslands, which bring various benefits to society, can only be ensured through their effective and appropriate management.

The Grassland ecology and management research group (G.E.M.) has worked since 1975 on the ecology and the extensive management of grasslands (meadows and pastures), mainly in alpine environments. G.E.M. provides technical and policy support to the management of mountain and hill marginal grazing-lands.

As documented by over 120 scientific papers published during the last 15 years, the majority in international impacted journals, G.E.M. research focus on:

• grassland conservation and restoration
• grassland ecology, biodiversity and related issues
• evaluation of the ecosystem services of agro-pastoral systems
• agro-pastoral system multipurpose management
• innovation to improve grazing practices and grassland agronomic management
• sustainability of livestock breeding
• promotion of quality products (dairy, meat)
• relations between grazing domestic animals, wildlife (large mammals, birds, large carnivores) and insects
• characterization and conservation of grassland forages
• relations between grazing management, vegetation and soil.

The main expertise of G.E.M. scientific staff is in agronomy, botany, experimental design, statistics, GIS. Researchers are experienced with agriculture, livestock husbandry and forestry main issues, especially in the less favored areas of NW-Italian regions.
Local authorities, national government agencies, breeders and farmers associations, and farmers themselves are privileged partners for research and third mission activities.

During recent times, G.E.M. research has focused mainly on alpine ecology, biodiversity conservation and restoration and on "grass-fed" mountain dairy productions. Hereafter a list of relevant projects (2010-current):

• Prà da smens - Implementation of short supply chains in Piedmont for the collection of native seeds from permanent grasslands and their direct use for revegetation (2020-2024)
• FILIERBA - Strengthening the livestock production chains based on species-rich fodder to overcome meat and dairy sector difficulties and improve the sustainability of livestock farms (2020-2024)
• SUPER-G - Developing SUstainable PERmanent Grassland systems and polices (2018-2024)
• Restoration of the areas involved in the construction of the new railway link Lyon-Turin (2019-2024)
• iGRAL - Innovative beef cattle Grazing systems for the Restoration of Abandoned Lands in the Alpine and Mediterranean mountains (2018-2021)
• Ecological effects of the enlargement of Monterosa ski areas (2015-2025)
• FOOD FOR FOREST, Regenerative sylvo-pastoralism: food feeds forests (2018-2020)
• LIFE12 NAT/IT/000818 XERO-GRAZING - Semi-natural dry-grassland conservation and restoration in Valle
  Susa through grazing management (2013-2018)
• Multipurpose management of Monviso Natural Park grasslands for the conservation of ecosystem services (2017-2019)
• Multipurpose grazing management of Oasi Zegna rangelands (2012-2017)
• Evaluation of the state of agricultural lands and of the land owner ship as a basis to foster land owner associations and reduce land abandonment (2016-2017)
• Relations between goat foraging and milk quality within Oasi Zegna rangelands (2012-2017)
• Restoration and conservation of sub-alpine and alpine grasslands within Alpi Cozie Protected Areas (2009-2017)
• Grazing management for the conservation and restoration of grassland patches in Natura 2000 sites of Marguareis Natural Park (2014-2015)
• "High quality" drinking milk (Latte Nobile) to improve the competitiveness of mountain dairy farms (2013-2014)
• Enhancement of the suitability of alpine Galliformes reproductive habitats within the Val Troncea natural park (2010-2014)
• Pastoral practices for the restoration and conservation of sub-alpine and alpine grasslands (2013-2014)
• TraceCheese, ICT for the traceability of grass-fed mountain cheese (2008-2014).

• Mainetti, A., Ravetto Enri, S., Pittarello, M., Lombardi, G., Lonati, M. Main ecological and environmental factors affecting forage yield and quality in alpine summer pastures (NW-Italy, Gran Paradiso National Park) (2023). Grass and Forage Science, 78 (2), pp. 254-267.
• Pittarello M., Lonati M., Ravetto Enri S., Lombardi G. (2020). Environmental factors and management intensity affect in different ways plant diversity and pastoral value of alpine pastures. Ecological Indicators, 115, art. no. 106429
• Perotti E., Probo M., Pittarello M., Lonati M., Lombardi G. (2018).  A 5-year rotational grazing changes the botanical composition of sub-alpine and alpine grasslands. Applied Vegetation Science, 21 (4), pp. 647-657
• Pittarello M., Lonati M., Gorlier A., Perotti E., Probo M., Lombardi G. (2018). Plant diversity and pastoral value in alpine pastures are maximized at different nutrient indicator values. Ecological Indicators, 85, pp. 518-524
• Pittarello M., Lonati M., Gorlier A., Probo M., Lombardi G. (2017). Species-rich Nardus stricta grasslands host a higher vascular plant diversity on calcareous than on siliceous bedrock. Plant Ecology and Diversity, 10 (4), pp. 343-351

School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona (USA)
INRAE (Francia)
WUR - Wageningen University & Research (Paesi Bassi)
Agroscope (Svizzera)
University of Goettingen (Germania)
Parco Nazionale Gran Paradiso
Ente di Gestione delle Aree Protette delle Alpi Cozie (Italia)
Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo (Italia)
Regione Piemonte (Italia)
ARPEA, Agenzia Regionale Piemontesi per i Pagamenti in Agricoltura (Italia)
Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity