A first-of-its-kind permanent, fenced oasis for Northern Lapwings is now protecting a crucial breeding ground in the Swiss Seeland region. The project, spearheaded by Birdlife Switzerland, represents a significant intervention to safeguard the rapidly declining species from predation, but similarly raises questions about the balance between conservation efforts and the natural world. The plight of the Northern Lapwing, a once-common sight in the Swiss countryside, underscores the broader challenges facing biodiversity in an increasingly human-dominated landscape.
Once numbering over a thousand breeding pairs in the 1970s, the Northern Lapwing population in Switzerland plummeted to just 83 pairs by 2005. The bird even disappeared entirely from the Three Lakes region. This dramatic decline, according to Lucas Lombardo, head of Birdlife Switzerland’s Lapwing conservation project, stemmed from the widespread draining of wetlands for agricultural expansion. “They disappeared because we started draining all the fields that used to be a real marsh here,” Lombardo explained. “Then, the intensification of agriculture, with larger, faster, and heavier machines, only worsened the degradation of the bird’s environment.”
The new six-hectare protected area, made possible by an agreement with a local farmer, aims to recreate the Lapwing’s preferred habitat: damp, soft soils rich in invertebrates. Water is pumped from nearby drainage canals using solar-powered pumps, creating small, flooded zones ideal for both the birds and their chicks. The land itself was already prone to waterlogging, making it difficult for conventional farming. The project’s success hinges on protecting the nests from a growing predator population, particularly foxes.
For the past four years, a temporary plastic fence proved insufficient, with most nests being raided. The newly installed, permanent metal mesh fence, costing approximately 80,000 Swiss francs and funded by Birdlife and private donors, is designed to keep foxes at bay. Lombardo is careful to avoid framing the enclosure as a “prison,” emphasizing that the birds remain free to come and go. “The birds are, of course, completely free to come and nest here when they return from migration. But it seems the conditions suit them, as they are coming,” he said.
The fence incorporates several layers of protection. A rubber base prevents damage from mowing, while an electrified outer wire deters climbing. The lower portion features a tightly woven mesh to exclude foxes, and a second electrified wire is intended to ward off raccoons as they move into the area. Interestingly, the project also utilizes Highland cattle, who graze within the enclosure. Their hooves naturally churn the soil, exposing worms and insects – a vital food source for Lapwings.
The potential impact of this relatively small area is significant. Lombardo estimates that if the project can successfully raise 50 to 70 young Lapwings, it would represent nearly half of all the fledglings expected to take flight across Switzerland this year. “So yes, it has an impact!” he stated.
>> See the “Passe-moi les jumelles” report on the Northern Lapwing:
Although, the project also highlights a growing trend in conservation: the need for artificial interventions in a heavily altered landscape. Raphaël Arlettaz, a professor of conservation biology at the University of Bern, notes that human activity has fundamentally changed ecosystems. “The problem in our world is that everything is becoming anthropized,” Arlettaz explained. “Man is everywhere, modifying all ecosystems. The only solutions we can implement in systems where we continue to exploit are measures that have an artificial side.” He added that the ideal solution would be to restore natural water flows, but acknowledged that this is “totally utopian.”
While a complete restoration of the natural environment remains a distant goal, Birdlife Switzerland hopes this project will serve as a model for similar initiatives across the country. The organization emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge and adopting a holistic approach, combining water management, appropriate land size, habitat structure, grazing, and predator control. Birdlife Switzerland states that successful conservation requires a synergistic approach, and that isolated measures are unlikely to be effective.
The success of this project, and others like it, will be crucial for the future of the Northern Lapwing in Switzerland. Currently, around 200 breeding pairs remain, scattered across the country. Researchers will continue to monitor the site closely, tracking breeding success and adapting management strategies as needed. The next key milestone will be assessing the number of fledglings successfully leaving the nest this summer, providing a critical indicator of the project’s long-term viability.
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