Horse grazing on a mixture of Trifolium brachycalycinum and Cynodon dactylon in firebreaks of Tuscan Maremma (central Italy)

Firebreaks are necessary to prevent and fight forest fires. Unfortunately bare soil increases soil erosion and the eventual presence of a native sward can even increase the risk of fire. A sown mixture of Trifolium subterraneum brachycalycinum+Cynodon dactylon has been shown to have very useful parameters for both fire prevention (short grass that remains green in summer, easy passage of service tracks) and forage production (the clover can give high yields with good quality). However, this pasture needs to be grazed short to prevent build-up of dead biomass in summer. Unfortunately, cattle and sheep rearing in Italy is being steadily reduced and market trends do not appear to indicate a revival. However, the development of rural tourism allows for a certain amount of grazing horses. This chapter refers to results of a new trial carried out in central Italy to evaluate the use of horses to maintain the sown sward. Soil cover, sward height, total and residual biomass, dead fuel biomass in summer were assessed. The mixture was intensively grazed and very little dead herbage accumulated over summer; consequently horse grazing is suggested for these mixtures on farms which have firebreaks and offer horseback riding to rural tourists.