The first demonstration project was launched in June 2008 in Odessa oblast being one of the project pilot areas. After preliminary expert investigation and selection of demonstration areas the former Tarutino Polygon (army exercise and shooting area) is used to demonstrate farming technologies and regimes related to the following issues:
	- increasing steppe pasture productivity;
	- sustainable agriculture development with consideration of steppe biodiversity conservation concerns;
	- protected area management with account of rural development objectives.
	The demonstration project in Odessa oblast is being implemented on both privately owned and public (local community) lands. The project results will have practical significance and target private (family) farms and private users of steppe resources. They will be comparable with existing farming practices and therefore, will help to find out to which extent the land use regime(s) proposed by the project is (are) advantageous for this region.
	The demonstration project in the Tarutino steppes is interesting for its experience in the involvement of private investors, state structures and residents of neighbouring villages as stakeholders in project activities. The current setting up on the neighbouring private areas of the “Tarutinsky” regional landscape park arouses local dwellers’ interest to the tourist infrastructure and makes them think about the best way to organize their farms. As the saying goes:”Both the wolves have eaten much and the sheep have not been touched (read “the tourists are happy”)”.
	What does the demonstration project experience mean for a farmer? It means that he/she can disseminate and use demonstration project methods and results after having seen that it is possible to receive much more hey from a certain steppe area for feeding his/her animals due to timely additional seeding of necessary plant species or introduction of certain bacteria into the soil. These plants in their turn will always be a guarantee of sufficient amount of feed for animals (even in dry years when usually there is lack of grass) and at the same time contribute to steppe restoration.
	What does the demonstration project experience mean for entrepreneurs? The demonstration project data can be useful for steppe land business owners in their own infrastructure business planning: the aesthetic aspect of adjusting areas is of no small importance in terms of tourism; moreover, for those having a horse farm the experience of horse grazing can be invaluable for stimulating traditional steppe plant growth.
	What does this mean for the state? The example of conservation and sustainable land use in the steppes and risk-farming zone (animal breeding rebirth, rural tourism development etc.) will promote rural development, rural livelihoods and the formation of a solicitude attitude to the steppe as an important source of rural people’s well being.
	The project outputs will help the local dwellers to apply such land use mechanisms that optimize their costs and will not have a destructive impact on steppe ecosystems.
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	Several “hot” issues or problems have been set for each project pilot region to be taken into consideration when implementing demonstration projects. The project’s philosophy is that the sustainable development of steppe regions is only possible when biodiversity conservation goes hand in hand with sustainable rural development.
	Tartaul de Salcie and Alexandrafeld rayons have been selected as demonstration projects for Moldova. The first one is focused on pasture improvement, land use planning and alternative socio-economic development (rural tourism and farm produce income generation). The Alexandrafeld project places high emphasis on the development of a commercial steppe seed bank and restoration of degraded pastures.
	The Tarutino demonstration project in Odessa oblast was agreed to pay a special attention to sustainable pasture management, degraded land improvement, environment friendly farming and tourism development within the regional landscape park as well as land use planning and designing socio-economic development plan.
	The key aspects of the Lugansk oblast project (Melovskoy and Markovskiy rayons) are the restoration of degraded lands and ecological tourism (including horse tourism) as rural development tools.
	The pilot area selected in Rostov oblast covers the eastern part of the Manych steppe (Remontnentsky – Orlovsky rayons) where special attention is given to integrated biodiversity conservation, tourism development, recovery of degraded and saline lands, and restoration of steppe pastures and steppes.
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