Land use as foundation for ecological restoration - Development of a methodological framework

Abstract

Land use changes in Europe, especially abandonment, pose a serious threat to the multi-functionality of the landscape, which is deeply connected with the perception of the environment as a cultural landscape. The central hypothesis is the strong connection of land use with landscape, being at least partly formalized in the theory of ecosystem services. The aim of the work presented is to develop and test a framework for projects combining ecological restoration with the needs of agriculture in remote, disadvantaged regions. The target is to stop unwanted processes such as encroachment of shrubs and reforestation, resulting in a degradation of the traditional cultural landscape. During the project, the following key issues and constraints could be determined: (1) The tool for restoration and management is targeted pasture management, adapted to the landscape, specific site conditions and the specific flock. (2) Handling of livestock has to be compliant with requirements of farmers and animal welfare like enough forage in adequate quality, water, protection or mitigation of harsh weather conditions. (3) Restoration targets are reached through controlled selection of specific pasture areas and duration of stay on specific patches, which leads to trade-offs between nutritional status and reaching the restoration targets set. This kind of landscape management should provide the basis for interventions to influence vegetation and thus restore a traditional cultural landscape stopping or at least be able to deal with unwanted processes and allowing farmers an economically viable development.