Rural lands in protected areas: a methodological approach to the analysis of land use changes. The case study of the Asinara National Park

Abstract

Today the profitability of the farmers depends on subsidies, the ongoing discussion on the future of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has included an emphasis on the need to "protect, maintain and improve agricultural habitats and biodiversity". In recent decades there has been considerable loss of biodiversity in Europe. Changes in land cover due to anthropogenic factors but also, for example, geomorphological processes and climate events, provide a contribute to changes. The study areas are located on the Asinara island (NW of the homonymous gulf in northern of Sardinia - Italy), the island landscape retains widespread evidences of the past agro-forestry. With a diachronic analysis approach were examined satellite imagery, between 1977 and 2000, for an initial assessment of changes in land use. Have been identified 3 study areas, used during the presence of the penal colony with different purposes. The land use changes on the Asinara island, is closely related to functions changes that agriculture had during the prison activities, since the establishment of the agricultural penal colony (1887) to the maximum security prison (anti-terrorism laws and anti-Mafia. 1980) period. The following failure of a management model, lacking in sustainable livestock control, has led to the displacement of the farm animals within the natural areas that provide them biomass (valleys, tree regeneration areas, suburban areas and wetlands). In view of the new common agricultural policy lines, inside and neighboring of the protected areas, can be identified specific intervention tools in order to aid the agriculture implementation with less environmental impact strongly anchored to the territorial context. We need to ensure consistency with the objectives of protected areas environmental management. However these measures must be a real support and reference for the farmers. In these contexts, the use of tools and methodologies such as the analysis of land use changes, along with other technologies, can be a useful support to the governance of the protected areas that maintain inside their territories agricultural zones.