Changing political framework conditions have led to a change in agricultural land use patterns in recent years. Especially the amount of permanent grassland has been declining.
The conservation of permanent grassland is a challenging task for decision-makers at all policy levels (EU, national, federal states), as it combines various resource protection functions: conservation of the cultural landscape and scenery, climate protection, biodiversity protection, and soil and water protection.
Permanent pasture can be lost through plowing and arable farming. But also the intensified usage of permanent pasture through increased fertilization and increased stocking can lead to a deterioration of grassland formations and thus to a decrease in biodiversity.
The aim of this project is the development of a national protection scheme for permanent grassland based on the analysis of the main reasons for land use change on permanent grassland as well as of the existing instruments of protection measures and current sectoral policy developments (agriculture, environment and energy). Secondary analysis of agricultural statistical data is to provide background information on grassland development. Recommendations on the involvement of various political instruments and their improvement are to be developed. The socio-economic impacts and potential synergies and conflicts with other environmental protection aims are to be considered.
The Institute for Rural Development (IfLS) conducts this study in cooperation with the Institute of Rural Studies at the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute (vTI).
Project no.: | 100 |
Categories: | Research | Sustainable land use | |
Client: | Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) |
Executing Organization: | Institut für Ländliche Strukturforschung e.V. |
Duration: | 2011 |
Contact person/s at IfLS: | Jörg Schramek |