2024

Sirvi

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Semi-natural grassland abandonment in relation to agricultural land management under Common Agricultural Policy in boreonemoral Europe
(Estonian University of Life Sciences, 2024) Rūsiņa, S.; Lakovskis, P.; Ieviņa, L.
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has had a major impact on agricultural land use changes in Europe. While grassland abandonment in mountain areas is well-documented, there is a gap in research regarding lowland regions. We investigated how changes in CAP regulations between two periods (2007–2013 and 2014–2020) influenced the pattern of semi-natural grassland (SNG) abandonment in boreonemoral Europe. We used 25 km2 grid cells as the basic research unit. The relationship between agricultural land management variables and SNG abandonment was analyzed by regression methodology and non-linear relationships were detected. We observed a decrease in the overall rate of SNG abandonment during the second CAP period (2014–2020), suggesting that recent CAP modifications have had some positive impact on grassland conservation. However, the impact of CAP on SNG abandonment varied between the two regions differing in land capability for agriculture and between productive and unproductive SNG types. The study highlights the importance of understanding the complex processes that influence abandonment in strongly non-linear ways. It underscores the importance of tailored conservation strategies and the role of the CAP in shaping SNG management practices.