A1 Journal article (refereed)
Current agri-environmental policies dismiss varied perceptions and discourses on management of traditional rural biotopes (2017)

Raatikainen, K., & Barron, E. S. (2017). Current agri-environmental policies dismiss varied perceptions and discourses on management of traditional rural biotopes. Land Use Policy, 69, 564-576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.10.004

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Raatikainen, Kaisa; Barron, Elizabeth S.

Journal or series: Land Use Policy

ISSN: 0264-8377

eISSN: 1873-5754

Publication year: 2017

Volume: 69

Issue number: 0

Pages range: 564-576

Publisher: Elsevier

Publication country: Netherlands

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.10.004

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/56154

Abstract

Traditional rural biotopes (TRBs) are threatened habitats that host significant biodiversity and several ecosystem services, and depend on active management such as low-intensity grazing. The current study explores private landowners’ decision-making on TRB management and abandonment within a social-ecological system framework. We provide insight into supporting resilience of TRB systems in the face of agricultural modernization. Using a mixed methods approach with content analysis and Q analysis, we demonstrate that TRB management fosters cultural, biological, aesthetic, and utilitarian values. These are reflected in different ways through conservationist's, profit-oriented farmer's, landscape manager's, and landscape admirer's discourses on TRB management. Overall, management reinforces landowners’ place attachment, and reflects an approach to landscapes as spatial representations of cultural heritage and identity over multiple generations. Landowners consider TRB pasturage and its social-ecological outcomes motivating and rewarding. Giving up grazing cattle and perceived bureaucracy of national agri-environment scheme contribute to TRB abandonment. Landowners point out that current policies detach TRB management from what is seen as “regular agriculture”, and the focus on monetary compensation bypasses the multiple values tied to TRB management. Based on our results, we suggest that promoting TRBs requires reconfiguring the current arrangement of remedial management payments and adopting a more participatory governance approach. Locally, resilience of TRB systems relies on the connections between landowners and landscapes that foster sense of place and landscape identity, which can be supported by knowledge sharing and collaborative grazing efforts among landowners.

Keywords: traditional biotope; nature values; cultural heritage; ecosystem services; pasture rearing; landowners; resilience; agricultural policy

Free keywords: cultural ecosystem services; Finland; high-nature-value farming; semi-natural habitats; social-ecological systems

Contributing organizations

Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2017

JUFO rating: 2