Defining a mountain landscape characterized by grazing using actor perception, governmental strategy, and environmental monitoring data
| Autor: | Wiebke Neumann, Camilla Sandström, Lina Holmgren, Göran Ericsson |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences media_common.quotation_subject Ecology (disciplines) Geography Planning and Development 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Natural (archaeology) Task (project management) Environmental conservation strategy Reindeer herding Perception Environmental monitoring Grazing Miljö- och naturvårdsvetenskap Herbivory Environmental quality 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Nature and Landscape Conservation Earth-Surface Processes media_common Sweden Global and Planetary Change business.industry Environmental resource management Geology Milestone target Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use Geography Structured decision process business |
| Popis: | In multi-functional mountainous landscapes worldwide, conservation of natural values is a major task. Here, pro-active policies can be a way forward. National Environmental Quality Objectives (EQO) to solve environmental problems for future generations, however, often wrestle with being too visionary and lacking specificity, which complicates their implementation. The EQO “A Magnificent Mountain Landscape” that has been adopted by the Swedish Parliament in 1999 to preserve the pristine mountain environment in Sweden, experiences all these flaws. To aid its implementation, we studied the conditions and processes needed to define, to evaluate, and to preserve its goals across the Swedish mountain chain, using one of its milestone targets (a landscape characterized by grazing) as a study system. Applying qualitative and quantitative methods, we analyzed three types of data: 1) referral responses to the governmental strategy document, 2) interviews with relevant actors, and 3) environmental monitoring data (reindeer position data). Nationally, our results suggest a need for geographical differentiation to match regional/local conditions. Regionally, difference in both perception and definition of the milestone target among the actors hinders the formulation, monitoring, and evaluation of a common goal. Next to a culture-nature divide, we found that a “within as a user” and “from the outside as an observer” perspective influenced suggested definitions. Moreover, we found a need for better defining whether the goal is maintaining current conditions or restoring previous ones. Our result supports the use of animal position data as a decision support tool to monitor and to aid evaluation of the target. Given the number of actors involved and conflicts of interests present, we suggest the application of a structured decision process to accomplish agreements on a common goal. Here, environmental monitoring data can aid a “landscape assessment step” as a natural part in the decision process to target landscape management actions resourcefully and effectively. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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