Parallels of environmentally friendly pastoralism to land cover changes and high nature value farmland

Abstract

The study area is part of the Biosphere Reserve (BR), which, along with adjacent caves in the Aggtelek Karst in Hungary, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995. This article focuses on the assessment of temporal changes in land cover and high nature value farmland. Changes over the past three decades were assessed in the operational areas of transtermitant farms on karst plains and in three BR zones. The results help to identify factors responsible for the progressive succession of woody plants on pastures. Karst microreliefs were excluded from pastoral activities because of the inherent nature of transtermitance, conservation measures, natural conditions, and type of farmed animal. The future preservation of valuable habitats, visually attractive karst landscape characteristics, and clean underground water in a cross-border cave system hinges on adequate grazing conditions being agreed upon by farmers and the Slovenský kras BR administration.

Keywords:

• Environmentally friendly pastoralism
• UNESCO heritage
• karst landscape
• land cover changes
• overgrowth of pastures
• Biosphere Reserve

Disclosure statement

No potential competing interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, M.S., upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The European Regional Development Fund (OPII) under Grant ITMS 313011T721 ‘Comprehensive research of determinants for ensuring environmental health’ (ENVIHEALTH).

Notes on contributors

Martina Slámová

Martina Slámová is an associate professor at the Technical University in Zvolen in Slovakia. She specialises in the application of remote sensing technologies in the research of cultural landscapes, natural hazards, and their implementation in spatial planning. Currently, she is involved in the ERASMUS + project TRANSFARM, which focusses on transhumance practices.

Michaela Mrázová

Michaela Mrázová is a coordinator of international protected areas at the State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic Headquarters in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. She is responsible for the coordination and implementation of international agreements and programmes, e.g. the Carpathian Convention, the World Heritage Convention, the UNESCO Man, and the Biosphere Programme in protected areas in Slovakia.

Ľubica Hudáková

Lubica Hudáková is a landscaper at the Administration of the Slovak Karst National Park in Brzotín. The work included issuing expert opinions for nature protection authorities, as well as field work aimed at mapping the protected habitats of animal and plant species.

Miriama Mikušová

Miriama Mikušová is a doctoral student. She investigates the influence of landscape structure on the predatory behaviour of wolves in relation to livestock. In the past, she worked on projects for the State Nature Conservancy and for the non-profit Carpathian Wildlife Society.

Attila Rácz

Attila Rácz is an assistant professor at the Technical University in Zvolen, Slovakia. He specialises in the issue of sustainable development and ecological awareness from the aspect of social sciences.

Branko Slobodník

The scientific work of Branko Slobodník, an associate professor at the Technical University in Zvolen since 2007, has been aimed at botanical disciplines, including ecology and conservation of plants.