Conservation of traditional rural biotopes in Finland : a social-ecological approach
This research focuses on conservation of traditional rural biotopes, which are
biodiverse meadows and wood-pastures that are dependent on management
through grazing or mowing. These low-intensity management actions have
become rare as a result of agricultural modernisation. I have utilised a social-ecological approach in order to seek for the most critical factors hindering
conservation of traditional rural biotopes in Finland. I also explore practical
solutions that have the potential to improve their conservation status. The
coverage of traditional rural biotopes has faced severe habitat loss during the
last 150 years. This has led to endangerment of several habitat types and species
that dwell in them. As a result of habitat loss and dynamic land use history,
contemporary factors drive remnant biodiversity related to traditional rural
biotopes in Central Finland. Therefore an emphasis on present, not past, better
supports their conservation. On national level, the management actions are not
targeted to ecologically most valuable sites. On site-level, management actions
foster local biodiversity, but also cultural heritage and human–nature
relationship. Understanding of this multiscale social-ecological complexity is
crucial in promoting management actions among landowners according to
conservation goals. Yet current agri-environmental policies treat the social-ecological interactions in a simplified manner, and therefore they do not self-evidently encourage management of traditional rural biotopes. My results show
that the inefficiency in conservation of traditional rural biotopes largely follows
from a scale mismatch between the extent and location of current management
actions and the desired ecological response. More effective conservation of
traditional rural biotopes calls for adoption of a new governance approach that
aims for resilience through local focus and increased actor participation.
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Publisher
University of JyväskyläISBN
978-951-39-7336-0ISSN Search the Publication Forum
1456-9701Contains publications
- Artikkeli I:Kaisa J. Raatikainen, Anna Oldén, Niina Käyhkö, Mikko Mönkkönen & Panu Halme 2018. Contemporary spatial and environmental factors determine vascular plant species richness on highly fragmented meadows in Central Finland. Submitted manuscript.
- Artikkeli II: Anna Oldén, Kaisa J. Raatikainen, Kaisa Tervonen & Panu Halme 2016. Grazing and soil pH are biodiversity drivers of vascular plants and bryophytes in boreal wood-pastures. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 222: 171–184. DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2016.02.018.
- Artikkeli III: Kaisa J. Raatikainen, Maija Mussaari, Katja M. Raatikainen & Panu Halme 2017. Systematic targeting of management actions as a tool to enhance conservation of traditional rural biotopes. Biological Conservation 207: 90– 99. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2017.01.019.
- Artikkeli IV: Kaisa J. Raatikainen & Elizabeth S. Barron 2017. Current agrienvironmental policies dismiss varied perceptions and discourses on management of traditional rural biotopes. Land Use Policy 69: 564–576. DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.10.004.
Keywords
agri-environment schemes high-nature-value farming landscape resilience semi-natural grasslands social-ecological systems wood-pastures perinnebiotooppi perinnemaisema maatalousympäristö luonnonlaitumet metsälaitumet kedot niityt resilienssi luontoarvot luonnonsuojelu maatalouspolitiikka ympäristöpolitiikka osallistaminen
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Current agri-environmental policies dismiss varied perceptions and discourses on management of traditional rural biotopes
Raatikainen, Kaisa; Barron, Elizabeth S. (Elsevier, 2017)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 ... -
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