TRANSHUMOUNT: A review of the role of transhumance in mountain ecosystem processes and dynamics

• Forschungsstelle: EU FRP
• Projektnummer: 02.0305
• Projekttitel Englisch: TRANSHUMOUNT: A review of the role of transhumance in mountain ecosystem processes and dynamics

Schlüsselwörter (Englisch)

Environmental Protection; Forecasting; Meteorology; Resources of the Sea; Fisheries

Alternative Projektnummern (Englisch)

EU project number: EVK2-CT-2002-80017

Forschungsprogramme (Englisch)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.4a.2 Global change, climate and biodiversity

Kurzbeschreibung (Englisch)

See abstract

Weitere Hinweise und Angaben (Englisch)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise:
Eidg. Forschungsanstalt für Agrarökologie und Landbau FAL

Abstract (Englisch)

Transhumance plays a key role in maintaining biodiversity in mountain ecosystems through all Europe. However social and economic changes are driving forces for the decline in transhumance, which in turn has important implications for the sustainability of mountain ecosystems and threats biodiversity. There is scattered knowledge at regional level, but there is no general overview. The first step to assess the changing role of transhumance is to review the state of transhumance in Europe. The proposal aims to bring the expert knowledge together, to identify links between transhumance and management of Priority Habitats, to identify gaps in the knowledge, and to present recommendations for policy stakeholders. This Accompanying Measure is built around a Review Conference and a Policy Workshop. The results will be published for the scientific world, and the policy and management stakeholders.

Objectives:
1. To identify the links between transhumance in European mountains and the management of the Priority Habitats of the Habitats Directiv;
2. To organize a conference on transhumance and biodiversity in mountain ecosystems;
3. To use the Driving forces/ Pressure/ State/ Impact/ Response Framework (DPSIR) to identify the critical factors affecting mountain ecosystems, and threatened Habitats;
4. To identify gaps in knowledge, evaluate threats and determine further research;
5. To organise a policy workshop to identify measures mitigating potential declines in biodiversity and maintain transhumance under modern social conditions;
6. To produce a book summarizing the status of transhumance and whether its decline threatens mountain ecosystems, especially Priority Habitats.

Datenbankreferenzen (Englisch)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 02.0305