In this study, we explored the potential of the payment-by-results approach in supporting the maintenance of High Nature Value (HNV) grasslands in a typical HNV farming system and Natura 2000 site in ...Slovenia (Europe) with a high share of small farms, fragmented land ownership and long-term process of land abandonment. We tested the applicability of a hypothetical result-based scheme (RBS) for the conservation of dry grasslands and a set of associated plant indicators, and identified key obstacles to its implementation. Based on a statistical analysis of a survey with 263 farmers and a thematic data analysis of 62 farmer interviews and 10 in-depth interviews and focus groups with researchers, public officials and agricultural advisors, we found that a majority of both farmers and experts support the introduction of RBSs. The selected plant indicators were well-known among the local farmers and monitoring of their presence was preferred over the current system, which demands keeping records on the implementation of farming practices. However, although the RBSs seem to be a superior alternative to the current management-based schemes, their introduction might not be enough to ensure HNV farming systems’ successful conservation. Our results indicate a lack of institutional capacity to implement RBSs on a larger scale, particularly in terms of data support and qualified staff in the advisory service and monitoring agencies. Furthermore, experience to date and mistrust among stakeholders indicate a questionable ability and motivation of authorities to develop locally-based, flexible and innovative agri-environmental measures. RBSs alone also do not adequately address some of the root causes for the disappearance of HNV grasslands, particularly: the lack of knowledge regarding the appropriate modern farming system(s) to ensure their sustainable management in line with conservation goals; specific needs of small farmers; and the need for a socially acceptable land policy reform to enable easier access to land. We argue that systematic investment in closing the existing data and research gaps as well as in increasing the capacity of key institutions at the national and local levels are needed, particularly in European regions of high conservation priority. Furthermore, better integration of nature conservation in different rural policies and a holistic developmental approach in (remote) rural areas are necessary to prevent further abandonment of HNV farming and enable the adoption of biodiversity-friendly farming models.
•A result-based scheme for Eastern sub-Mediterranean dry grasslands was developed.•Farmers recognised plant indicators well and most supported introduction of RBSs.•Lack of institutional capacity may hamper large scale implementation of RBSs.•AEMs alone are not enough to reverse the abandonment of HNV farming systems.•RBSs do not seem better suited than existing AEMs to address needs of small farmers.
In monitoring and evaluating the performance framework of the CAP, EU Member States are required to establish performance indicators (PI) that will ensure the evaluation of the performance and ...effectiveness of the main and specific objectives and priorities of each program. Inconsistent translation of EC regulations from English into Slovenian was observed in the context of the types of PI categories and their relations. There was inconsistency between regulations, ambiguity and uncertainty in certain parts of the regulations. This caused a violation of the principle of legal certainty for Slovenia towards the EU and the EC. It was found that legal translators in Slovene translations of some EC regulations use different terms for the same legal matter, which have a different meaning. This disrupts the hierarchical levels of the PI categories, which creates ambiguous obligations for Slovenia in parts of the regulation. The article presents EU and EC regulations, which clearly show the violation of the principle of legal certainty. Through the performed cognitive verbal semantic analysis and with the help of dictionaries, we propose appropriate translations of PI categories. We propose that the regulations and the official documents deriving from them be aligned with the next financial period 2021-2027.
Comparing diversified agri-environmental (AE) collective schemes in their capability to provide AE public goods faces great challenges, mostly because of their diversified nature and relatively new ...way to approach the provision of AE public goods. The state of the art is that there are not yet any common quantitative indicators or data to build a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model to compare it with other practices and to set the strategic plan for the scheme’s improvement. Nevertheless, some qualitative common data of SWOT analyses are available, but the question remains how to simultaneously compare several SWOT analyses in an MCDM model. This study introduces a new way of transforming the qualitative results of SWOT analyses to fit in the MCDM Decision Expert (DEX) model using a special transformation technique SWOT scorecard. The SWOT scorecard evaluates the importance of qualitative results of several SWOT analyses simultaneously in a quantitative way, describing with points how supportive the environment is to each criterion in the DEX model. The SWOT scorecard keeps track of the original results from SWOT analysis and considers the diversity of AE schemes, which results in an appearance of the convergence points. This gives a key for comparing the AE collective schemes in providing AE public goods. Furthermore, it gives a solution for discussing the synergy between aspects that affect AE public goods provision for every AE scheme investigated. The technique is tested via five AE collective schemes in the DEXi program and gives deeper insight into factors that affect each scheme’s performance.
ABSTRACTThis paper addresses yield loss due to red deer (Cervus elaphus) grazing on permanent grasslands on three organic farms in SE Slovenia over two consecutive years. Deer graze on permanent ...grasslands throughout the year, but the resulting crop loss varies during the growing season. Accounting for three mowings, the quantitative yield loss due to deer grazing totalled 48–52%, or 3.9–4.3 t/ha. Deer had the highest consumption capacity in the spring (first mowing: yield loss of 1.7–1.9 t of air-dried hay/ha), and towards the end of the growing season, consumption decreased (third mowing: loss of 0.9 t/ha). A floristic inventory indicated low species diversity and production in permanent grasslands in SE Slovenia. The crude protein content in unprotected plots was generally greater than that in protected plots, but due to a large quantitative yield loss, the yield of crude protein and net energy for lactation on heavily grazed land were much lower than those on protected land in all mowings. The average additional cost per unit of heavily grazed area ranged from 182 to 344 EUR/ha, and the differences are the result of the different intensities of game grazing in individual locations and grassland production capacities.
Grassland habitats were studied on twenty farms on the area of the Radlje ob Dravi administration unit, in the transect from Kozjak to Pohorje at different altitudes. The aim of the study was to ...investigate how environmental and socio-economic parameters influence the diversity of plant species and, consequently, the conservation of grassland on acid soils, which are rare in Slovenia and are therefore more protected. The socioeconomic structure of farms was studied on the basis of an inquiry carried out on farms. Part-time farms prevail; the average age of farmers is 56.5 years, and 30% of farmers has no education or just elementary school. The relationship among the environmental, socio-economic parameters and floristic structures of grasslands was studied using canonic-correspondence analysis. The impact of 16 parameters was analysed, of which six were determined not to be statistically significant. The occurrence of chosen plant species was analysed in relation to environmental and socioeconomic parameters. The efficiency of agro-environmental subsidies in relation to plant species diversity was evaluated. It was determined that the education and age of farmers influence the intensity of farming and consequently have an impact on the diversity of plants species and the conservation status of grasslands.
•Regional normalization factors (NF) can greatly deviate from European NFs.•Machine learning was used to model missing toxic chemicals characterization factors.•Toxic chemicals properties were ...correlated with characterization factors.•Three additional impact categories were added and provided with results.
Within a life cycle assessment (LCA), normalization is an essential part for interpretation. In Europe, only the European Union normalization factors (EU NFs), with 2000 as the reference year, are available for LCA practitioners, although they work on a regional level. The hypothesis of this research was based on the assumption that some regional NFs deviate from the EU NFs due to unique regional profiles, or because of previously omitted or generalized human impact. In this particular case study set in Slovenia has been tested. By working on the ReCiPe 1.08 life cycle impact assessment methodology, 18 impact categories were investigated, and an additional 3 were added: electromagnetic radiation, light pollution and electric use. To meet practitioners’ needs, the most up-to-date inventory data was used with the reference years of 2007–2012. Out of 440 environmental interventions that were investigated, 139 had no characterization factors (CFs), 97 were estimated using machine learning and 42 had to be omitted. The final result confirmed our hypothesis. Twenty NFs were compared with the EU NFs, and the results have shown that on average, the NFs differ by a factor of 9.76 (median=1.65). The reasons for the high deviation are due to natural land transformation, and ionising radiation, toxicological and ecotoxicological impact categories; where there are major data gaps in the CFs. The primary concern of the research was data availability for toxicological and ecotoxicological parameters for toxicity-related emissions, and the fact that original CFs covered only 50.25% of plant protection products used in Slovenia. Toxicological and ecotoxicological uncertainties were illustrated by comparing four different results. Future studies should be focused on the use of machine learning to provide the next generation of CFs and to go beyond the CFs’ damage-oriented assessment. Remediation should be the new endpoint category and its units should be Joules.
Agrarian commons in Slovenia share a common historical origin with other commons from Central European countries. In the twentieth century, commons in some of these countries experienced the process ...of abolishing traditional management institutions and nationalising their property. During the transitional period in the 1990s, one third of former agrarian commons were re-established and restituted in Slovenia. In this paper, we evaluate the response of three different types of agrarian commons (forest, pasture and agriculture commons) from three different landscapes (Alps, Pannonia and Mediterranean) in the context of the legal framework in which the commons were restituted. We use the upgraded version of Ostrom's design principles to evaluate the ability of the legal framework to enable the robustness of these historical institutions. It is not the first time that governments misunderstood commons and tried to impose rules which are not common to the commons. In the case of Slovenian agrarian commons, we found that the legal framework is too rigid for re-established agrarian commons and thus affects their efficiency in resource governance. Without changes in the legal framework, the present situation can lead to the decay of these historical institutions.
•We evaluate the legal framework in which agrarian commons in Slovenia were re-established and their properties were restituted.•According to design principles robustness of agrarian commons is affected.•Members of agrarian commons in Slovenia are not necessary resource users.•The more flexible legal framework could enable agrarian commons to reach higher level of robustness.
•A farm potential assessment model is proposed to reorient farms for horticulture.•A qualitative multi-criteria approach was adopted, based on expert system theory.•The model offers a wide range of ...analyses to support decision makers.•The model gives the reorientation process of farms transparency.
Structural changes in farming present serious challenges at all spatial levels, from individual farms to the state level. The reorientation of a farm (i.e., changing from livestock production to one of horticulture or crops) represents one of these challenges. Here, a model assessing the potential for reorganizing farms to focus on horticulture is presented. The model accounts for various criteria, including: natural resources, demographic, economic, and social factors. The selection, structure, and importance of criteria and their interrelationships in the model are based on statistical data about farms, data gathered through surveys, and expert opinion groups. The model was developed using the Decision Expert method, implemented by the software DEXi, and was validated using a selection of farms. The added value of the approach is a transparent assessment of a farm’s potential, which provides vital support for deciding about its reorientation.
Within this research paper, the enforcement of agricultural policy measures for farms that have their agricultural lands within the Radensko Polje Landscape Park (RPLP) were studied. The purpose of ...the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the additional payment for the extensive rearing of female bovine animals (ERB) and agrienvironmental measures (AE measures) in terms of maintaining extensive agricultural systems or transitions from intensive systems to sustainable ones. This is especially desirable in the protected areas that also include landscape parks. The results of the survey of farmers of RPLP showed that both the ERB and AE measures are inefficient and fail to encourage farmers to implement more extensive farming. The main reasons for the poor enforcement of claims for ERB are intensive livestock production (milk production or bovine animals fattening), and the lack of information about the possibility of claim enforcement for ERB. Regarding AE measures, the main reasons for the failure are burdensome conditions and low financial compensation. Inventories of the composition of plant species on sample grasslands showed that the conditions of the habitats are still relatively good, because a relatively large number of species of high conservation value is present.
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