Safeguarding the remaining Large Scale Grazing Systems (LSGS) in Europe and improving targeted territorial support can have benefits for biodiversity, wildfire prevention, rural economies, cultural landscapes, and food security. Large scale grazing helps maintain habitats, reduces the risk of large-scale fires by managing fuel loads, supports rural jobs and incomes, and preserves traditional farming practices and scenic vistas. Systematic research is particularly important for LSGS in Europe. These are cultural landscapes located in marginal areas and at high risk of farm abandonment. At the same time, LSGS are a main repository of cultural and environmental values, with many of them linked and supported by activities around grazing. The objective of this research was to link grazing-supportive land use and vegetation types with grazing management in a wide range of European environments.
Our study is based on an expert-derived perception of change and the identification of the main constraints and opportunities for a wide range of European LSGS located in different bioregions. Through this approach, we rated LSGS for their social ecological values and formulated common and shared proposals to enhance resilience that can be used for policy design and implementation. A questionnaire was administered to 46 experts (with backgrounds in environmental, socio-economic and grazing management disciplines) in 22 European countries to collect data on 48 variables. The main European environmental zones are represented: Atlantic (eight study areas); Alpine (11), Boreal (six), Continental (seven); and Mediterranean (14). The results revealed a high level of correlation amongst responses, which indicates that there are areas of common ground for policy development covering diverse LSGS in Europe. The LSGS are assessed according to criteria related to their identity, environment, economics and social characteristics.
Overall, downward trends are observed for these criteria, although LSGS score high on having distinct identities. Furthermore, in terms of economic activities, 96% of the experts do not see alternatives for grazing related activities in these areas. The main weaknesses and corresponding improved management alternatives voiced by the participants included: better grazing plans (named by 82% of respondents); policy reforms (59%); a marketing framework for local products (52%); support to herding labour (39%); improvement of grazing infrastructures (34%); social empowerment of local farm communities (32%); support to grazing institutions and governance (23%); and better technical support and advisory services (18%).
The Common Agricultural Policy and the Cohesion Fund will be combined in the single National Regional Partnership Fund (NRPF), retaining a ring-fenced portion for direct farmer income support. The CAP's two-pillar structure is being replaced by a more unified framework, and Cohesion funding is also being adjusted with a focus on civil preparedness and climate resilience. The information presented here may help to improve the design of policy support for LSGS as Member States start to design their National and Regional Partnership Plans.
CABALLERO GARCÍA DE AREVALO Rafael;
VAN DER VELDE Marijn;
2025-10-13
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC143525
978-92-68-32569-8 (online),
1831-9424 (online),
EUR 40486,
OP KJ-01-25-514-EN-N (online),
https://jpr-fe-repository-main-jpr.apps.ocp.jrc.ec.europa.eu
/repository/handle/JRC143525,
10.2760/7528855 (online),
