Ambivalence and Contradictions: A Case from Mountain Agricultural Landscape Conservation

Loss of biodiversity stands out as a serious environmental challenge worldwide. Old mountain farmland is unique in this respect, as animal husbandry with summer grazing has created a rich ecosystem. Mountain farming usually takes place in relatively remote areas with scattered populations and marginal food production in terms of quantity. Outmigration and changes in agriculture result in overgrown pastures and thus a loss of biodiversity. To conserve biodiversity, politicians worldwide have put conservation of the mountain agricultural landscape on the agenda. The conservation policy includes traditional farming because nature in this cultural landscape depends on human activity. This article explores how policies have questionable effects on the landscape and shows how farmers choose various types of farming based on individual perspectives and goals. Several futures are conceivable, but under the circumstances of global environmental challenges, these are all fraught with uncertainty.