Landscape changes in agrarian landscapes in the 1990s: the interaction between farmers and the farmed landscape. A case study from Jutland, Denmark.

Recent landscape changes in a farmed landscape are analysed and related to farm and farmer characteristics. It is assumed that farm and farmer characteristics serve as mediators of large scale or macro driving forces of change-in the present case, a changing farming context including demands for a more environmentally friendly farming practise and a reduced output. The results are based on multivariate analyses of data collected from structured interviews of 160 farmers in a case study area, in central Jutland, measuring 5000 ha. The analysis shows that farmers are highly involved in landscape changes. The investigated landscape changes include creation and removal of landscape elements as well as certain management changes. The most common activity was creation of elements: hedgerows, small woodlands and conversion of rotational arable land to permanent grassland, whereas removal of elements, mainly hedgerows and semi-natural grasslands, were seen less frequently. Management changes like abandonment of permanent grassland were widespread. The results indicate a general extensification of the land use and the authors interpret the results partly as an indication of a change from productivism to a more multifunctional agricultural regime. The observed landscape changes at the farm level show a low, but structured relationship with the current farm and farmer characteristics, meaning that landscape changes were undertaken by various farmers and on various farms. On a general level, however, the age of the farmer and the duration of farm ownership seem to have a major influence on the landscape changes.

Analysis of changes in a shelterbelt network landscape in central Jutland, Denmark.

This paper investigates the changes in a shelterbelt network between 1950 and 1997 in a study area in central Jutland, Denmark. The analysis consists of two parts. Firstly, the changes in key parameters which are of landscape ecological importance (shelterbelt density, connectivity, node type and landscape grain size) are examined. The results of this analysis show that shelterbelt density varied considerably during the period due to changes in biophysical and socioeconomic factors. A GIS analysis shows that landscape grain size decreased in 45 percent of the area. A major change of shelterbelt type occurred in the area with landscape ecological and visual scenery implications. It appears that public-subsidised shelterbelt planting programmes were the most important factors influencing changes in the shelterbelt network in the study area while differences in soil type were less important. Secondly, data from a questionnaire survey were used to examine the driving forces behind shelterbelt activities over a 10 year period. Hobby farmers were the most active farmer group in shelterbelt planting and agronomic reasons were the most important motives for shelterbelt planting in the study area during this period. Furthermore, it appeared that microclimate effects and aesthetical considerations have become important reasons for shelterbelt planting.