Implementing green infrastructure policy in agricultural landscapes —scenarios for Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.

Schmidt J, Hauck J

Abstract

Green infrastructure (GI) has been identified ashelping to protect Europe’s natural capital by fostering environmentalprotection outside nature reserves and enabling betteroverall adaptation to changing conditions. The aim ofEurope’s green infrastructure strategy is to integrate GI implementationinto existing policies. In intensively farmed agriculturalareas, this mainly means the greening measures of theCommon Agricultural Policy, which are mandatory forfarmers wishing to receive full direct payments. We explorehow GI implementation might develop under different futurescenarios. We use a participatory scenario development approachto explore the benefits and limitations perceived bylocal actors in the agricultural regions of Saxony-Anhalt,Germany. Limiting factors include ecosystem disservices,economic constraints relating to income, labour costs, investmentsand land tenure, and social considerations including thefarmers’ self-image as primarily food producers and local people’sopinions regarding good farming practices. The limitingfactors also include a lack of knowledge about the ecologicalusefulness of measures, and failings in the design of the measuresregarding practicability, flexibility and reliability.Benefits are seen in various ecosystem services, job creationand in fulfilling society’s demands for environmental protection.We conclude by stating that GI implementation in agriculturallandscapes requires reliable and flexible measures thatfit farming practices and are well communicated, and thatlandscape level coordination and cooperation could enhancetheir effectiveness.