Driving Forces, Threats and Trends Relating to Mosaics in Agricultural Landscape in Slovakia

Abstract

The present cultural landscape is a result of devel opment which has been carried out for several thousand years. The land-use changes, drivi ng forces, threats and trends relating to agricultural landscape mosaics in Slovakia were stu died using examples of model areas with preserved landscape mosaics: the villages Zube rec - Habovka, Liptovska Tepli cka, Ostur ňa and the town of Svat˝ Jur. The primary land cover of the Slovak republic was mostly forest. The outstanding feature of the landscape, as a result of settlement, defore station and colonisation, was a landscape characterised by a high biodiversity and cultural m osaic because of the heterogeneity of land forms and cover, relief segmentation, and a va riety of farming products. The most important interventions in the landscape started in the second half of the 20 th century. Intensification of agriculture was linked with coll ectivisation and removal of hedges and riparian vegetation, decreasing the mosaic of arabl e fields, grasslands and woods. Landscape mosaics were transformed into large field s. Only in less accessible, less fertile localities was the original agricultural landscape partially preserved, and did not lose the shape of a cultural‐historical countryside. At the same time, partial abandonment and reforestation has started as a consequence of chang es in employment patterns and the decline of populations. After 1990 the landscape was partly retrospectively diversified by virtue of land restitution. Although the decline of the traditiona l use of farmland is noticeable in Slovakia, in some regions local inhabitants are strongly link ed to traditional land use. In less accessible, less fertile localities, abandonment of traditional agriculture and succession dominance of forest continues. The challenge to mai ntain the original agrarian landscape could be supported by agro-environmental schemes. However, localities with beneficial geographical positions are threatened. The town of Svat˝ Jur faces non-regulated urbanisation, old vineyards are being replaced by n ew villas and houses for recreation. The villages of Zuberec - Habovka face non regulated to urism. The marginal sites, Ostur ňa, Liptovska Teplicka are threatened by abandonment and the subsequent overgrowth by woody vegetation.