Evaluation of the multifunctionality of agricultural areas as part of an integrated land use planning approach.

Abstract

The report summarizes results of the INTERREG IIIB project “Integrated Land Use Planning”. The basin of the river Ybbs – a tributary of the Danube contains very different natural conditions. The agriculture in this area is confronted with these conditions in terms of production of food and raw material. Furthermore effects on resource protection, hazard conditions, diversity, recreation concerns and spatial structuring effects influence the land cultivation. In four communities, representing the different natural conditions of the surrounding river area, an evaluation of these different functions of agricultural areas has been worked out in a regional scale. The results of this multifunctional approach show the different situations the authorities in the different sub-regions have to cope with. In many cases the production factor is often not the most important function of agriculture; for example in some sub-regions the function of production is evaluated very low, while all the other functions are estimated as particularly valuable. In these regions agriculture or at least open space is of high importance for the society. If the agricultural land use disappears, other solutions have to be found in order to maintain the different functions, especially the “recreation near settlements” and “open space for unhindered water run-off”. The different patterns of these functions in an agricultural view are a starting point to discuss strengths, weaknesses, threats and priorities of a sustainable and integrated development with other sectors like forestry, water management and spatial planning. A comparison between the recent land use and the land use in the 19th century shows that the functions have greatly changed in different directions. The evaluation provides a basis for increased awareness of the influence of agriculture and justifies a specific agricultural land use.