Profits vs. preservation: How can shepherds balance the social and ecological costs of livestock grazing on Naxos?

Abstract

By considering the ecological evidence, stakeholder perspectives, and underlying drivers of overexploitation, this study aims to communicate the ecological and social consequences of livestock grazing on the rangelands of Naxos, a Mediterranean island in Greece. Readers will explore the objectives, world views, and values that shape the priorities of shepherds, government agency, and ecologists, resulting in the island’s current livestock management plan (or lack thereof). Naxos introduces a particular subset of challenges in determining livestock husbandry best management practices. Here, a significant fraction of endemic plant species persists, while cultural norms, economic structures, and governance diverge from other areas in Greece. As one objective, preserving biodiversity is challenged by the conflicting priorities of others. Shepherds participate in a system of overexploitation by remote but insidious drivers including consumption patterns, inequitable subsidies, and inefficient government bureaucracies. This case is informed by a combination of field work and interviews with various stakeholders, including shepherds, ecologists and government bureaucrats.