Agricultural Land Abandonment Research Articles

Prevalence, causes, and consequences of agricultural land abandonment: A case study in the Region of Murcia, Spain

Agricultural land abandonment has received increasing attention from the scientific community and decision makers in recent years. In this study, we aimed to identify the current status of agricultural land abandonment in Europe, investigate its main causes and consequences, and propose management solutions based on future projections. We selected the Region of Murcia (RM) in southeastern Spain as the study area as it has been identified as a hotspot of agricultural land abandonment. A large number of areas with severe erosion (gullies and piping) attributed to abandonment have been identified in the Neogene and Quaternary basins. Morphometric analyses of various fields and estimates of soil loss were performed in 57 abandoned land areas in the RM. Additionally, physical and chemical soil analyses were performed in 15 selected areas. The results showed that abandoned crop terraces in loam soil promote piping processes owing to their flat surfaces and the formation of a hydraulic gradient. Furthermore, soils with a poor structure, fine texture, and low organic matter content are vulnerable to erosion processes. Additionally, increased exchange sodium percentage (ESP), electrical conductivity (EC), sodium absorption ratio (SAR), and soluble sodium percentage (SSP) contribute to these processes. The results of this study confirmed the detrimental effects of abandoning agricultural land. We found that multiple contributing factors led to severe erosion on abandoned land in the RM. Therefore, efficient land use planning and management are required, especially for land abandonment in Neogene and Quaternary basins in semi-arid regions.

Agricultural land abandonment and its impact on soil erosion in the Madi Watershed, Gandaki Province, Nepal

Agricultural land abandonment is the crucial issue of land use /land cover change in many parts of the world and it is directly related to soil erosion in the mountain areas. Nepal has also faced heavy agricultural land abandonment from the mountain regions in the last two decades. This study is concerned with agricultural land abandonment and its impact on soil erosion in the Madi Watershed, Gandaki Province of Nepal. This study used high-resolution aerial photography and Google Earth images to map cultivated land and its abandonment in 1995 and 2020. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model has been used to estimate soil erosion. Studies revealed that more than 40% of the agricultural land was abandoned from 1995 to 2020 and there is higher spatial variability of abandonment intensity. High altitude and steeper slope areas have a higher intensity of abandonment than in lower altitude and lower slope gradients. There is a significant impact of abandonment of agricultural land on reducing soil erosion from 1995 to 2020. The average rate of soil erosion was quite high in 1995 but decreased to 51.5 percent in 2020. There are higher rates of reduction in soil erosion at higher altitudes and marginal lands like steeper slopes and the areas having lower solar radiation because of the higher proportion of agricultural land abandonment. Thus, it can be concluded that agricultural land abandonment during the last 25 years significantly impacts soil erosion control in the study area.

New problems for old vineyards: Mitigating the impacts of yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina) in a historical wine-producing area

Traditional small-sized vineyards are especially sensitive to different impacts, including the arrival of new pests. The adults of the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina), an invasive alien species present in the Iberian Peninsula since 2010, feed on sugary foods, causing crop losses in vineyards. However, present management techniques for the control of V. velutina are limited, and they do not provide effective control in agricultural settings. This work aims to evaluate the use of an exclusion system in a traditional non-mechanized vineyard of a highly invaded area by V. velutina in NW Spain (Protected Geographical Indication of Betanzos, Galicia) as a method to mitigate the damage caused by hornets. Anti-hail nets were used in a factorial design experiment with groups of netted and unnetted vines of two white wine cultivars in order to address the vineyard production loss. In particular, we aim to 1) asses the effectiveness of anti-hail netting on preventing grape yield loss, 2) assess the impact of anti-hail netting on grape ripening and incidence of bunch fungal infection, and 3) study the potential relationship between the damage caused by V. velutina and grape fungal diseases. Results show that the tested exclusion system increases the crop yield, since it prevents effectively both the damage caused by hornets and birds. No significant correlation between the damage caused by V. velutina and the incidence of bunch fungal diseases was found in either cultivar. However, netting increased slightly the final sugar content in one of the cultivars, as well as the incidence of bunch fungal damage. We discuss the management implications of this exclusion method within the framework of agricultural land abandonment and the loss of traditional landscapes.

Agricultural land abandonment promotes soil aggregation and aggregate-associated organic carbon accumulation: a global meta-analysis

Agricultural land abandonment promotes soil aggregation and aggregate-associated organic carbon accumulation: a global meta-analysis

Soil carbon and nitrogen accumulation during long-term natural vegetation restoration following agricultural abandonment in Qingling Mountains

Agricultural land abandonment has been proposed as a strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing soil carbon (C) sequestration, and enhancing soil nitrogen (N) levels in degraded ecosystems. However, the dynamic patterns of soil C and N pools and fractions following long-term agricultural abandonment are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of soil organic C (SOC), recalcitrant organic C (RC), total N (TN), and recalcitrant organic N (RN) in 0–40 cm soils along a natural vegetation restoration gradient (i.e., croplands→grasslands→shrublands→forests) following agricultural abandonment in China's Qinling Mountains. Our results showed that the concentrations of SOC, RC, TN, and RN increased significantly along with vegetation restoration, but the SOC and TN stocks only increased in the 0–10 and 0–20 cm layers, respectively. The highest growth rates of new SOC (28.96 g m−2 yr−1) and new RC (9.87 g m−2 yr−1) were observed in shrublands, followed by the grasslands (new SOC, 14.80 g m−2 yr−1; new RC, 5.02 g m−2 yr−1) and forests (new SOC, 9.06 g m−2 yr−1; new RC, 3.74 g m−2 yr−1). The δ15N values of litter, fine root, and soil decreased significantly with stand age, indicating that the N cycling in abandoned ecosystems gradually became less open than that of croplands during vegetation restoration processes. The ratios of RN/TN decreased significantly with stand age across all soil layers, while the ratios of RC/SOC at 0–40 cm soils did not change with stand age and the differences among croplands, grasslands, shrublands, and forests were not significant. Our study reveals that soil C and N stocks only accumulate in topsoils during ∼110 years of natural vegetation restoration and the recalcitrancy indices of soil C and N displayed different dynamic patterns, and also indicates that agricultural abandonment is an effective approach to increasing soil C and N stocks and mitigating the negative effects of agriculture on soil C and N pools.

Mapping pressures on biodiversity: the contribution of thematic detail to decision making

Mapping pressures to species is key to identify where biodiversity is at risk and providing relevant information to direct conservation actions. Decision-making to minimise pressures requires the determination of specific target actions at a high level of detail. However, the trade-off between cost and effort to generate this information often leads to the production of generalised pressure maps, named coarse maps, covering the most relevant pressures and their proxies. Here we aimed to disentangle whether the cost and effort of mapping fine pressures is worthwhile to inform decision making, by comparing how fine and coarse maps identify “where” and “how” management actions should be derived. Comparing the extend of both map types as well as its capacity to identify risk areas. We focused on three main pressures: agricultural intensification, human intensification, and land abandonment. The study was carried out in Catalonia for local decision-making, but the results can be applied in other EU regions or elsewhere, also for local decisions-making. We found that the Jaccard’s similarity index between coarse and fine pressure maps was always below 0.3 indicating low overlap between fine and coarse maps. In particular, the coincidence between coarse and fine thematic maps within protected areas (PAs) was always below 50%. Both maps differed in the identification of risk areas inside three analysed PAs. Moreover, even when there was a total geographical overlap between coarse and fine maps, coarse maps lack information on which concrete pressure was actually present, making decision on actions needed difficult. Thus, we can conclude that fine maps can estimate more accurately both “where” and “how” to target concrete actions than coarser maps. Even in cases where the answer as to “where” to act is the same, fine maps provide more concrete information to provide guidance on “how” to act. Consequently, despite the high cost and effort involved in mapping pressures at a high level of detail, the final trade-off is positive.

Dynamics of land-cover change and characterization of charcoal production and trade in southwestern Angola

Miombo and mopane woodlands of southwestern Angola have been overexploited for decades, leading to deforestation and forest degradation driven by social dynamics during and after the civil war (1975–2002), with different patterns of use of natural resources. Our objective was to study the changes in land-cover in three municipalities of southwestern Angola, and to characterize the charcoal production and trade on miombo and mopane woodlands, where that production was identified as one of the main causes of degradation. Land-cover dynamics between 1990 and 2019 was evaluated based on four land-cover maps, and the processes involved in deforestation and forest degradation were identified and discussed. Roadside charcoal sale locations, markets, the most exploited species, and the type, size, and efficiency of the kilns were assessed through field surveys. Between 1990 and 2019, the woodland area decreased and was converted to savanna woodland and agriculture, while the urban area continuously increased. Both miombo and mopane woodlands went through higher annual deforestation rates than those reported by FAO at the national level. The dynamics of land use were different between the war and post-war periods, respectively with the abandonment of agricultural land and migration of rural populations to the cities, and their return to the countryside and use of land and forest resources as primary subsistence activities. Agriculture and charcoal production were identified as the main income-generating activities, and the occupation of unused land by outsiders may have also contributed to intensify deforestation and forest degradation. To slow down the ongoing area loss of miombo and mopane woodlands, it seems crucial to implement conservation and restoration strategies promoting the sustainable use of the resources while ensuring the provision of essential goods to local populations and contributing to reduce poverty.

Evaluation of heavy metal speciation distribution in soil and the accumulation characteristics in wild plants: A study on naturally aged abandoned farmland adjacent to tailings

Heavy metal composite pollution is widespread in the surrounding environment of tailings ponds in arid and semi-arid regions, leading to the abandonment of substantial agricultural land. This study investigates the speciation distribution and plant accumulation characteristics of heavy metals in abandoned farmland with different durations of natural aging. The aim is to comprehend the local heavy metal behavior pattern in the soil-plant system and offer insights for environmental remediation. Our findings reveal that Cd stands out as the primary heavy metal pollutant in this area. The mobility ranking of heavy metals is Cd > Pb > Zn > Cu, with Cd and Pb mobility decreasing along the basin. Notably, active Pb exhibits a higher affinity for soil binding compared to other metals. The predominant plant species in the region are primarily small shrubs, herbaceous plants, and semi-shrubs that demonstrate tolerance to drought and salt. Most plant samples showed elevated levels of Cd, Pb, and Zn, surpassing the maximum tolerance levels for dietary minerals in livestock. This elevated metal content poses potential threats to the health of local livestock and wildlife, yet it is also considered a potential for phytoremediation. Selected dominant plant species from the current study include Kalidium foliatum & gracile which shows potential as a Cd accumulator and indicator. Neotrinia splendens and Reaumuria songarica demonstrate potential as Cd excluders, with the latter exhibiting higher tolerance to Cd (62.9 mg/kg). Additionally, our observations indicate that different plant parts exhibit distinct responses to heavy metals, and Zn synergistically influences the aerial part accumulation of Cd.This study holds significant importance in understanding the complex behavior patterns of multi-metal pollutants in the natural environment. The identification of native plants with remediation potential is valuable for phytoremediation of environment pollution in mining area.

Agricultural land-use legacies affect soil bacterial communities following restoration in a global biodiversity hotspot

Ecosystem restoration in post-agricultural landscapes is a critical response to agricultural land abandonment, climate change, and the escalating biodiversity crisis. However, effective restoration of these landscapes can be hampered by land-use legacies that create biotic and abiotic barriers to ecosystem recovery, particularly in ancient Tertiary landscapes where vegetation is adapted to nutrient deficient soils. While our understanding of how to overcome these barriers when restoring plant communities is improving, there is limited knowledge of how these legacies impact on recovery of soil microbiota – the biodiverse and functionally-important communities of soil microbes. Here, we used amplicon sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene extracted from soils across a restoration project in southwest Western Australia, a global biodiversity hotspot, to examine recovery of soil microbiota following post-agricultural restoration. We sampled soils at six sites under four land conditions – degraded post-agriculture, actively revegetated post-agriculture, passively regenerated, and remnant bushland – generating 1,609,618 sequences corresponding to 15,009 unique bacterial taxa. We show that soil bacterial communities in revegetated and degraded samples were similar across sites but strongly dissimilar to adjoining remnant samples. We show that limited recovery of bacterial communities was linked to elevated soil phosphorus levels. Together, our results indicate soil microbiota have not recovered despite revegetation taking place up to 17 years ago, and this lack of recovery is likely driven by soil nutrient legacies from past agricultural practices. Our study highlights a key challenge faced by conservation practitioners when integrating soil microbiota into ecosystem restoration in post-agricultural landscapes in ancient, nutrient-poor landscapes.

Projecting Agricultural Land Abandonment and Expansion in Turkiye Using the Subspace KNN Algorithm (2030)

Projecting Agricultural Land Abandonment and Expansion in Turkiye Using the Subspace KNN Algorithm (2030)

Do land transfers reduce the effects of labour costs on agricultural land abandonment?

ABSTRACT We account for the endogeneity problem in the statistical analysis of recent survey data from 5 provinces in southwest China and show that the positive effects of labour costs on ALA are weaker if farmers’ demands for land transfers are met. Meanwhile, public interventions in land transfers by local governments or village collectives reduce the ALA caused by the high labour costs. Our analysis implies that well-functioning land rental markets in less-developed regions effectively alleviate the aggravating effects of high labour costs on ALA.

Growth of the wildland-urban interface and its spatial determinants in the Polish Carpathians

The Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) is the area where natural vegetation is close to housing and area of concern due to various negative consequences for humans and the environment including fire ignitions, landscape fragmentation and human-wildlife interactions. The WUI is a global phenomenon, and widespread in many countries but long-term WUI dynamics and the main factors causing WUI growth are unknown. Our goal was to assess WUI changes in the Polish Carpathians since the mid-19th century, based on high-resolution spatial data for 1860s, 1970s and 2013. We found that WUI covered already 30% of the study area in the 1860s but grew to cover nearly half by 2013, especially at lower elevations. Detailed analysis of WUI determinants confirmed the areas closer to regional administrative centres or located on steep slopes were more WUI-prone. Tourist trail density also fostered WUI occurrence. We conclude that in Central Europe, with a long history of human settlements and agricultural activities, WUI has been a persistent landscape feature for centuries, but increased in area in recent decades due to widespread abandonment of agricultural land combined with development of new residential areas.

Identifying and managing disturbance-stimulated flammability in woody ecosystems.

Many forest types globally have been subject to an increase in the frequency of, and area burnt by, high-severity wildfire. Here we explore the role that previous disturbance has played in increasing the extent and severity of subsequent forest fires. We summarise evidence documenting and explaining the mechanisms underpinning a pulse of flammability that may follow disturbances such as fire, logging, clearing or windthrow (a process we term disturbance-stimulated flammability). Disturbance sometimes initiates a short initial period of low flammability, but then drives an extended period of increased flammability as vegetation regrows. Our analysis initially focuses on well-documented cases in Australia, but we also discuss where these pattens may apply elsewhere, including in the Northern Hemisphere. We outline the mechanisms by which disturbance drives flammability through disrupting the ecological controls that limit it in undisturbed forests. We then develop and test a conceptual model to aid prediction of woody vegetation communities where such patterns of disturbance-stimulated flammability may occur. We discuss the interaction of ecological controls with climate change, which is driving larger and more severe fires. We also explore the current state of knowledge around the point where disturbed, fire-prone stands are sufficiently widespread in landscapes that they may promote spatial contagion of high-severity wildfire that overwhelms any reduction in fire spread offered by less-flammable stands. We discuss how land managers might deal with the major challenges that changes in landscape cover and altered fire regimes may have created. This is especially pertinent in landscapes now dominated by extensive areas of young forest regenerating after logging, regrowing following broadscale fire including prescribed burning, or regenerating following agricultural land abandonment. Where disturbance is found to stimulate flammability, then key management actions should consider the long-term benefits of: (i) limiting disturbance-based management like logging or burning that creates young forests and triggers understorey development; (ii) protecting young forests from disturbances and assisting them to transition to an older, less-flammable state; and (iii) reinforcing the fire-inhibitory properties of older, less-flammable stands through methods for rapid fire detection and suppression.

Carbon Storage Patterns and Landscape Sustainability in Northeast Portugal: A Digital Mapping Approach

This study investigated the impact of regional land abandonment in northeast Portugal. It specifically focused on carbon sequestration opportunities in the Upper Sabor River Watershed, situated in the northeast of Portugal, amidst agricultural land abandonment. The study involved mapping the distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC) across four soil layers (0–5 cm, 5–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–30 cm) at 120 sampling points. The quantification of SOC storage (measured in Mg C ha−1) allowed for an analysis of its relationship with various landscape characteristics, including elevation, land use and land cover (LULC), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), modified soil-adjusted vegetation index (MSAVI), topographic wetness index (TWI), and erosion risk (ER). Six statistical tests were employed, including multivariate approaches like Cubist and Random Forest, within different scenarios to assess carbon distribution within the watershed’s soils. These modeling results were then utilized to propose strategies aimed at enhancing soil carbon storage. Notably, a significant discrepancy was observed in the carbon content between areas at higher elevations (>1000 m) and those at lower elevations (<800 m). Additionally, the study found that the amount of carbon stored in agricultural soils was often significantly lower than in other land use categories, including forests, mountain herbaceous vegetation, pasture, and shrub communities. Analyzing bi- and multivariate scenarios, it was determined that the scenario with the greatest number of independent variables (set 6) yielded the lowest RMSE (root mean squared error), serving as a key indicator for evaluating predicted values against observed values. However, it is important to note that the independent variables used in set 4 (elevation, LULC, and NDVI) had reasonably similar values. Ultimately, the spatialization of the model from scenario 6 provided actionable insights for soil carbon conservation and enhancement across three distinct elevation levels.

The main processes responsible for landscape transformation in post-industrial urban areas in Central Europe

In recent years, the dynamic of spatial change has been increasing, influenced by processes linked to the transformation of traditional industrial regions into metropolitan areas. This is related to changes in function and administrative status, but above all to spatial changes. Examples of cities experiencing dynamic landscape changes from coal mining cities to modern metropolises can be found in the former coal basins of Central Europe – the Upper Silesian Metropolis in Poland and the Ostrava-Karviná Region in the Czechia. This study analysed the transformation of the landscape on the basis of land cover data from the years 2000, 2006, 2012 and 2018. The index of landscape change and the index of change of individual cover types were calculated, and on the basis of these indices the main processes responsible for the transformation of the landscape were determined. In the two study areas, similar changes in the landscape are taking place but at different rates. The main processes changing the landscape are suburbanization, reindustrialization and agricultural land abandonment. In space, they are manifested in an increase in the areas of residential, commercial and service development, the densification of the road network, and an increase in land allocated for new industrial plants. At the same time, the acreage of agricultural land (mainly arable fields, orchards and plantations but also open landscapes) is decreasing.

Forest Gardening on Abandoned Agricultural Land Contribute to Ground Cover Change and Food Security

Various forest products such as nuts, mangoes, bananas, lime, silk from mulberry leaves,essential oil, timber, animal food, perfume from tree blossoms, mulch and biochar, possess high potential to increase rural income. However, farming families in Nepal can hardly afford the investment to create such productive ecosystems. Connecting to the global market through Carbon dioxide (CO2)– certificates could serve to finance the creation of forest gardens. To test and demonstrate such approach, a project on ‘building village economies through climate farming and forest gardening (BeChange)’ has been implemented by 276 farming families in fourdistricts (Tanhun, Lamjung, Gorkha and Kaski) of Nepal. Using Global Positioning System (GPS) point survey, household surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), a triad group system, field observation and reports, the success of establishing privately owned forest gardens was assessed. A total of 42,205 mixed tree species such as Michelia, Elaeocarpus, and Cinnamomum tamala were planted on abandoned agriculture land of 276 families. The set-up and maintenance of the forest gardens was financed with advanced payments for the carbon sink services of the planted trees. Farmers who succeeded with tree survival rates above 70 per cent received anadditional yearly carbon sink fee. This activity was linked to other income generating activities such as cultural eco-tourism, cinnamon leaf essential oil distillation, and intercropping of high value shade loving crops such as ginger, turmeric, and lentils. The outcomes of the project show significant improvements of the livelihood and food security in the project villages.

ГИС-анализ влияния типа землепользования на современное разнообразие лесонасаждений в национальном парке «Кенозерский»

The problem of agricultural land abandonment is a worldwide problem. In the forest zone, the transformation of fallow lands is associated with afforestation and the formation of so-called secondary forest growths. Postagrogenic forests reflect the agricultural history of fallow areas, which imprint the "mute" realities of time and the social order of their development. The type of previous land use creates sufficiently stable factors, which in the process of natural overgrowth are weakly changed by natural factors and affect the emerging forests. In the key area of Kenozersky National Park (middle taiga forest region), located in the Plesetsk District of the Arkhangelsk region, we traced, according to the 1861 boundary plans, the regularities of evolution of land use areas of different categories during forest overgrowth. We assessed the area, tree species and typological structure of modern forests according to the 2014 forest inventory and traced the connection between the transformation of agro-ecosystems into forests and the history of the use of these lands after the land survey. As of the year when the boundary plans were drawn up, more than half of the territory of the key site was under agrarian influence (arable land, perelogs, haymaking, etc.). After 160 years a forest massif was formed (97 % of the territory), in which a part of hayfields was preserved. First of all, perelogs and hayfields were overgrown with forests (99 and 85 %, respectively). The allocation characterization of taxation descriptions of forest stands showed that bilberry and oxalis type pine forests were formed more often (89,7; 81,0; 78.5 %, respectively) on abandoned arable lands, perelogs and hayfields. All formed stands, classified as bilberry and oxalis type pine forests during forest inventory, have rather high productivity (I–II quality classes) and mixed composition. Forests of lower quality classes (III and IV) were rewealed in the formation of bilberry forest type. At present about 70 % of the bilberry and oxalis type pine forests on the 1861 boundary plan, formed on arable land, are dominated by birch (more than 3 units), about 10 % – by gray alder; the share of stands dominated by aspen is high. Reduced soil fertility on swidden plots ensured a more stable position of pine in the composition of emerging stands (60 % of pine-dominated stands). The character of tree species composition in stands formed on hayfields corresponds to lands with high soil fertility, which indicates the formation of hayfields on abandoned arable land. The studies have demonstrated significant differentiation of derived forest landscapes, sometimes hidden due to the widespread growth of the main forest-forming species and the formation of zonal-type forests. Intralandscape differentiation associated with the history of agricultural development has been preserved for more than 100 years and requires close study. For citation: Kozykin A.V., Nakvasina E.N. GIS-analysis of the Influence of the Land Use Type on the Current Diversity of Forest Plantations in the Kenozersky National Park. Lesnoy Zhurnal = Russian Forestry Journal, 2023, no. 5, pp. 27–41. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.37482/0536-1036-2023-5-27-41

Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Depopulated Areas of Mediterranean Europe: A Case Study in Two Inland Provinces of Spain

Depopulation often leads to the abandonment of agricultural land and the resulting process of afforestation and reforestation. In this paper, we study the land use changes between 2000 and 2018 in two Spanish provinces, Soria and Teruel. The provinces chosen as case studies are of particular interest because they have some of the lowest population densities in Europe and continue to suffer depopulation processes that have been ongoing since the mid-20th century. The reasons for this are not immediately clear given that unlike other European regions with similar population density values, for example in Northern Scandinavia, they are not exposed to extreme climatic conditions, nor are they located in isolated mountain regions. Using the CORINE Land Cover database, we observed that in both provinces, there has been an expansion in shrub and forest land uses and a decline in agriculture due largely to the fact that certain areas have been abandoned by their inhabitants, although in other parts of these provinces, the amount of land used for agriculture has increased. Urban growth over this period has been minimal. In the coming years, it seems likely that the population of these areas will continue to fall, given that the policies carried out over decades to try to revert this trend have not been successful.

Distribution of ecosystem service potential in marginal agroecosystems in a mosaic-type landscape under exploratory scenarios

ABSTRACT Land-use change in agriculturally marginal mosaic-type landscapes involves economic, environmental, and social aspects and can lead to social and economic problems in rural areas. This study focuses on the western part of Vidzeme Uplands, Latvia, which has been heavily impacted by rural depopulation and agricultural land abandonment. The research explores the value of low-intensity agroecosystems in agriculturally marginal landscapes using an ecosystem service approach. Three scenarios were developed: a ‘business as usual’ scenario, a ‘no subsidies’ scenario, and a ‘payments for ecosystem services’ scenario. The ‘business as usual’ scenario shows a pattern of subtle intensification, while the ‘no subsidies’ scenario predicts a significant loss of low-intensity agroecosystems and their services. The ‘payments for ecosystem services’ scenario estimates the safeguarding of essential regulatory ecosystem services, ensuring the potential supply of provisioning services, and maintaining the fragile structure of the marginal mosaic-type landscape.

Procjena šumskih resursa na temelju Sentinel-2 snimki – studija slučaja Derventa, BiH (Katastarska općina Brezici)

The management of forest resources is complicated due to the complete lack of maintenance and disorganization of the land administration and survey that are decades old. Modern, unconventional monitoring systems are used with the aim of improving the existing records systems and creating a clearer insight into the state of forest resources. This study provides an example of the use of one such system, Sentinel-2. Using the R programming language, the multispectral Sentinel-2 images were classified by the Random Forest classification algorithm. Following the completion of the classifications, the accuracy of the classification was evaluated using the error matrix and the Kappa value. An analysis of forest resources for one cadastral municipality was accomplished using classified rasters and data from the Real Estate Cadastre Database. Based on the data analysis, major changes are visible in terms of the abandonment of agricultural land and its conversion into a certain form of forest vegetation. Furthermore, based on these data, the study demonstrates changes that can be monitored in shorter time intervals. Sentinel-2 images can be used to determine forest expansion, based on the aforementioned analyses, resulting in a clearer and better representation of existing forest resources that are unknown due to outdated and unreliable land administration systems.