Pfefferli Stephan

Sustainable landscape production systems: a demand-oriented agricultural approach (SULAPS)

Project Number: 4048-064466
Project Type: Research_Project
Project Duration: 02/01/2002 - 12/31/2005 project completed
Funding Source: SNSF ,
Leading Institution: Agroscope
Project Leader: Dr. Stephan Pfefferli

related to this project.
for which the project has a relevance.

Disciplines:
Science of management

Keywords:

biodiversity

Abstract:
Concept
Agriculture and forestry have a significant influence on landscape and habitats in the productive climate zones of the Alps. In the past decades, agriculture and forestry have been subject to a continuous process of change. Agricultural production and landscape evolve as dynamic and interdependent systems: landscape as an agricultural externality is important for tourism. The production intensity in the use of grassland and animal husbandry changes due to increasing economic pressure and technical progress (local intensification and extensification). This has consequences for the biodiversity and the landscape. In order to model and control this process, on the one hand, the necessary instruments do not exist to date and, on the other hand, mountain farming systems have to be adapted to future requirements. It is particularly important to link the optimal production – calculated by means of an economic agrarian structure model under the given framework conditions – with the location of the different landscape elements or crops as well as the buildings.

Research Targets
  • To work out alternative scenarios for the socio-economic environment and for the landscape demanded by society in two regions.
  • To define sustainability indicators and the respective standards that must be complied with for the implementation of the scenarios.
  • To develop and evaluate different agrarian structures for the scenarios defined.
  • To disseminate the results in co-operation with the stakeholders and political decision-makers concerned and to work out proposals for adjustment of the legal framework.

    Methods
    SULAPS is based on a quantitative agrarian structure model (Fig. 1). It comprises individual farm optimisation models interlinked by way of a leasehold market module. This procedure allows path dependencies to be taken into account. These path dependencies are based on the results of structured interviews with farm managers. The model is calculated using various scenarios and is designed to predict trends in landscape and agrarian structure over the next 10 years. The relevant forecast results will be evaluated with regard to the three sustainability dimensions. The current land use and the land use determined by the model for the various scenarios will be transferred to a GIS and visualised.


    Preliminary results
    A GIS has been set up for both study regions. Maps representing current land use specified according to farms or type of production served as a basis for choosing surface samples which were investigated in terms of ecological quality. A set of sustainability indicators has been defined by means of a literature analysis and current FAT projects. These indicators are based on MONET indicators, Biodiversity Monitoring (BDM) and research carried out within the scope of the „Landscape 2020“ project. The indicators for the agrarian structure model are still to be operationalized and the target values to be defined. A system analysis based on Vester allowed to define the driving forces and impact factors of land use dynamics in mountain areas, which will be integrated in the scenario definition and the agrarian structure model. In both study regions, structured interviews were conducted with 90 % of the farmers. The interviews serve as a basis for the individualisation of the farm optimisation model.


    Expected results
  • An instrument for the assessment of the agrarian structure in terms of landscape conformity and sustainability. The method of linear optimisation enables several variants with different goals to be calculated and potential consequences to be shown. Using GIS, agrarian structures and agricultural changes can be presented in graphic form in order to provide bases for agricultural decision-making.
  • Specific knowledge on the sustainable development of landscapes and habitats used for agricultural purposes in the Swiss Alps, in particular below the timberline.
  • Bases for optimisation of production systems in mountain farming.
  • Reference data for adaptation of the legal framework in view of an efficient use of resources with respect to land use and agrarian policy as well as controlled landscape development.

    On-site research places
    The investigation takes place in two regions that possess favourable prerequisites with regard to data availability and that are open to tourism to different extents. We focus on the Mittelbuenden region (Canton of Grisons, Switzerland) and look at parts of two districts in the Albula area:
  • Surses district (Oberhalbstein): high intensity of tourism (municipalities of Cunter, Riom-Parsonz and Savognin).
  • Belfort district: moderate intensity of tourism (municipalities of Alvaneu, Brienz / Brinzauls, Schmitten and Surava).

    http://www.nfp48.ch/projekte/projectdocs/23/pfefferlia.pdf

    Leading questions:
  • To work out alternative scenarios for the socio-economic environment and for the landscape demanded by society in two regions.
  • To define sustainability indicators and the respective standards that must be complied with for the implementation of the scenarios.
  • To develop and evaluate different agrarian structures for the scenarios defined.
  • To disseminate the results in co-operation with the stakeholders and political decision-makers concerned and to work out proposals for adjustment of the legal framework.

    URL: http://www.nrp48.ch/projects/projects_detail.php?nfprojnum=23

    Publications:
    Killer V. 2006. GIS-gestützte Modellierung und Bewertung subalpiner Agrarlandschaften des Albulatals und des Surses. Diplomarbeit, Geographisches Institut, Universität Zürich.
    pdf Diplomarbeit

    Dietschi, S. Botanische Diversität in Mähwiesen Eine Untersuchung als Beitrag der nachhaltigen Landnutzung in der Berglandwirtschaft. (German)

    Erzinger, S.; Lauber, S. Entwicklungsmöglichkeiten der Bergland(wirt)schaft. (German)

    Lauber, S. Räumlich explizite Modellierung nachhaltiger Landschafts- Produktionssysteme. Ein nachfrageorientierter landwirtschaftlicher Ansatz. (German)

    Lauber, S.; Schick, M.; Schiess, I.; Stadler, E.; Stark, R. Transporte im Berggebiet. Geschwindigkeit und Treibstoffverbrauch auf steilen Strassen. (German)

    Lauber, S.; Gehrig, S.; Erzinger, S.; Pfefferlli, S. SULAPS: Spatially explicitly small-scale agrarian structure model to predict impacts of mountain farming on landscape. (English)

    Lauber, S.; Schick, M.; Schiess, I.; Stadler, E.; Stark, R. Transports en région de montagne. Vitesse et consommation de carburant sur routes escarpées. (French)

    Lauber, S. Berglandwirtschaft in 15 Jahren. Strukturentwicklung und Landschaftsveränderungen im Albulatal und im Surses. Ergebnisse aus dem NFP48-Projekt SULAPS. Zusammenfassung der SULAPS-Informationsveranstaltungen in Alvaneu und Savognin. (German)

    Lauber, S. Berglandwirtschaft in 15 Jahren. Strukturentwicklung und Landschaftsveränderungen. (German)

    Erzinger, S.; Lauber, S. L’agriculture de montagne dans 15 ans. Développement des structures et changements du paysage. (French)

    Poster: Nachhaltige Landschafts-Produktionssysteme: Ein nachfrageorientierter landwirtschaftlicher Ansatz [Stephan Pfefferli, (German)]
    http://www.nfp48.ch/projekte/projectdocs/23/Pfefferli.pdf

    Abstract: Sustainable landscape production systems: a demand-oriented agricultural approach (SULAPS) [Stephan Pfefferli, Stefan Erzinger, Stefan Lauber, Sonja Gehrig, Othmar Schwank, (English)]

    Source of Information: NF Import 2002


    Last update: 8/11/22
    Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)
    Update the data of project: CH-64466

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