Grazing as a management tool to build cultural landscapes

Grazing as a management tool to build cultural landscapes

Pastoralism is a human activity practiced worldwide by more than 500 million people. Its role as a modifier of land has been crucial throughout history either as a forest/shrub clearing or as one of the driving forces behind of many land degradation processes. The effects of grazing on environment are context-dependent on climate, topography and land management. This latter is usually adapted both to local physical conditions (rainfall, soil, slope, etc.) and to time-dependent cultural, economic and political factors. So, we intend, on the one hand, to expand the knowledge of different past and existing land management systems, ranging from subsistence farming to much more complex ways based on innovation and market strategies. And, on the other hand, we aim to better know how conservationist paradigms (e.g. European Union agri-environmental measures) as well as restoration strategies (e.g. fencing exclusion) have influenced, or are influencing, on the past/current land management at different territories/biomes. Therefore research and management experiences throughout the world which grazing be dealt as the most important factor are very welcome. This session is aimed at gather multidisciplinary works from different perspectives (applied or pure science): history, economy, society, policy, land planning, cultural legacy, animal welfare, ecology or geomorphology.