Fallstudie zur Erhaltung der Kulturlandschaft im Oberen Filstal durch Ziegenbeweidung

Summary

Due to the ongoing structural change in the German agricultural sector, the utilisation of numerous marginal production sites and production systems has been abandoned over the last decades. This development can be witnessed most severely in south-western Germany. One outstanding example is the juniper heathlands of the Swabian Alb, which have originally been formed by extensive goat- and sheep grazing systems. These cultural landscapes represent an important aspect for the regional development and the local recreation, which is an essential income source for the region. The focus of this case study has been the economical and ecological performance of a goat grazing system in comparison to modern mechanical landscape management.