IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v9y2020i12p484-d454712.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How Do Natura 2000 Areas Intersect with Peoples’ Livelihood Strategies in High Nature Value Farmlands in Southern Transylvania?

Author

Listed:
  • Georgiana Toth

    (Ministry of Public Works, Development and Administration, 050706 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Alina Huzui-Stoiculescu

    (Ministry of Public Works, Development and Administration, 050706 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Alexandru-Ioan Toth

    (Asociatia Sociometrics-Grupul de Analiză Socială și Economică, 21716 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Robert Stoiculescu

    (IALE Romania, Transdisciplinary Research Centre Landscape-Territory-Information Systems, CeLTIS, 050095 Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

The establishment of the Natura 2000 network in Romania constitutes a turning point for the policy on biodiversity conservation in this country. The presence of human communities in certain Natura 2000 areas determines complex interactions between social and ecological systems, particularly in the case of High Nature Value farmlands that are assigned to this network of protected natural areas. A large part of Romania’s biodiversity depends on traditional farming systems that are under pressure from either agricultural intensification or land abandonment, which reflects socio-economic changes that have pushed rural households into developing new livelihood strategies. This paper explores the particular context of traditional rural communities from Southern Transylvania which is a High Nature Value farmland area largely included in the Natura 2000 network. We conducted an empirical analysis that focused on two main issues. The first was applying quantitative methods aimed at identifying the linkages between livelihood capitals and livelihood strategies of people living in Natura 2000 areas. The second was analyzing differences in local development levels which correlate with the share of territorial administrative units belonging to Natura 2000 areas. Our results are based on questionnaire and interview data collected from 40 rural administrative-territorial units within Southern Transylvania as well as on mapping land use changes using Landsat satellite images of 1985, 2003 and 2015. The results indicate that rural communities living in Natura 2000 areas turn to migration as an additional household strategy besides usual on-farm and off-farm activities, leading to rural shrinkage and farmland abandonment.

Suggested Citation

  • Georgiana Toth & Alina Huzui-Stoiculescu & Alexandru-Ioan Toth & Robert Stoiculescu, 2020. "How Do Natura 2000 Areas Intersect with Peoples’ Livelihood Strategies in High Nature Value Farmlands in Southern Transylvania?," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:12:p:484-:d:454712
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/12/484/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/12/484/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wenjing Li & Chuanmin Shuai & Yu Shuai & Xin Cheng & Yue Liu & Fubin Huang, 2020. "How Livelihood Assets Contribute to Sustainable Development of Smallholder Farmers," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 408-429, April.
    2. Sophia Davidova & Lena Fredriksson & Matthew Gorton & Plamen Mishev & Dan Petrovici, 2012. "Subsistence Farming, Incomes, and Agricultural Livelihoods in the New Member States of the European Union," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 30(2), pages 209-227, April.
    3. Frank Ellis, 1998. "Household strategies and rural livelihood diversification," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 1-38.
    4. Xiang Li & Shuang Xu & Yecui Hu, 2020. "Understanding the Rural Livelihood Stability System: The Eco-Migration in Huanjiang County, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-18, August.
    5. Jacqueline Loos & Tibor-Csaba Vizauer & Agnes Kastal & Martin Davies & Hans Hedrich & Matthias Dolek, 2020. "A highly endangered species on the edge: distribution, habitat use and outlook for Colias myrmidone in newly established Natura 2000 areas in Romania," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 2399-2414, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Meike Fienitz & Rosemarie Siebert, 2021. "Urban versus Rural? Conflict Lines in Land Use Disputes in the Urban–Rural Fringe Region of Schwerin, Germany," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Nándor Csikós & Péter Szilassi, 2021. "Modelling the Impacts of Habitat Changes on the Population Density of Eurasian Skylark ( Alauda arvensis ) Based on Its Landscape Preferences," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-17, March.
    3. Mugurel I. Jitea & Valentin C. Mihai & Felix H. Arion & Iulia C. Muresan & Diana E. Dumitras, 2021. "Innovation Gaps and Barriers in Alternative Innovative Solutions for Sustainable High Nature Value Grasslands. Evidence from Romania," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, March.
    4. Iulian Dincă & Dragoș Dărăbăneanu & Ionuț Mihai Oprea, 2021. "Collective and Social Representations on Nature and Environment: Social Psychology Investigation in Rural Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-21, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kamaldeen Mohammed & Evans Batung & Moses Kansanga & Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong & Isaac Luginaah, 2021. "Livelihood diversification strategies and resilience to climate change in semi-arid northern Ghana," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 164(3), pages 1-23, February.
    2. Bianca AVRAM POP & Simona SABOU, 2018. "The Role Of Agriculture In Romanian Development," Business Excellence and Management, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 8(1), pages 5-18, March.
    3. Maja Micevska & Dil Bahadur Rahut, 2008. "Rural Nonfarm Employment and Incomes in the Himalayas," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 57(1), pages 163-193, October.
    4. Chloé Duvivier Duvivier & Mary-Françoise Renard & Shi Li, 2012. "Are workers close to cities paid higher non-agricultural wages in rural China?," CERDI Working papers halshs-00673698, HAL.
    5. Zeeshan & Geetilaxmi Mohapatra & Arun Kumar Giri, 2022. "How Farm Household Spends Their Non-farm Incomes in Rural India? Evidence from Longitudinal Data," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(4), pages 1967-1996, August.
    6. repec:zbw:iamodp:109518 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Renata Baborska & Emilio Hernandez & Emiliano Magrini & Cristian Morales-Opazo, 2020. "The impact of financial inclusion on rural food security experience: A perspective from low-and middle-income countries," Review of Development Finance Journal, Chartered Institute of Development Finance, vol. 10(2), pages 1-18.
    8. Diogo Ferraz & Fernanda P. S. Falguera & Enzo B. Mariano & Dominik Hartmann, 2021. "Linking Economic Complexity, Diversification, and Industrial Policy with Sustainable Development: A Structured Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-29, January.
    9. Ersado, Lire, 2005. "Small-scale irrigation dams, agricultural production, and health - theory and evidence from Ethiopia," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3494, The World Bank.
    10. Bishu, Kinfe & O'Reilly, Seamus & Lahiff, Edward & Steiner, Bodo, 2016. "Cattle farmers’ perceptions of risk and risk management strategies," MPRA Paper 74954, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Yunez-Naude, Antonio & Edward Taylor, J., 2001. "The Determinants of Nonfarm Activities and Incomes of Rural Households in Mexico, with Emphasis on Education," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 561-572, March.
    12. Otterbach, Steffen & Rogan, Michael, 2017. "Spatial Differences in Stunting and Household Agricultural Production in South Africa: (Re-)Examining the Links Using National Panel Survey Data," IZA Discussion Papers 11008, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Cristina Keiko Yamaguchi & Stéfano Frizzo Stefenon & Ney Kassiano Ramos & Vanessa Silva dos Santos & Fernanda Forbici & Anne Carolina Rodrigues Klaar & Fernanda Cristina Silva Ferreira & Alessandra Ca, 2020. "Young People’s Perceptions about the Difficulties of Entrepreneurship and Developing Rural Properties in Family Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-12, October.
    14. Sowmya Dhanaraj, 2014. "Health Shocks and Coping Strategies: State Health Insurance Scheme of Andhra Pradesh, India," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-003, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    15. Luc Dossa & Barbara Rischkowsky & Regina Birner & Clemens Wollny, 2008. "Socio-economic determinants of keeping goats and sheep by rural people in southern Benin," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 25(4), pages 581-592, December.
    16. Laurent Parrot & Clovis Dongmo & Michel Ndoumbé & Christine Poubom, 2008. "Horticulture, livelihoods, and urban transition in Africa: evidence from South‐West Cameroon," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 39(2), pages 245-256, September.
    17. Vodouhê, Fifanou G. & Coulibaly, Ousmane & Adégbidi, Anselme & Sinsin, Brice, 2010. "Community perception of biodiversity conservation within protected areas in Benin," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(7), pages 505-512, September.
    18. K.S. Aditya & S.P. Subash & K.V. Praveen & M.L. Nithyashree & N. Bhuvana & Akriti Sharma, 2017. "Awareness about Minimum Support Price and Its Impact on Diversification Decision of Farmers in India," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(3), pages 514-526, September.
    19. Mirosław Biczkowski & Aleksandra Jezierska-Thöle & Roman Rudnicki, 2021. "The Impact of RDP Measures on the Diversification of Agriculture and Rural Development—Seeking Additional Livelihoods: The Case of Poland," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-26, March.
    20. Klasen, Stephan & Reimers, Malte, 2017. "Looking at Pro-Poor Growth from an Agricultural Perspective," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 147-168.
    21. Poignant, Adrian, 2023. "Small-scale mining and agriculture: Evidence from northwestern Tanzania," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:12:p:484-:d:454712. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.