From oxen to tourists: The management history of subalpine grasslands in the Sudeten mountains and its significance for nature conservation

Abstract

Grasslands above the timberline in European high mountains, such as the Alps, have been used as summer pasture for millennia, creating diverse ecosystems of high conservation value. However, the historical ecology of natural grasslands in middle mountains is much less known. We combined archival and palaeoecological sources to understand the management history of subalpine grasslands in the Hrubý Jeseník Mountains (Czechia) and evaluated the results in view of current nature conservation efforts. The analysis showed that people managed these grasslands for at least seven centuries in a highly dynamic system. Following the abandonment of management in the mid-20th century, this socioecological knowledge was lost and current nature conservation relies on non-intervention to protect areas seen as analogues to nordic tundra. While this is justified for some parts, the encroachment of shrubby vegetation in other parts signifies that the reintroduction of management based on historical parallels can be a valid approach in nature protection.