[PDF] Environmental Conditions and Vegetation Recovery at Abandoned - Anciens Et Réunions

Will abandoned croplands be recultivated in 30 years?

At most sites, we project that >50% of abandoned croplands will be recultivated within 30 years, precluding the accumulation of substantial amounts of carbon and biodiversity. Recultivation resulted in 30.84% less abandonment and 35.39% less carbon accumulated by 2017 than expected without recultivation.

Can rural landscapes be revitalised after abandonment?

Rural landscapes can also be revitalised after abandonment with recultivation ( Estel et al., 2015 ), hobby farming ( Varotto and Lodatti, 2014) and leisure activities ( Bauer et al., 2009, Vanslembrouck et al., 2005 ). However, the drivers that determine how these alternative trajectories are selected remain unexplored.

What are semi-natural landscape outcomes after abandonment?

The numerous examples of Semi-natural landscape outcomes after abandonment that we recorded present many potential opportunities, especially in a context of limited land availability: “ We do not have space at all, everything is already occupied, and everything is already owned.

Can abandoned lands contribute to sustainable land use transitions?

So far, studies mostly focused on abandonment as an end-state and described impacts on the landscapes. However, land uses and covers generally change with time, which is what we explore here. The potential of abandoned lands to contribute to sustainable land use transitions have received growing interest over the past years.