Ecological restoration of abandoned agricultural land : an evaluation of socio-economic feasibility

Abstract

The study explores the socio-economic feasibility of ecological restoration of abandoned agricultural land, focusing on the area of the South Gozo Fault (localities of Għajnsielem and Qala). Ecological restoration is relevant for this area as considerably large tracts of abandoned agricultural land lie adjacent to ecologically important biotopes. fa the last decades, agricultural land in Gozo has been abandoned due to both socio-economic and environmental factors, leading to land degradation. The option of restoring such land for ecological purposes was explored in this study. Surveys and interviews were conducted to assess the perceptions of landowners and representatives from government, private and non-governmental organisations. Land-cover characteristics of the area of the South Gozo Fault were also mapped and GIS was used to calculate the total area of each landcover class. Results indicate that feasibility may be very context-specific; notwithstanding, general insights obtained indicated a reluctance amongst landowners to make agricultural land, even if abandoned, available for ecological restoration, with an evident preference that this land be restored to agricultural use. Financial incentives may, however, alter the options that landowners would be willing to consider. The study also indicated that the disparate and inaccurate nature of land ownership data may be a major constraint to implementing restoration projects on abandoned land. Whilst further research is needed on the feasibility of having ecological restoration on abandoned agricultural land, it would also be of interest for future studies to consider the option of using areas other than abandoned land (e.g. degraded land) for restoration purposes.