Kulturlandschaft

Hof bei Salzburg, Salzburg

Today, local and supra-local spatial planning regulates land use and has the possibility to intervene in the development of the cultural landscape in a regulating manner. The protection of areas is the responsibility of the nature conservation authority. Our "Landscape Trail" initially leads through settlement areas, but then almost exclusively through agriculturally or forestrally used areas. 42% of Salzburg's provincial area is used for agriculture. Of this, about one third is arable land and grassland, but two thirds are Almen (mountain pastures) and mountain meadows. Most agricultural businesses in the area of the "Farm Trail" practice extensive agriculture with various additional sources of income. Many farmers run their farms as a secondary occupation and (or) offer a tourist service (farm holidays). Agriculture provides invaluable services to society not only through the production of food. Farmers are guardians of rural traditions; they cultivate and preserve the cultural landscape. Through careful use, they contribute much to the preservation of biodiversity and thus secure the basis for tourism. Lush meadows, happy cows, the smell of hay – all of this should not, however, distract from the problems of modern agriculture such as the eternally falling milk price, subsidy problems, and cheap imports of agricultural products. – You might think these topics don't belong here – but they do: Because our society and our cultural landscape cannot afford to label our farmers as mere landscape caretakers!