Estimation of Costs for Maintaining Landscape Elements by the Example of Baden-Wuerttemberg

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the costs arising from the maintenance of landscape elements in landscapes with different site conditions. For example, the distribution of hedgerows on sites of varying agricultural quality were considered. The calculations were undertaken on the entire area of Baden-Wuerttemberg, comprising various administrative districts. The association between ecological and economic information was analysed statistically and with the help of GIS. The results indicate that the costs for landscape element protection differ within the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg and that there is a high pressure on hedgerow biotopes existing in certain districts. Measures for protection such as agri-environmental programmes should consider the different landscape-dependent costs.