Permanent grassing of plantations

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Permanent grassing or establishing of perennial vegetative cover of vineyards, hop gardens, and orchards reduces runoff and erosion. Vegetation controls erosion by protecting soil from displacement by raindrop impacts and by reducing the velocity and quantity of surface runoff. The measure should be accompanied by other linear biotechnological measures (e.g. ditches) and be implemented especially…

No- or low tillage incl. mulching and direct seeding and strip till

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No- or low (conservation) tillage totally or largely foregoes the use of ploughs. Instead, tillage tools are used that do not turn the soil (e.g. cultivators, disc harrows) or disturb the structure of the soil while leaving crop residues (= mulch) near or on the surface of the soil. Strip cultivation or striptill is a…

Natural hazard insurance for buildings

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Insurance against natural hazards protects home owners against the financial consequences of floods caused by high water, heavy rainfall, backwater, earthquakes, subsidence, landslides, snow pressure, avalanches and volcanic eruptions. Most homes are not adequately insured against such natural hazards, although support from disaster funds is not expected. In Germany, for example, only 43 percent of…

Local subsidies and voluntary agreements for action exceeding mandatory management standards

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There is a large set of EU-requirements and standards that land managers have to meet in order to receive support scheme payments (“cross compliance”). However, local risk assessment may require exceeding mandatory standards. Here, voluntary agreements between farmer, land owner and municipality and local subsidies may help. Subsidies and agreements should accommodate the likely changes…