Entwicklung und ökonomische bewertung einer naturschutzgerechten beweidung auf feuchtgrünland dargestellt am naturschutzgebiet "Arnegger Ried"

For a protected area of approximately 20 ha the costs and benefits of four different management systems are compared. The considered management systems are maintenance cutting, as reference, and three different grazing regimes with suckler cows. The three grazing systems differ in their environmental impact. Further the potential of integrating the described management systems into an existing agricultural enterprise is assessed. Without public funding none of the management systems is capable to cover its costs. The site management system with the highest deficit is maintenance cutting followed by a scheme optimised for nature conservation. The most cost-efficient way of site management is a system based on the principles of semi-open grazing systems. The grazing system optimised for nature conservation is economically inferior to the other ones, mainly due to the organization of the funding directives.