Permanent Grasslands in an Anthropogenically Burdened Region, and Their Contribution to Sustainable Development

Abstract

The landscape of the northern part of the Czech Republic (the Chomutov, Most, Teplice and ústí nad Labem districts) has long been burdened by the surface mining of brown coal. Within the reclamation and restoration processes, the anthropogenic formations which were created have been successfully integrated into the surrounding landscape. One of the important regional elements which have been utilized during the regeneration is permanent grasslands (PGL). They are of considerable importance not only for cattle grazing, but also for the preservation of the region’s biodiversity and protection of the soil. The contribution deals with the production and non-production functions of permanent grasslands in the landscape, and their significance within the scope of the permanently sustainable development of an anthropogenically burdened region. Permanent grasslands are part of the agricultural landscape, but their significance is multifunctional, because they not only provide an environment for cattle grazing, but also protect soil, the nutrient cycle and the microclimate, and preserve biodiversity. At the same time, the article analyzes in detail the development of this vegetation in the area of interest-Northern Bohemia. During the period of the greatest mining boom (1967-1990), its rapid decrease-by as much as 4500 ha-was recorded in some areas. Since the year 1990, there has been a significant growth in the most damaged areas. At present, the development of PGLs has stabilized.