Factors affecting farmers’ coastal heathland management – a case study in Nerlandsøya, Norway

The semi natural nature type of coastal heath provides a range of ecosystem services benefitting society. Phenomena, such as land use change, soil nitrification and the abandonment of heathland management, threatens the coastal heathland functioning and continued ecosystem provisioning. The semi natural nature type is red-listed in countries in Europe where they are located, and conservation efforts have been made. In Norway, conservation was promoted through the development and implementation of national government-initiated action plans. Management groups, often comprised of farmers and landowners, have the responsibility to use the action plans in their effort to maintain or promote well-functioning heathlands, through the activity of burning vegetation, and through having livestock, such as sheep, graze the land. Considering the essential role the farmers play for coastal heathland functioning it is important that they continue their practice. The scope of this study is to investigate what factors affect farmers’ coastal heathland management. A case study was used as research strategy, with Nerlandsøya in Norway being the study location. Four semi structured interviews with 6 farmers, and one focus-group interview with 7 farmers were done for data collection. Coding and categorization of content from interview-transcripts were done for data analysis. The 6 identified factors affecting farmers’ coastal heathland management were: economy, society, the burning practice, the infield -and outfield combination, the sheep, and personal motivation. These factors shape farmers’ management, which is essential for preserving the red-listed, semi-natural landscape of the coastal heathland and its ecosystem services.