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Legal status of land tenure and use and its implication for open landscapes of western Crete
Abstract Land tenure is very complex in Crete. All wildlands covered by woody vegetation are considered to be forest lands belonging to the state. Under Forest Law 998/79 they can be used for firewood and timber production, hunting and livestock grazing but no change to other uses, such as agriculture and residential land, is allowed. Claiming forest land as private is difficult because it requires strong ownership titles that most people do not have. As a result, forest law is constantly violated due to the high demand for releasing forest land to satisfy farmless peasants and the tourist develoment business. This conversion of wildlands to farms, olive orchards and residential areas has a considerable impact on the landscape. Severe effects are also caused by free and uncontrolled grazing by livestock coupled with frequent pastoral wildfires. Agricultural lands, on the contrary, are privately owned but the legislation related to their conversion to residential areas is not very strict, resulting in major losses of productive arable lands. On the other hand, large irrigation projects are replacing the traditional polycultures with intensive, herbicide- and fertilizer-based monocultures. It is concluded that management strategies to maintain the diversity of Mediterranean landscapes should also include changes in the existing legislation on land tenure and use in western Crete.
Legal status of land tenure and use and its implication for open landscapes of western Crete
Abstract Land tenure is very complex in Crete. All wildlands covered by woody vegetation are considered to be forest lands belonging to the state. Under Forest Law 998/79 they can be used for firewood and timber production, hunting and livestock grazing but no change to other uses, such as agriculture and residential land, is allowed. Claiming forest land as private is difficult because it requires strong ownership titles that most people do not have. As a result, forest law is constantly violated due to the high demand for releasing forest land to satisfy farmless peasants and the tourist develoment business. This conversion of wildlands to farms, olive orchards and residential areas has a considerable impact on the landscape. Severe effects are also caused by free and uncontrolled grazing by livestock coupled with frequent pastoral wildfires. Agricultural lands, on the contrary, are privately owned but the legislation related to their conversion to residential areas is not very strict, resulting in major losses of productive arable lands. On the other hand, large irrigation projects are replacing the traditional polycultures with intensive, herbicide- and fertilizer-based monocultures. It is concluded that management strategies to maintain the diversity of Mediterranean landscapes should also include changes in the existing legislation on land tenure and use in western Crete.
Legal status of land tenure and use and its implication for open landscapes of western Crete
Papanastasis, V. (author)
Landscape and Urban Planning ; 24 ; 273-277
1993-01-08
5 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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