Dopłaty w ramach Wspólnej Polityki Rolnej UE jako wsparcie ochrony polan reglowych w parkach narodowych polskich Karpat
Subsidies from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy as support for the conservation of montane glades in the national parks of the Polish Carpathians

Summary/Abstract: Semi-natural meadows and pastures are among the most valuable and, at the same time, most endangered ecosystems in Europe. Their decline results from contemporary land use changes, particularly agricultural intensification and farmland abandonment. In the Polish Carpathians, these plant communities occur, among other locations, on montane glades. Due to their high biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide, many of these glades are subject to active conservation within national parks. The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which subsidies under Pillar I and Pillar II of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) support conservation activities on montane glades, and to identify the main limitations associated with their use. The analysis covered four national parks in the Polish Carpathians: Babia Góra, Gorce, Pieniny, and Tatra. In all studied parks, montane glades were managed with support from CAP subsidies. However, both the proportion of subsidised area and the type of financial support varied. Support was provided for areas submitted for subsidies by national park administrations as well as by private landowners and leaseholders. The obtained funds were sufficient to cover mowing and biomass removal. Although the effectiveness of CAP subsidies remains subject to debate, and the payment system has several shortcomings, these funds have significantly increased the budget for extensive land management and for limiting secondary succession. Therefore, CAP subsidies can be considered an effective tool for supporting conservation efforts in national parks — provided they are better tailored to local environmental and socio-economic conditions.

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