Transhumance, commons, and new opportunities: A European perspective

Abstract

Transhumance is a form of livestock management including seasonal movement of livestock and people. Based on literature studies, interviews, field conversations and visits, this article aims to show the different ways in which transhumance practitioners currently manage land – which to a large degree is different types of commons – and to discuss opportunities for sustainable future land management. Transhumance has been declining especially since the mid-20th century. While new opportunities for transhumance practitioners have occurred, such as landscape management for biodiversity purposes and urban transhumance, efforts to support transhumance need to be reinforced. Commons play an important role in providing access to land in rural and – to a limited degree – in urban areas.

Keywords

• common land
• climate change
• cultural values
• horizontal transhumance
• sustainable land management
• vertical transhumance
• urban transhumance