Managing Interactions between Agriculture, Nature and Economy

Scenario studies, visualised in geographical information systems, are useful to evaluate possible future landscape developments, and to identify potentials and limitations in combining multiple landscape functions. Here we describe the development of a scenario system that focusses on exploring interactions between landscape functions — e.g. the interactions between farm management, economy, nutrient losses, fauna population dynamics, plant community development etc. A scenario for drinking water protection via afforestation is presented. It shows benefits from subsidies targeted to areas with special interests in protection of drinking waters from nitrate pollution differ from non-targeted subsidies.