6000 Years of Tree Pollarding and Leaf-hay Foddering of Livestock in the Alpine Area

Wien

2002

S. 231-240

4 Abb., 18 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

200097796

Harvesting of trees and shrubs for twigs and leaf-hay in order to get valuable winter fodder for livestock has a very long tradition of more than 6000 years in the Alpine Area. Examples of pollarding, shredding and pruning of trees can be seen in side valleys of Southern Tyrol (Italy), the southern French Alps or in the Lötschen valley in Switzerland today, where all existing broad-leafed and needle trees are used. However, the traditional knowledge of how to cut and dry leaf-bearing twigs in late summer, as well as how to feed dried leaf-hay in winter is, vanishing quickly. This is partly due to recent forestry regulations and partly because less and less farmers pass on their knowledge to their children and younger colleagues. Depending on the species every individual tree and shrub can be used for leaf harvesting in regular intervals of two to six years. However, the loss of importance of this old agricultural technique has major, long-term implications on landscape forming and on the biodiversity below fodder trees, due to the decrease in importance of plants and animals depending on regular canopy openings. And when considering the landscape aspect, it is obvious that tree species such as Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) or Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia) with their high aesthetic and touristic value would not be as common in sub-Alpine valleys today without the long history of leaf-hay harvesting. Considering the high nutritional value of leaf and twig-fodder, this old agricultural tradition should be reconsidered for wide promotion in order to replace costly grass fodder acquisition in times of shortage.