Predictive model for meadow owners’ participation in agri-environmental climate schemes in Natura 2000 areas

[Display omitted] •A lack of young, highly educated participants in AECS.•More extensively used meadows are involved in AECS than intensively used ones.•Adjustments to the subsidy procedure and conditions for joining in AECS are needed. European semi-natural grasslands maintained through traditional practices are among the most species-rich plant communities within the present-day rural landscape. However, land use change has caused a drastic decline in grassland area. In European agricultural policy, agri-environmental schemes (AES) have been introduced to preserve, enhance and restore biodiversity on European farmland. Goričko Landscape Park (GLP) in Slovenia is Natura 2000 area with the aim to preserve traditional and extensive small-scale farming. Measures to encourage proper management of extensively used meadows in GLP were carried out within the Agricultural Environmental Climate Scheme (AECS). The aims of this research were to identify key factors that might affect an owner’s decision to adopt AECS. The data were collected with online and paper versions of a survey completed by 198 meadow owners between April 2015 and April 2016. Owners reported that 41.3% of a total of 368 meadows were involved in AECS. In year 2015, there were 156 officially registered Agricultural Economies from GLP. With 53 analysed meadows (34%), involved in AECS, the confidence level was 95% and the confidence interval was 11. Based on binominal logistic regression factors having a positive significant influence on participation in AECS were, as follows: large meadow area, higher education level and higher knowledge about goals of Natura 2000. Factors that do not statistically significantly contribute to participation in AECS are meadow type, income, age, gender, environmental values, management independence, subsidy rate and knowledge about AECS. Factor having a negative significant influence on participation in AECS was subsidy procedure. To increase the number of participants in AECS and therefore encourage proper management of extensively used meadows, young owners should be encouraged to participate in AECS, because older owners who had completed secondary school were more likely to participate in AECS. There is also a lack of female owners participating in AECS because of their lack of skills and knowledge about AECS. Additionally the subsidy procedure for joining AECS should be simplified. Owners should get more information about AECS and available options and why it e