Of ponds and people: Governance to balance biodiversity conservation and carp pond farming in Central Europe

Due to the loss of many natural water bodies, artificially created ponds often serve as refuge for numerous endangered species. The history of pondscapes in Central Europe is closely tied to the introduction of the common carp. Changing political, social, and climatic conditions, along with the increasing threat from fish-eating species, make the economic viability of pond aquaculture increasingly fragile. However, maintaining these pondscapes is crucial to meet societal demands for landscape and nature conservation. This article addresses the neglect of pondscapes in conservation literature and contributes to the ongoing discussion on the importance of cultural landscapes for biodiversity conservation. Lusatia, one of Europe's largest pondscapes, faces challenges that reflect those encountered in other European pondscapes. In this study, we present these challenges along with the governance approaches implemented in Lusatia, using this analysis to outline potential solutions for conserving European pondscapes more broadly.