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All the papers are centered around the I forest i as the main keyword, appearing in diverse combinations: forest management [[4], [7]], forest recreation [[7]], forest landscape [[6]], and forest air [[2]], plantation forest [[4]]. The authors concluded that people preferred flat views and had a strong preference for forest trail landscapes, which plays an important role in forest landscape recreation, and that the photos evoked both positive and negative emotions. Forests, which are viewed as an important natural resource for humanity, have been constantly threatened with degradation or even extinction since the dawn of the modern period. In some areas, predominantly rural ones, the forest acts as a site for the seasonal collection of berries and mushrooms (non-timber forest products, NTFPs), which are integrated into rural life as key social activities. [Extracted from the article]

Landscape aesthetic quality (LAQ) evaluation is vital in territorial spatial planning. It helps to achieve the rational development and protection of territorial space and ensures the harmonious coexistence of developments and the ecological environment. Based on mapping and quantification, this paper took LAQ evaluation as the object, established a methodological framework for large-scale natural LAQ evaluation, excavated and identified key areas with outstanding landscape aesthetics service supply capabilities, and supported regional landscape planning and protection management. This paper took the Hengduan Mountains in China as an example to evaluate and identify the spatial distribution of the LAQ in mountainous areas. The results showed that the high-value LAQ areas are located east and south of the Hengduan Mountains, where high-quality natural landscapes are concentrated and have significant potential for establishing national parks. The evaluation results of the LAQ can provide a good reference for the spatial identification of future national parks in the Hengduan Mountains. Moreover, our research can provide a scientific basis for large-scale landscape spatial planning and decision-making for the classified protection and rational utilization of landscape resources and other mountain ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geohazards pose an essential role to the preservation of cultural and natural heritage areas, given their valuable significance in terms of scenic, natural, and cultural characteristics, forming unique landscapes that require proactive action to achieve sustainable environmental management. To address these challenges, a methodological framework focusing on geohazard prevention, emphasizing the importance of a pre-management stage that enables stakeholders to prioritize resources and implement landscape planning strategies, is proposed in this paper. In this framework, an integrated set of geospatial, geological, meteorological, and other relevant environmental factors to quantify cumulative geohazard zones in heritage areas is utilized. Implementing advanced tools such as geographic information systems (GISs), remote sensing techniques, and geospatial data analysis, a clustering and characterization of various geohazards is obtained, providing a comprehensive understanding of their cumulative impacts. The introduction of a cumulative geohazard index is proposed in this paper to better understand and then assess the impacts of environmental-driven geohazards that may affect cultural and natural heritage areas to be embedded into the impact assessment process. The validation of the proposed geohazard framework and index is performed in the Parrhasian Heritage Park in Peloponnese, Greece. The outcomes of the analysis highlight the need to mitigate geohazard impacts through early and in situ targeted actions to facilitate the decision-making process and contribute to the protection of evolving landscapes with cultural and natural elements for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decade of research concentrating on the area of Eastern Slavonia revealed an abundance of large and complex Middle and Late Neolithic sites. It changed profoundly how we perceive Middle and Late Neolithic settlements, including space, size and organization. The vast majority of these sites were detected through aerial reconnaissance and satellite image analysis. The observation of the sites was followed by intensive field surveys, which confirmed their attribution to the Middle and Late Neolithic period by surface finds. On those confirmed sites in the vicinity of Đakovo, Croatia, a magnetic survey was conducted on five sites, and the results confirmed the presence of large-scale Middle and Late Neolithic settlements with complex spatial organization and enclosure(s). The most complex remains so far are the sites Gorjani, Kremenjača and Topole, which we present in this paper, where one or two settlements remain covering an area of 70 hectares which is currently in the process of formal protection as a cultural landscape by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia. The special focus of this paper is the application of remote sensing in the detection, archaeological confirmation and protection of the site of Gorjani Topole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese settlements (TCSs) embody millennia of human and cultural history, with the core culture serving as their essence. However, any damage incurred by these TCSs can result in the loss of core culture. In the era of China's digital transformation, there has recently been a significant push toward digital reforms within TCSs. Thus, this paper introduces a traditional settlement digitalization (TSD) framework with a specific focus on enhancing the preservation of TCS landscape gene through the perspective of landscape gene information chain theory. This research uses the Nanxun traditional settlement (TS), Huzhou, Zhejiang, China, the first TS listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site in China, as a case study, extracting and identifying the area landscape gene and digital visualization status. This article identifies the landscape gene information chain of the Nanxun TS and redesigns its digital visualization and application scheme under the TSD framework. This study reveals the notion of a digital landscape gene characterized by four key attributes: identical, interactive, immersive, and intelligent. The results of this study will help guide the sustainable protection, application and planning of the Nanxun TS and promote the study of other sections of landscape gene theory. This research not only contributes to the development of landscape gene information chain theory but also provides guidance for the digital transformation of other TCSs and cultural heritage sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The landscape surrounding a summer villa is, in a morphological and experiential sense, an inseparable part of the villa and its garden. This research examines the level of preservation of the historic landscapes of eight summer villas in Dubrovnik and the level of their integration into the urban fabric of the contemporary city. The research methods used include the analysis of the relevant scientific literature as well as the analysis and interpretation of graphic materials, i.e., cadastral maps from the second half of the 19th century, orthophoto maps, and spatial planning documentation. In this paper, the immediate landscape in close vicinity to the summer villas is defined as the protective zone of a summer villa (PZSV). Although the original use and extent of the summer villa landscapes have rarely been preserved, it is possible to establish PZSVs in order to preserve, i.e., reinterpret, the setting of the summer villas, which is necessary to experience them in their totality. This research establishes the general principles that enable the identification of three general models of transformation of the summer villa landscape. Furthermore, this research develops possible scenarios for the enhancement of the summer villa landscape based on the identified models. These models and scenarios are generally applicable in the context of the protection and enhancement of the summer villa landscapes in of the south of Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geoparks are territorial landscape protection and promotion organisations with aims of geoheritage conservation, geo‐education, and sustainable regional development using geotourism products. Building on an analytical literature review, using the Scopus database, this paper shows that geopark studies remain solidly positioned in the domain of the geosciences and have objectified, expert‐based interpretations of landscape. This situation has resulted in a research gap concerning the role of communities, and their landscape values, in geoparks. The paper makes three claims that form a starting point for advancing our knowledge of geoparks: (1) (geo)heritage cannot be decoupled from people's activities and interpretations, (2) geoparks are not community‐free environments, and (3) increased attention to communities is needed to assess sustainable regional development in geoparks. In the final analysis, there is a need to move beyond the realm of the geosciences to advance our understanding of the societal value of geoparks, and of their sustainable development potential. Building on an analytical literature review, using the Scopus database, this paper identifies a research gap concerning the role of communities, and their landscape values, in geoparks. The paper makes three claims that form a starting point for advancing our knowledge of geoparks: (1) (geo)heritage cannot be decoupled from people's activities and interpretations, (2) geoparks are not community‐free environments, and (3) increased attention to communities is needed to assess sustainable regional development in geoparks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of human society and the acceleration of urbanization, the impact of construction projects on the ecological environment is increasingly attracting attention. Conducting an ecological environmental impact assessment of construction projects is crucial to protect the ecological environment and achieve sustainable development. To estimate how construction projects would affect the value of ecosystem services, this paper develops the China Land Use Feature Data Sets (CLUFS) and uses the Beijing "One Line Four Mines" project as an example. Research found that the project's conservation and restoration zone and the landscape construction zone will significantly enhance the ecosystem regulation services value. The conservation and restoration zone will increase by 30% from the current 1.413 billion yuan per year to 1.836 billion yuan per year, and the landscape construction zone will increase by 69% from the current 400 million yuan per year to 676 million yuan per year. The tourism development zone, dominated by urban construction, will result in a decrease in ecosystem regulation services, from 19.26 million yuan per year to 17.60 million yuan per year by 9%. Overall, the "One Line Four Mines" project achieved a balance of ecological value and surplus. The method proposed in this paper for predicting the impact of ecosystem regulation services value on construction projects can be used to quickly evaluate the effects of different planning schemes on the ecosystem services value of land parcels to help urban planning decision-makers control the condition of land use. It can provide new indicators for the ecological environment department to incorporate ecological benefits into the evaluation system of planning schemes and new methods for evaluating the ecological protection effectiveness of projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aimed to analyze the features of work and work force in the EU agriculture and identify the changes regarding the number of working persons, number of farmers, type of work, utilized agricultural land, standard output, and age, gender, education level structure, based on the data provided by Eurostat. The authors made a comprehensive approach of the main aspects concerning labor force as a reflection of the EU policy measures. The main indicators were described and classified according to the type of work: family work and non family work, pointing out that the EU agriculture is running mainly in family farms of a small size, in which the activity is done both by the farmer and his family members. Family farms represent 95.2% of the total number of farms. They work 62.2% of the total utilized agricultural land and contribute by 59.5% to agricultural output. The higher the average farm size, the higher the average regular work force and the higher average standard output per farm and year. The farmers' ageing and workers' migration led to the decline of labor force in agriculture but to the growth of farms size and productivity. Training level of the most of working persons in agriculture is still low. The new technologies, the challenges created by climate change, the need of environment protection and biodiversity and landscapes preservation in the rural areas claims as farmers to become the main "actors" of the rural communities. Farmers have to be highly trained with entrepreneurial and technological knowledge and skills to be able to continue the sustainable development of agriculture in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas management is usually confronted with conflicting interests from various stakeholders and would, therefore, entail a search for a rational compromise. The Masungi Georeserve in Rizal Province, which is part of the 26,125.84 hectares that comprise the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL), captures the challenges inherent in environmental conflict resolution. This paper analyzes the situation in the Masungi Georeserve using a political ecological lens, particularly applying Michel Foucault’s theory of governmentality and James Scott’s theory of legibility. It is found that attempts of the State to enable governmentality and legibility have further contributed to the conflict. The main goal of the paper is to offer a framework for resolving the conflict that would serve the best interests of all stakeholders, even as it is also the best option for optimizing the ecological services provided by the Masungi Georeserve. The paper argues that the state’s legibility and governmentality projects have provided a less enabling landscape for environmental protection and offers Cullen’s theory of transitional governmentality as an alternative theoretical framework that could be used in imagining a solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Great Wall Villages (GWVs) are linked to the Great Wall in history, culture, and ecology. The cultural landscape resilience of Great Wall Villages (CLRGWVs) is distinctly significant. However, it is influenced by urbanization, pollution, and a lack of awareness of cultural landscape protection. Therefore, conservation and development practices still lack scientific strategies and guidance. This study proposes a new assessment system to quantify CLRGWVs, an analysis of the main influencing factors of resilience, and optimization paths to maintain sustainable development. Based on the socio-ecological system, this research designed the assessment with three criteria, eleven factors, and thirty-three indexes from the perspective of CLRGWVs. Furthermore, a demonstration test was constructed in Ningyuanbao Village, Dushikou Village, and Longmensuo Village in Chicheng County, Hebei Province, China. The results showed that there is some disparity between the three GWVs, with the resilience score of Dushikou Village being the highest in terms of resistance and learning. In contrast, Ningyuanbao Village's resilience score is the lowest since resistance, recovery, and learning capacity are lower than in Dushikou and Longmensuo. Some influencing factors were found to be highly related to adaptive capacity. Lastly, some low-resilience aspects were identified as critical improvement targets for which corresponding optimization strategies should be proposed. This could be applied to streamline resilience optimization paths according to local conditions. This paper provides new ideas and directions for dealing with the sustainable development of villages and the conservation of cultural landscapes. It will also help villages deal with the relationship between socio-economic development and the conservation of cultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses attention on the importance of preserving objects of the historical urban landscape, which the authors consider as a response to the challenges of war. The relevance of the study is due to the desire of Ukraine to follow European values in the formation of urban spaces. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the essential, to be preserved, characteristics of the elements of historical urban landscapes - gardens and squares. In the work, the analysis of the stages of formation of elements of the historical urban landscape is carried out on the example of a garden and a square in the cities of Poltava and Kharkov; factors and patterns that influenced the features of their architectural and landscape formation are identified; the main characteristics of the spatial planning and landscape organization of the studied objects are revealed. A new research algorithm for Ukrainian practice will strengthen the scientific justification of projects for the preservation and revival of the country's historical urban landscape objects, as a response to the challenges of the post-war period. The result of the study can be used in works aimed at preserving historical urban landscapes in various urban conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landscape planning has traditionally been concerned with an agenda of protection, amenity and ornament. This focus has been important, but has remained peripheral to mainstream spatial planning. Building on an influential but partial set of practices, the latter twentieth century saw landscape planning mature into a domain with coherent purposes and techniques. In the first part of the twenty-first century, landscape planning has identified more strongly with the core concerns of spatial planning. Through innovations such as the European Landscape Convention, landscape has become increasingly central to matters of sustainability and place-making across both urban and rural realms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated concentrations of heavy metals in natural waters can cause significant ecological problems. It is therefore essential to ensure their removal from any water discharged into the environment immediately, especially in case of an accident, where there is a risk of releasing large quantities or high concentrations. The aim of this paper is to test a newly developed adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions—in particular, it is very fast adsorption, and thus efficiency, during clean-ups. The alkali-activated foamed zeolite adsorbent was laboratory-prepared and -tested in both batch and flow-through arrangements on single and multi-component solutions and compared with natural zeolite. The experimental setup for batch adsorption consisted of a set of samples and solutions containing iron, cobalt, manganese, zinc and nickel. The samples were put on a horizontal shaker with a 500 mg adsorbent loading in a 50 mL solution. The column adsorption experimental setup consisted of a glass column with an inside diameter of 15 mm and a bed length of 165 mm. A measured amount of each adsorbent was added to the column to achieve a filter fixed-bed height of 160 mm. The high efficiency of the tested adsorbent on various heavy metals was confirmed. The adsorbent has a high potential for use in decontamination processes, water protection and landscape revitalization. Due to its rapid precipitation and subsequent fixation of metal cations in the form of insoluble oxide or hydroxide, it can be used as an emergency adsorbent, the great advantage of which is its low production cost and natural origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the need for the inquiry of landscape values and public participation within the decision-making process on spatial changes. They are taken into account as an important segment in the harmonization of conservation and development requirements in the planning of sustainable spatial development. The method for obtaining that information was established, and new approaches in landscape research were tested through the perception of its values as the first step to solving the conflicts between spatial conservation and development. Through the research of the experiences and theoretical knowledge on the nature protection issues within the spatial planning context, this paper indicated the need for determination of the effectiveness of the standardization approach to nature protection. Also, it emphasized the importance of testing a possible application of new approaches, which would be based on a mutually agreed approach to the protection and development of space. Modeling the landscape qualities of the space was presented as a basic tool within the presentation methodology and within the inclusion of different public segments in the spatial planning procedure. Its usefulness has been shown in the possibility of preparing the cartographic presentation of the harmonized model, which simultaneously includes the opinions of all relevant groups and can be easily implemented in the planning procedure using the GIS tools before decision-making. This paper pointed out that such an approach contributes to solving the practical problems in the protection of landscape qualities that represent public good and the link between nature and culture, and biophysical, perceptional, social, and developmental elements within the space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of each spatial unit is determined by the capital, whether natural or socioeconomic, which it possesses. Natural capital is determined by the properties of individual natural components of the landscape, both abiotic and biotic sources. Socioeconomic capital is linked to a socioeconomic activities in the landscape. Capital creates certain prerequisites for the development of individual socioeconomic activities. Society does not always optimally use the offered potential, which is connected with the manifestation of various environmental problems. The paper focuses on the presentation of the methodical procedure of natural capital evaluation on the example of the village of Važec. The methodological procedure is based on an integrated approach to the landscape. It focuses on the assessment of both natural capital and limiting factors resulting from the development of socioeconomic activities, namely: – positive arising from the needs of nature and landscape protection, as well as from the protection of natural resources, – negative (stress factors) linked to the contamination of environmental components, which in retrospect in relation to socioeconomic activities act as hygienic limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main research question of this paper focuses on the impact of contemporary interventions on the protection of architectural heritage and the transformation of the unique historic urban landscape of Sarajevo, which symbolizes social tolerance. This study examines the tendencies that have been destroying the essence of such a landscape since the beginning of the 21st century. This research primarily relies on the method of direct observation to analyze the ongoing transformation of the urban landscape over the past 25 years. Additionally, previous research findings and relevant documentation regarding the ongoing urban metamorphosis were considered. The historical urban landscape of Sarajevo is the result of complex urban development that began in the mid-15th century. This urban form, still partially recognizable today, reflected prevailing social relationships, particularly the inclusion of different groups instead of their exclusion, which demonstrated tolerance. However, this research shows the incompatibility of today's neoliberal concept with the preservation of an urban landscape that embodies tolerance and excludes social marginalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution critically reflects the musealization of landscapes as an effective response to the rapid transformations brought about by globalization. Focusing on the case of Sicilian heritage, we examine how the conservation and representation of traditional landscapes in museums serve as a defensive reaction to the perceived threats of homogenization and cultural loss caused by global processes. This article fits into the debate on cultural landscapes and outlines the protection policies implemented by UNESCO while delving into the role of museum collections. In this specific context of preserving the tangible and intangible components of cultural heritage, the landscape is intertwined with the role of local communities in a changing world. We also explore the concept of authenticity in landscapes and its significance in preserving cultural identities. Through qualitative methodology involving critical analysis of literature and document examination, the research illustrates how the musealization of Sicilian landscapes has aimed to safeguard collective memory and cultural heritage. However, this article also highlights potential risks associated with this process, such as the static representation of dynamic cultures and the selective nature of museum curation. Ultimately, this study advocates for transparent and multifaceted interpretations of cultural landscapes to avoid the creation of artificial myths and to preserve the polysemy of the landscape's meaning. By critically examining the context through significant examples, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of musealization in conserving and representing cultural landscapes in the face of globalization's challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agri-environment and climate payments represent a key element necessary for the integration of environmental protection issues into the Common Agricultural Policy. In Romania, this measure aims to encourage farmers (users of agricultural land) to adopt, on a voluntary basis, agricultural practices that ensure the maintenance of the environmental value of rural areas, the maintenance of specific habitats of agricultural land important for priority wild species, the sustainable use of natural resources and the preservation of traditional landscapes. This paper presents the situation of accessing the agri-environment and climate compensatory payment measure for adaptation to the effects of climate change on agricultural land, in Romania, between 2015 and 2019, where a total of 212,413 beneficiaries were registered, with a total eligible area of 1,799,820 hectares and the eligible value of compensatory payments was 231,563,125.73 euros. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Czech Journal of Historical Heritage Preservation / Zpravy Pamatkove Pece is the property of Narodni Pamatkovy Ustav and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Green areas such as natural and periurban parks provide support to biodiversity and landscape preservation while boosting local economic growth in their hosting territories, thanks to the establishment of eco-tourism activities. Smart management and promotion actions are vital for the sustainable exploitation of such benefits for citizens and visitors. These tasks may be hindered by a lack of economic resources and digital skills of public authorities but also by fragmented local political contexts to which these areas may be subjected. The parks in the Insubria region (between Southern Switzerland and Northern Italy) represent a relevant example of the above. The INSUBRIPARKS project aims at the harmonisation of management and promotion practices for the Insubria parks. The project activities encompass multiple actions, from the establishment of unified territorial marketing strategies to the development of supporting IT tools. Accordingly, this paper provides an overview of the IT tools ecosystem which was designed and developed within the project and an outlook on its role in empowering smart monitoring and promotion for these parks. Tools include a Web portal (enriched with Web mapping components) for a unified presentation of the tourism offers, an analysis framework for social media data exploitation in park visitors' fluxes assessment, and a mobile tool for users' engagement in the park areas monitoring. Alongside technical descriptions, lessons learned and residual challenges for the operative adoption of the tools are discussed as to their future improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of computer visual information processing technology, designers use visual image processing methods to analyze and extract the features of landscape ecological space environment, establish visual reconstruction models of landscape ecological construction and spatial pattern optimization design images, and improve their ability to identify and reconstruct the artistic features of landscape ecological space environment. In this paper, a landscape ecological construction and spatial pattern optimization design scheme based on NN and GA is put forward. In the process of image visual reconstruction of landscape ecological construction and spatial pattern optimization design, urban ecological landscape information fusion perception and block area template matching are carried out to realize urban ecological landscape design. Finally, simulation test and analysis are carried out. The results show that the accuracy of this algorithm is high, which is 9.34% higher than that of traditional GA. This method can effectively reduce the iteration times and running time of the algorithm and improve the efficiency of landscape space optimization design. Carrying out the research on ecological planning and design with landscape ecological protection and restoration as the core has important practical guiding significance for guiding all localities to construct landscape ecological security pattern and promote green urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study and analyze the urban road landscape by integrating big data with GIS and designing a simulation system. Underwood is selected as the base model and calibrated for optimal density and capacity. The traffic flow model is optimized, and the minimum flow rate of each class of road is corrected; the traffic volume of highway and expressway in the early morning and at night is adjusted to make up for the discrepancy between the calculated flow rate of the model and the actual situation due to the unstable speed. Investigate and analyze the pollutants produced by enterprises along the road and select suitable and targeted plants to enhance the ecological protection of road landscape and optimize and improve the park environment; combine the regional culture and apply the ceramic culture to the design of road landscape vignettes; select suitable water and moisture-resistant plants for slope protection plant landscape design, to form a trinity of ecological protection, landscape road, and riverfront green space of industrial park road landscape. As a new basic geospatial infrastructure and carrier, 3D city has a unique spatiotemporal view to plan and manage the operation and maintenance information of the whole city. This part of the study takes urban planning, community management, urban publicity, and tourism management as demonstration cases and focuses on the elaboration and verification of how 3D city data and 3D urban geographic information are applied in the refined urban construction and management. Typical road measurement data are selected, and the applicability of the road traffic flow model of each level is judged by numerical analysis. An interactive road model editing method with the help of auxiliary information is proposed. With the help of auxiliary information displayed in different ways, the operation of adjusting road height in three-dimensional space is transformed into operation in a two-dimensional plane, which can effectively simplify the operation process and improve the accuracy of model editing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is one of the main human activities with direct and indirect effects on the environment. The abandonment of many traditional agricultural practices, mainly for their inability to meet the current requirements of industrial agriculture, has brought to unsustainable agricultural systems characterized by high external energy inputs and by a high fragility to environmental and political shocks. Therefore, sustainable agriculture is nowadays crucial for preserving the environment. Agricultural heritage systems are receiving increasing attention at the international level, as testified by the establishment of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The aim of the GIAHS Programme is, in fact, to identify and safeguard agro-silvo-pastoral systems resulting from the co-existence between humans and nature, which survived using traditional techniques are still providing many ecosystem services, while maintaining magnificent landscapes, wild and agricultural biodiversity, ancestral knowledge, and strong cultural and social values. These systems, based on sustainable practices, are still able to provide food and livelihood security, resources and services to local communities, but are also examples of adaptation and mitigation to climate change and to different and often difficult environmental conditions, as well as models of resilience and sustainability. In 2018 the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), together with the Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) of the University of Florence, developed a project called "GIAHS Building Capacity", aimed at identifying agricultural heritage sites in different parts of the world. This Special Issue collects the results of investigations carried out in thirteen sites in Central and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia offering a wide an coherent perspective on agricultural heritage systems across the world. The papers included in the Special Issue proved that agricultural heritage systems, despite some vulnerabilities mainly due to socio-economic causes rather than to environmental ones, still provide different ecosystem services to local communities, including: food and byproducts supply, soil erosion protection, hydrogeological risk and deforestation defense, agrobiodiversity and biodiversity conservation, cultural landscape preservation, agro-tourism; at the same time they can be important for transmitting traditional knowledge to new generations and for the local identity. The GIAHS programme can play a key role in preserving traditional agricultural systems, and their related agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services, both in developing and developed countries. In fact, its aim is not limited to the conservation of these systems, but the whole Programme is based on the concept of dynamic conservation, as sustainable innovations are needed for the preservation of agricultural heritage systems and, therefore, for the future of rural areas and of rural communities. The research is part of the activities promoted by the UNESCO Chair on Agricultural Heritage Landscapes established at the University of Florence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the gradual maturity of the development of scientific and technological modernization, China's economic level has risen rapidly, and people's living conditions have been further improved. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of things, and big data have brought new opportunities for China's urban construction and landscape design. Facing the development of modern science and technology, the application of landscape design in rural construction has become the main research object. In this paper, particle swarm optimization algorithm is used to study the modernization of rural landscape design. Starting with intelligent technology, particle swarm optimization algorithm is used to improve the traditional model of rural landscape design. Firstly, the control range of rural landscape lighting system is divided into regions, the user needs are processed, and the intelligent system of landscape lamps is further adjusted. It improves the problems of energy conservation and environmental protection in rural landscape design. Finally, based on the particle swarm optimization neural network supervision algorithm, the rural planning land is allocated intelligently. The intelligent design of sprinkler irrigation equipment in landscape architecture can adjust the sprinkler area and range according to the growth period of crops and achieve the purpose of real-time monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification and preservation of cultural landscapes worthy of protection is a challenging task, as their significance is often not immediately apparent. Analyzing the process through which a site or landscape became a heritage site and understanding the historical context and the factors that contributed to its designation allows making informed decisions on the management and preservation of the site. To provide research-based knowledge, this paper aims to analyze the transformation of the degraded remains of the North Pole expedition bases of Andrée and Wellman in Virgohamna, Svalbard, into a protected historic landscape and the subsequent emergence of the site as a current popular tourist destination. Virgohamna serves as an illustrative case for examining the heritagization process of cultural heritage sites in Svalbard. This article adopts a multidisciplinary approach, drawing upon case studies, mapping and categorizing the historic and current landscape, the condition and vulnerability assessment of historic remains, behavior studies on visiting tourists and guides on-site, expert interviews, and document studies. The findings highlight the complex processes that have influenced the making of the cultural heritage landscape in Virgohamna, the enduring narrative associated with the site, and the need for continued efforts to ensure the preservation and dissemination of its historical significance. Analyzing the process through which Virgohamna has become a heritage site and understanding the historical context and the factors that have contributed to its designation as a heritage site has the potential to enhance comprehension regarding historical importance and heritage values. Furthermore, it might facilitate engaging stakeholders and formulating management approaches and provide insights for policy suggestions. The comprehensive examination serves as a foundation for responsible and sustainable heritage management, ensuring the preservation and promotion of Virgohamna's cultural heritage for present and future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual trees and tree compositions provide a wide range of cultural ecosystem services, including playing a key role in defining urban character. In Hungary, urban landscape protection tools have recently been expanded, bringing the topic into the spotlight. However, the significance of natural elements (and particularly trees) in relation to the urban landscape is still under-researched. In this paper, using a novel methodology, the character-forming significance of trees and tree-compositional elements of historic gardens in Hungary that define the urban character is analysed and evaluated. The urban landscape protection tools that establish the current recognition of green elements within the urban landscape are also analysed. In addition, the spatial situations and characteristics making certain trees in historic gardens defining character elements within Hungarian settlements are studied. Reasons behind the lack of significant tree features in certain historic gardens, as well as the external and internal characteristics of tree elements that determine their visual impact have been categorised. The results reveal that visually important trees, while diverse, show distinct trends in terms of visibility and are subject to constant change. The results imply that a paradigm shift is necessary to maintain, design and regulate green infrastructure in relation to visually important trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By analyzing the historical background of the times and summarizing the current situation of urban development research at home and abroad, we find that there is a lack of theoretical and practical research related to intelligent park cities. Therefore, this paper first starts with the connotation of park city theory, focuses on the improvement of planning methods, and studies the application paths of big data technology in the planning and construction of park cities. Taking Jinzhai Country as the research object, this paper further illustrates the applicability of this research method at the macrolevel. In the context of the park city, we analyze the problems of the current status of city construction in general and explore the path of "planning concept first, big data-assisted design" for innovative and intelligent city construction. According to the study, the overlook corridor control has an impact on the building height. In terms of landscape protection, overlook system simulation is the other key factor. In addition, the analytic hierarchy process is the basis for development intensity control. The results show that big data technology can assist in the landscape conservation, morphology formation, and efficient operation of Jinzhai Country Park City. Our aim is to achieve the protection and utilization of its ecological environment and natural resources and thus to comprehensively coordinate the multidimensional urban spaces and build a park city model. As an urban development model that meets the requirements of being "people-oriented, efficient, green, and aesthetic" in the new stage, park cities need to be faced by researchers in order to further realize the overall city goal and vision for the whole society to be smart. It also provides relevant design ideas and methods for the planning and construction of park cities in other similar cities or regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central European Agriculture is the property of Journal of Central European Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The field of urban stream ecology has evolved rapidly in the last 3 decades, and it now includes natural scientists from numerous disciplines working with social scientists, landscape planners and designers, and land and water managers to address complex, socioecological problems that have manifested in urban landscapes. Over the last decade, stream ecologists have met 3 times at the Symposium on Urbanization and Stream Ecology (SUSE) to discuss current research, identify knowledge gaps, and promote future research collaborations. The papers in this special series on urbanization and stream ecology include both primary research studies and conceptual synthesis papers spurred from discussions at SUSE in May 2014. The themes of the meeting are reflected in the papers in this series emphasizing global differences in mechanisms and responses of stream ecosystems to urbanization and management solutions in diverse urban streams. Our hope is that this series will encourage continued interdisciplinary and collaborative research to increase the global understanding of urban stream ecology toward stream protection and restoration in urban landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a system, currently being designed, for both perceptual analysis and aesthetic evaluation of a landscape. The choice of this topic is motivated by the fact that systems related to landscape visibility (e.g. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for visual impact assessment) are not fully satisfactory when it comes to assessing the aesthetic appearance. They mainly analyse geometric aspects, such as the width of visual basins or the interference of visual trajectories, which can be expressed by objective and comparable parameters. Instead, for effective landscape knowledge and protection, it is important to consider other factors that cannot be easily measured, namely the quality of human perception, i.e. the aesthetic judgements that people can express about a landscape.Based on these considerations, a system has been designed in order to analyse the elements that can influence the aesthetic judgement of a landscape and therefore simulate the more probable aesthetic judgement. Unlike GIS generally works, this system does not use maps, but perspective views obtained by means of vehicle-mounted cameras, as in mobile mapping technology (MMT).Research into the system described below consisted of two parts: firstly how to form the database on which the system is based and secondly how to use the system. The database contains a large number of views analysed in terms of geometric, qualitative, thematic, topological and gestalt aspects; the results of these analyses are recorded in tables and improved through a parameter expressing an aesthetic judgement. This aesthetic judgement is obtained by processing the responses of a group of participants to a sociological and/or neurological survey (i.e. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging). In the operational phase, a new view will be evaluated by comparison with the views stored in the database The new view will be given a judgment, obtained by processing the judgments of the most similar views.The idea of this system applies both to the assessment of a single view and to the evaluation of territorial contexts. Once this system has been defined, it will have to be tested through practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to draft how phenomena such as abandonment, territorial disarticulation, environmental pollution, socioeconomic imbalances, and heritage consideration issues that surround landscapes where industrial activity has ceased are reflected on social media in Spain. The research focuses on the most popular social media platforms in Spain: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. A manual sample strategy was conducted to ensure an individualized approach to user-generated content. Sampling was carried out separately for three aspects: (1) keywords at a general level, (2) terms used to define industrial landscapes, and (3) recognition of significant industrial landscapes related to governmental facilities built in the 20th century, wherein we take into account three potential profile types: (i) individuals; (ii) NGOs/associations and/or public administrations; and (iii) academics. The results show that social media platforms are widely used as tools to disseminate information about industrial landscapes, but the contributions of each platform are uneven and incomplete in relation to the reality of post-industrial landscapes. However, it is worth recognizing the added value that their possible interaction brings as a reference for current civic debates. How social media contributes toward mitigating the difficulties of recognition, comprehension, and protection of post-industrial landscapes is emphasized in our conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important type of world heritage sites, cultural landscape has always been an important research subject. In order to explore the spatial distribution and evolution mode of cultural landscape all over the world, the paper systematically elaborated the historical context of cultural landscape. The distribution characteristics were analyzed by statistical methods, and the connotation and evolution law represented by cultural landscape in different regions were expounded. The word frequency of regional heritage criteria was analyzed, and the local characteristics of each case were discussed. The research shows that the spatial distribution of global cultural landscape is unbalanced, mainly concentrated in Europe, and the spatial distribution characteristics are closely related to geographical environment, social history, economic development level and many other factors. In terms of inscribed criteria for world heritage sites, most cultural landscapes are mainly based on cultural criteria, but also involve natural criteria. The recognition and protection of cultural landscapes that simultaneously meet multiple criteria will become the focus in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Il Capitale Culturale: Studies on the Value of Cultural Heritage is the property of Il Capitale Culturale Studies on the Value of Cultural Heritage and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The new design concept of being human-centered and emphasizing the organic construction of the ecological environment is progressively gaining popularity because of the growing influence of ecology, green building, and environmental protection theories. By examining the landscape architecture of colleges and universities, this study aims to investigate the principles of ecological and environmental protection and to advance the development of the ecological environment on campus. As a result, this study uses Jilin Communications Polytechnic as an example to discuss the state of the research on campus landscape design in Jilin province and its significance, examines the process of campus landscape design under the concept of ecological and environmental protection after introducing the study object, assessment indexes, and constituent aspects of campus landscape design. The findings indicate that the ecological protection concept-based landscape design mode exhibits the vitality of ecological landscape design, produces significant ecological benefits for university campuses, and significantly enhances the ecological environment of university campuses. This paper reconstructs the gradually disappearing natural landscape system of the university campus, effectively promotes the healthy development of university campus ecology, emphasizes the ecological design with inherent cultural connotation and esthetic significance, and fully demonstrates the vitality of ecological landscape design, thus creating great ecological benefits for a university campus, effectively improving the ecological environment of university campus, and providing reference for further research on campus landscape design of Jilin province under the concept of ecological environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The No. 147 guiding case of the Supreme People's Court set a precedent for the crime of intentionally destroying scenic spots and historic sites in Article 324 (2) of the Criminal Law to protect scenic resources. Its significance lies not only in the innovation of judgment thinking, but also in the reconfirmation of the criminal law protection of scenic resources. In order to further define the trial philosophy of guiding case No. 147, resolve the dilemmas in the judicial determination of crimes of intentionally destroying scenic spots and historic sites, and clarify the boundaries of power and rights in the field of ecological environment, administrative violations, and criminal crimes, this paper adopts the three-stage analysis framework of ' object - transgression - legal interest' to construct the paths of the criminal law protection of scenic resources. In terms of the definition of the objects involved, ' scenic resources' in the crime of intentionally destroying scenic spots and historic sites should be defined as the ecological landscape rather than the ecological scenic spots so as to maintain the coordination of criminal protection between natural reserves, national parks, and scenic spots. When identifying ' damaging behaviors,' we propose the concept of ' nested regulation theory' with ' destroying' scenic resources as the main standard, supplemented by ' value reduction' to clarify the boundary between illegal and criminal behaviors and to avoid excessive severity of criminal identification. In the restatement of legal interest value, the ' 1+X' model is adopted to summarize the legal interest value characteristics of scenic resources: ' 1' refers to the basic and original ecological legal interest characteristics of these resources; 'X' refers to the legal interest attributes of cultural relics contained in scenic resources as natural and humanistic heritage, which can be further divided into biological legal interest value, enlightening legal interest value, aesthetic legal interest value, and economic legal interest value. Different types of legal interest value are endowed with different meanings for the criminal identification of ' serious damages. ' The ' destruction' of ecological legal interests, biological legal interests, and scientific research value is the condition under which the criminal law initiates the protection of scenic resources; however, the 'value reduction' of popular science value and aesthetic legal interests is the condition under which the criminal law initiates the protection of scenic resources. The economic legal interests of scenic resources do not affect the judgment of criminal illegality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological landscapes are crucial to understanding the evolution, form and meaning of cultural landscape. This paper presents a complex analysis of the archaeological landscape and its temporal and spatial changes, with particular reference to the last 200 years, using the example of a megalithic landscape with barrows in Wietrzychowice (Poland). The aim of the research was to determine the changes in the structure and function of the landscape and to identify the processes that caused these changes. A complex Model of Archaeological Landscape Analysis (MALA) was proposed which presents the current archaeological landscape and its historical changes both graphically and descriptively. The literature was studied and cartographic research was conducted, and this was supplemented by field visits. The results allowed us to distinguish 6 stages of the life-history of the analysed landscape. The megalithic landscape of Wietrzychowice represents a genetically heterogeneous, homotonous in terms of land cover, reversed (chronologically younger landscape replaced by a chronologically older landscape) stratigraphic type. The most persistent landscape type is the forest. The main processes occurring there were erosion, deforestation, afforestation, barrow construction, excavation and reconstruction. The functions changed from ecological to touristic. The visual role of the barrows as the dominant features of the landscape has varied. This method can be used in landscape protection and planning and in landscape education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of urbanization in China, traditional villages are facing many challenges and impacts which impose certain constraints on their sustainable development. Based on the perspective of resilience theory, this paper uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to construct a complex causal model of traditional village conservation and development, conducts an empirical study on 28 national traditional villages in Liandu District and Qingyuan County, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, and analyzes four high-level history paths by using fsQCA3.0 software (Developed by the American scholar Charles Ragin et al.), based on which four traditional conservation and development models are proposed and concretized into different conservation and development strategies for different village types. The research analysis shows that (1) resilience theory is applicable to the study of traditional village conservation and development, and has certain relevance and can effectively improve the response ability of traditional villages to uncertainty risks; (2) The framework of traditional village protection and development is based on landscape environmental protection, guaranteed by village industry development, and supported by other influencing factors (natural disaster response, social organization, and cultural heritage); (3) under the perspective of resilience theory, there are four models of traditional village conservation and development (JSC model, Z&C model, J&W model, and S&C model), which have good explanatory power and coverage and can address the real problems of different village types in a targeted manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Landscape Convention aims to promote landscape protection, management and planning. This must be done based on identification and knowledge of those basic landscape types that were created by the interaction of human and nature over the course of historical development. This paper presents a methodological approach for creation and evaluation of representative biocultural types of landscape, in order to elaborate an effective strategy for landscape protection, and proposes a management strategy of sustainable use of representative biocultural landscapes of Slovakia. That will ensure the regular maintenance of the landscape in view of current global trends and factors affecting the landscape. Our interdisciplinary approach is based on previous landscape classifications and the interaction of natural and cultural elements. The classification of the biocultural landscape is obtained as a result of multi-criteria analysis in GIS and synthesis of maps of potential vegetation, real ecosystems and current land use, abiotic conditions of representative geoecosystems of Slovakia, and other specific statistical data. We assessed the perception and significance of individual landscape types by way of a questionnaire survey. In Slovakia, seven basic types of landscape were singled out, ranging from natural to semi-natural to anthropogenic, within which other subtypes were specified. We assessed the protection of individual types, as well as threats and degradation of the landscape. Insufficient protection is given to the most valuable types of biocultural landscape and new tools and methods of support and protection have to be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to assess disparities between different municipalities and evaluate the relevance of these differences to suburbs in comparison to other areas. The analysis is based on a methodological framework of CEPA environmental expenditure corresponding with the Czech public-sector budget financial structure. This study has three essential areas for Czech municipal expenses: water protection, waste management and biodiversity and landscape protection corresponding with public municipal greenery. We used the Ministry of Finance State Treasury Monitor dataset, providing data on municipal expenses for all 6,255 municipalities in 2010-2015 and compared relevant expenses in the Czech Republic's OECD metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. The results show that municipalities with the most outstanding water protection expenses per capita are exposed to a suburbanisation burden and are situated in neighbourhoods of Czech metropolitan centres. Disparities between municipalities clearly show that water protection costs per capita in less populous municipalities are three times those in bigger towns. The most extraordinary spending on maintaining public greenery was found in the metropolitan cores, showing that there is greater demand for public greenery. Regarding waste management, there is no apparent relationship with localisation in suburban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The castle in Ciechanow is classified as a Gothic castle of the lowland type. The building, which is an example of defensive architecture, is located to the north of the historic urban layout of Ciechanow city centre. At present, the castle is covered by the following forms of protection: protection for the Natural and Landscape Complex "Łydynia River Valley", provisions of the Local Spatial Development Plan and an entry in the Register of Historic Monuments. The authors of the paper analyse the legal regulations concerning the castle and their impact on the contemporary castle's exposition in the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]