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Wild places are rich with meaning. This runs contrary to accounts of vast undeveloped regions like the Arctic as being devoid of meaning (and thus open for—or even in need of—resource exploitation) and to accounts that dismiss conceptualizations of the Arctic as containing substantial wilderness landscapes as an invalid colonial concept. There is rather an unappreciated commonality between Indigenous conceptions of place and conceptualizations of wilderness: both recognize undeveloped landscapes as substantial founts of meaning that are not the product of their own projections. Their senses of these meanings are not equivalent but overlap in important respects and are shared by many cultures across the globe, thus challenging premises of relativism and of meaning as merely locally produced. Furthermore, meaning is a topic often overlooked or marginalized in the context of climate change adaptation and nature preservation. The Arctic is considered as a specific case study to illustrate these points as it is one of the world's largest undeveloped areas and is particularly affected by climate change. The Arctic is rich with meaning for the Inuit and other residents who depend on it for sustenance. It also contains some of the most extensive and least developed or otherwise impacted and manipulated landscapes on the planet—a relatively small portion of which is protected as parks and wilderness, though substantial in comparison to temperate or tropical regions. Climate change threatens not only the traditional subsistence livelihoods of Arctic residents, but also the emergent meanings that inhere in these landscapes. Simultaneously, the meaning and value of protected Arctic landscapes, particularly those designated as wilderness, is also under duress. Climate change is impacting the Arctic more than many other areas, posing a threat to its meanings as a home and as a wilderness. Acknowledging the centrality of meaning, while rejecting the "received idea" inherited from constructivist thought that meaning is overlaid on a passive landscape open for—or even in need of—human created meanings, can lead to new approaches to nature preservation and to human adaptation in the era of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the unique self-organised spatial and social structure of the Kat O coastal settlements in Hong Kong. By problematising the identity politics between built forms and landscapes, this paper analyses the village's deep-rooted history within the land‒water dichotomies, which have been shaped by government survey methods and conservation-development policies. Specifically, it presents the peri-urban condition of Kat O's coastal settlements as a departure from the traditional urban‒rural continuum perspectives. Empirically, the field documentation of the self-built additions presents critical perspectives into the static understanding of land ownership, addition and adaptation strategies and the building materialities embedded within the government survey methods and conservation-development policies. Theoretically, this study provides an understanding of these coastal settlements as cultural landscapes that are dynamically related to the environment, as well as the changing sociocultural relationships among different communities on the basis of their unique conceptions of habitation and living. By examining past and current conservation policies, this article advocates for a water-centric vision for countryside conservation in Hong Kong that transcends the commonly adopted terrecentric perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization has led to homogenizing heritage site landscapes, and the protective measures have become disconnected from public needs. Additionally, the complex and diverse overall characteristics of heritage sites and the uneven distribution of values across different areas are related to the lack of landscape experience assessment. The "subjective + objective" cognitive evaluation and visual perception framework that adopts the Scenic Beauty Estimation Procedure-Semantic Differential (SBE–SD) method and eye-tracking analysis can compensate for the limitations of a single evaluation method by integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis. This research takes the Yi'an Fortress in Zhangpu County, Fujian Province, as the object and examines the visual experiences of different areas and types of landscapes within the Yi'an Fortress. The findings reveal several key insights: (1) Significant differences were found in the landscape experiences of different areas within the heritage site. The visual experience score of the core building area of Yi'an Fortress is (1.01) > the heritage entrance area (0.897) > the residential area (0.841) > the natural ecological area (0.784), indicating that the natural ecological area should be the focus of future protection and development efforts, with a particular emphasis on enhancing the 'landscape aesthetic' and 'landscape cultural' aspects. (2) The landscape experience scores can be used to understand the reasons for the differences in participants' experiences of different landscapes. The architectural heritage landscape of the Yi'an Fortress scored highest in the experience evaluation due to its superior performance in terms of 'landscape form' factors. The cultural decorative landscape scored next, while the garden greening landscape scored the lowest, due to their poorer performance in terms of 'landscape form' and 'landscape aesthetics'. (3) The eye-tracking data was consistent with the results of the subjective evaluation, validating the "subjective + objective" cognitive evaluation and visual perception framework, employing the SBE–SD method and eye-tracking analysis is a scientific and effective method for assessing the visual experience of heritage landscapes. These results provide a scientific basis for the heritage planners and managers of the Yi'an fortress to improve the landscape environment, better meet public needs, and preserve the unique character of this vital cultural resource. Furthermore, this study offers a new research method and approach for the protection of other heritage landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between eye-tracking metrics and emotional experiences in the context of cultural landscapes and tourism-related visual stimuli. Fifty-three participants were involved in two experiments: forty-three in the data collection phase and ten in the model validation phase. Eye movements were recorded and the data were analyzed to identify correlations between four eye-tracking metrics—average number of saccades (ANS), total dwell fixation (TDF), fixation count (FC), and average pupil dilation (APD)—and 19 distinct emotional experiences, which were subsequently grouped into three categories: positive, neutral, and negative. The study examined the variations in eye-tracking metrics across architectural, historic, economic, and life landscapes, as well as the three primary phases of a tour: entry, core, and departure. Findings revealed that architectural and historic landscapes demanded higher levels of visual and cognitive engagement, especially during the core phase. Stepwise regression analysis identified four key eye-tracking predictors for emotional experiences, enabling the development of a prediction model. This research underscores the effectiveness of eye-tracking technology in capturing and predicting emotional responses to different landscape types, offering valuable insights for optimizing rural tourism environments and enhancing visitors' emotional experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In 1905, Manuel Estrada Cabrera, one of Guatemala's most infamous dictators, inaugurates a gargantuan relief map, one of Latin American's most dramatic cartographic projects of the time. In 1882, the nation had relinquished vast regions of its territory to Mexico. This exemplified the region's fragility in the face of continuous Central American civil wars and a commercial weakness that rendered Guatemala vulnerable to foreign intervention, both political and economic. In this context, Guatemalan was faced with foundational narrative voids and a lack of any semblance of national identity. In this essay I contend that the state turned to the nation's volcanic geography as a solution: its dramatic landscapes could serve as both settings and protagonists for an alternative spatial narrative. I argue that the relief map can be read as an ideal fossilized artifact capturing these symbolic operations imposed by Guatemala's creole liberal elite within the complex global and national spatial dynamics of the time. In its monumentality, the map attempted to symbolically tap into and domesticate the power of the nation's landscape for the sake of national consolidation: a case of the natural sublime turned cultural/political sublime. In the process, and underlying these symbolic spatial operations, the State inflicted unprecedented violence on nature and rendered invisible entire sections of the population. The project ultimately fails, however, because the semantic power of a volcanic landscape is predicated on a chaotic and volatile land that had seeped into popular and political imagination through a long history of natural disasters and corresponding social turmoil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Nature's Ideological Landscape: A Literary and Geographic Perspective on its Development and Preservation on Denmark's Jutland Heath" by Kenneth Olwig is a highly regarded book in the field of landscape studies. It delves into the cultural and environmental histories of the agricultural heathlands of Jutland, exploring how these landscapes have been understood in terms of nature, culture, and nation. Olwig's humanistic approach to geography emphasizes the emotional and experiential aspects of landscapes, drawing on literary sources and historical narratives. While the book lacks explicit theoretical elaboration, it offers a comprehensive exploration of Western concepts of nature and the complexities of ideas surrounding landscape. [Extracted from the article]

Through historical and anthropological inquiry, this paper addresses the issue of memory antagonisms involving cultural landscapes in the context of a former mining region: the Belgian Black Country. This region, which became increasingly industrialized in the 19th century through the massive development of coal mining and steel industry, subsequently experienced deindustrialization, and now finds itself mobilized in a process of 'post-industrial' mutation. The paper is divided into two parts. In the first part, it examines how the landscapes inherited from industry, and in particular the slag heaps of the coalfield, have over time become repositories of a working-class memory, through the living and working practices of the communities surrounding the mines. It also documents the various representations attached to these landscape objects, whose contradictions echo the oppositions between capital and labor that have marked the development of industrial capitalism. The second part of the paper, which focuses on the present situation, examines how these representations are remobilized in the valorization processes that are initiated by different actors, in the context of a 'post-industrial' urban transition strategy that seeks to produce a unified and pacified historical narrative. We'll be looking at how historical conflicts still permeate the representations of these landscapes, the question of their conservation, and their possible future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Beijing University of Civil Engineering & Architecture is the property of Journal of Beijing University of Civil Engineering & Architecture Editorial Office 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.)

In the degraded peri-urban areas, there are several traces of the agrarian landscape heritage: they are not relicts of the past but a resource for managing water, providing fauna and flora biodiversity, and mitigate climate change in the urban environment. A pilot experience of recovering the Milan medieval water meadows has been done in the last two years: the aim was to provide a new job to fragile people, while restoring an ancient landscape. The tangible permanencies have been recovered by unemployed people at the same time as the traditional art of managing water has been taught by ancient watermen. A course has been organized to transfer the knowledge. Several schools have been involved in the practical recovery of artifacts: students enjoyed to care an "ordinary" heritage in their neighbourhood, as a resource for a sustainable way of living, and a good quality landscape. The high social and cultural value provided increased Municipality's attention to consider a joint management with the social cooperative of this productive landscape and to include didactical visit to water meadow in each student curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northwestern Morocco is characterized by highly anthropized landscapes under the combined effect of agricultural intensification, resource overexploitation, urbanization, and tourism, but also local reforestation. Reconstructing the recent changes in vegetation in the region of the lower valley of the Loukkos river near Larache and their relationship to the settlement history are particularly helpful for understanding the processes at work within the landscape construction. The geohistorical approach combines paleoenvironmental, documentary, and historical data. The last few centuries have seen the emergence of wooded stands, in which cork oaks are a structural element. As forests were retreating, parklands intended for agriculture, agroforestry, and herding, like the Spanish dehesa and Portuguese montado, began to emerge. Nearly all of them have disappeared today, but we can identify their legacy and evaluate their cultural significance through comparing them with their counterparts in the Iberian Peninsula, but also in other areas of Morocco. Their deep historical roots give this landscape an evolving heritage character that is directly linked to the communities' lifestyles, culture, and history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal areas are fundamental enclaves for economic and recreational development, attracting a large population worldwide. However, these factors have generated significant pressure on the coastal landscape, requiring territorial management strategies to protect and control its degradation. The coastal landscape, composed of abiotic and biotic elements, plays a crucial role in human wellbeing and the conservation of the natural environment. This study focuses on the southeast area of the Ría de Arosa, on the western coast of Galicia, known for its unique geomorphological features such as estuaries. The main objective is to generate high-resolution thematic maps for territorial planning and conservation of the natural and cultural landscape. Using methodologies based on geographic information systems, various factors of the natural environment will be analyzed to obtain objective results, presenting cartography of landscape units, along with quality and fragility landscape maps. In addition, active strategies are proposed such as multiple land uses or the development of geotourism to preserve, exploit, and manage the landscape better. This work contributes to better understanding the vulnerability of the coastal landscape and provides practical tools for its sustainable management in a context of accelerated global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In archaeology, landscape is studied as a cultural, social, and environmental process that simultaneously influences human thinking and is impacted by human actions. From such a perspective, the establishment of cemeteries, too, results from human choice with respect to the environment, engendering a specific mortuary landscape. This is, overall, a little-studied field in the history of research on the Iron Age in Latvia. Even so, a continuous development of ideas may be traced, both in terms of the broadening of the range of issues addressed, proceeding from basic description of the cemetery’s location to analysis of its significance in the landscape, and in terms of the growing diversity of approaches and methods employed, moving from simple observation of the surrounding area to interdisciplinary studies and various kinds of data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beginning in the spring of 2020, a mouse and rat plague spread across the rural grain belt in New South Wales, Australia. Lasting for almost 10 months, the plague was described by the local media as a ‘horror’ which ‘terrorised’ farmers and ‘ravaged’ farms. Focusing predominantly on news media reporting of the plague, this article shows how the mice and rats were constructed as abject matter out of place. This construction reveals how the interspecies dynamics of managing pests render rural landscapes vulnerable and unsettle colonial imaginaries regarding the management of the Australian environment. The plague signals a disturbance of the ‘natural’ order of things where the landscape is ‘normally’ anthropocentrically managed for monocultural farming. Drawing on Chris Philo and Chris Wilbert’s identification of ‘beastly spaces’, this article explores the plague as facilitating a beastly landscape that radically de-centres human control and investment in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019 the Budj Bim cultural landscape in south western Victoria was listed on the World Heritage Register. It is significant firstly for the Gunditjmara people as a culmination of regaining control over their traditional lands and international recognition of their unbroken connection with the land extending back tens of thousands of years. It undermines a longstanding distinction made in heritage assessment between tangible (material) and intangible (immaterial) categories by instead seeing these as interdependent and 'constitutive entanglements' of everyday life. The corresponding distinction too often made between the built and the natural environment has resulted in a disproportionate acceptance that associates built environment heritage with European or Western societies and identifies natural environmental heritage with Indigenous landscapes. Introducing a socio-material perspective where these formerly separate categories are seen as interdependent enables a new mode of understanding cultural connection to the land that is potentially transforming. Finally, it is significant as an exemplar of Indigenous led heritage work that brings together political struggle and advocacy, history work, and in the process creates new knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acceptability analyses of place–based innovations provide crucial in-depth knowledge (e.g., perceptions and values on landscapes) for the social–ecological transformation of landscapes. However, previous acceptability analyses often neglected complex and ongoing processes. We argue that, for the design of a sustainability-oriented transformation and to address spatial and temporal dynamics in landscapes, an operational heuristic is needed; one that integrates acceptability analyses into an adaptive landscape co-design and management approach. Therefore, this conceptual–empirical paper introduces the concept of the 'acceptability and landscape design cycle' (ALDC), which is based on findings from various transdisciplinary innovation processes in the Spreewald region (Germany). It is composed of four iterative phases: (1) defining the preconditions for acceptability analysis, (2) conducting the acceptability analysis, (3) integrating the results into the landscape development strategy, and (4) re-designing and refining it. We illustrate the application of these phases using a case study of the cultural landscape in Spreewald. The paper provides practical implementation guidelines of the ALDC and contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics of acceptability decisions regarding the transformation processes of landscapes. Furthermore, it can advance the understanding of how co-evolution of socio-ecological systems occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach offers an innovative integrated approach to urban conservation based on layering analysis. However, adapting the HUL layering model to the East Asian context, particularly China, is problematic. This issue can be addressed by incorporating connection analysis into the HUL approach. The current study emphasises the need to consider the interwoven spatial structure of the urban landscape and treat deeper cultural-natural ties as those embodied in the traditional Chinese concept of Fengshui. Taking Jingdezhen, the historic centre of China's traditional ceramics industry, as a case study, this study demonstrates local knowledge of natural geography and local intelligence regarding settlement location and design. The results indicate that the natural system is at the core of Jingdezhen's HUL, and the elements of nature, function and spirit form a holistic and interactive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heritage value of the historic urban countryside, as a remnant in the transition between the urban boundary and the natural environment, is a consequence of the spatial and temporal evolution of the city. However, through repeated social transformations, the conflicts between urban construction and cultural landscape heritage preservation have increased, resulting in the gradual disappearance of their cultural landscape heritage. This study takes the Sheshan Urban Countryside Historic District in Shanghai and interprets the layers of Sheshan's cultural landscape heritage into five periods, Emergence, Development and Exploration, Diversity and Prosperity, Turbulence and Change, and Stability and Precipitation. It analyzes the evolution of the layers of the cultural landscape heritage by applying Historic Urban Landscape Historic Land use Assessment (HUL) and interpreting the layers of the cultural heritage of Sheshan using Historical Landscape Assessment (HLA) to identify the characteristics and values of Sheshan's layers of heritage. The study indicates that the cultural landscape heritage of Jiufeng Sheshan exhibits four types of stratigraphic relationships: accretion, juxtaposition, overlay, and decline. This findings suggest a continuous evolutionary feature of superposition of multiple stratigraphic patterns. Moreover, the heritage value of the cultural landscape layers of Jiufeng Sheshan has shown a higher growth rate in the modern period. The integrity and survival status of modern religious and scientific buildings are more complete compared to the literati gardens and Buddhist relics. Based on the knowledge and value assessment of its cultural landscape heritage, it is necessary to intervene in the concept of living conservation and renewal of landscape heritage. This involves devising a conservation and renewal strategy for cultural landscape heritage that conforms to the law of historical stratification and connect the scattered historical and cultural relics. This study provides a reference for the conservation and inheritance of cultural landscape heritage in urban countryside historical areas and the organic renewal of urban and rural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water-town settlements in the East River Delta of China engage with the aquatic environment, establishing a comprehensive cultural–ecological system. However, rapid urbanization challenges the structural integrity of water-town settlements. Focusing on the East River Delta as the study area, we utilized the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), settlement morphology indicators, systematic clustering, and graph classification methods. We conducted a quantitative analysis of the spatial characteristics of water-town settlements at various scales, followed by formulating a sequence encoding based on landscape factors and constructing a settlement landscape spatial map. We characterized the landscape spatial structure of water-town settlements formed through the gradual evolution of morphological water network structures, retracing a prototype of water-town settlement landscape spatial structures. Results: ① Water-town settlements exhibit distinct uniformity in the landscape spatial features. The settlement landscapes conform to water network patterns, with streets and alleys aligning with water bodies. Crucial elements, including docks, bridges, and waterside farmland, are integral to this landscape. ② Water-town settlements undergo three progressive differentiation phases based on their location. The spatial distribution of settlements reveals three distinct landscape features influenced by the delta's dynamic interplay between water and land. ③ Various regions exhibit three typical settlement layouts: upstream settlements are mainly clustered and linear, while midstream and downstream settlements, characterized by linear and strip-like features, align with the river's course. These research findings offer preliminary insights into landscape spatial prototypes, contributing valuable perspectives to the conservation and design of water-town settlements. [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]

The Tajos de Alhama de Granada, which since ancient times have inspired and surprised locals and strangers, especially foreign travelers, constituted a unique landscape, cultural and ethnological heritage of Spain, linked to water and its old flour mills. And, they are currently at serious risk of degradation. The aim of this research is to obtain a high-resolution 3D model capable of documenting this historical heritage environment with a high level of detail, using a methodology that includes small light weight LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) system for UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System). The model obtained should serve, on the one hand, as a valuable tool for knowledge and analysis of all the elements (river, lake, ditches, dams, mills, aqueducts, and paths) that made up this place, registered as a picturesque landscape for its extraordinary beauty and uniqueness, and on the other hand, as a basis for the development of rehabilitation and architectural restoration projects that would have to be undertaken to preserve this cultural and landscape legacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional village landscapes have a cultural and regional significance, and the visual aesthetic quality of the landscape is widely regarded as a valuable resource to benefit the health and well-being of urban residents. Although the literature has analyzed the influential mechanism of landscape features on aesthetic senses, most were from a single dimension. To improve the precision of the landscape aesthetic evaluation method, this study expanded the indicators for landscape characteristics of public spaces in traditional villages by incorporating multiple dimensions, such as landscape visual attraction elements and landscape color. It explored their associations with sensory preferences in a case study in Dongshan (a peninsula) and Xishan (an island) of Taihu Lake. We used multi-source data, a semantic segmentation model, and R language to identify landscape characteristic indicators quantitatively. The research results indicated that the accuracy of the aesthetic sensory assessment model integrating multi-dimensional landscape characteristic indicators was significantly improved; in the open space of traditional villages, the public preferred a scenario with a high proportion of trees, relatively open space, mild and uniform color tones, suitability for movement, and the ability to produce a restorative and peaceful atmosphere. This study can provide a guarantee for the efficient use of village landscape resources, the optimization of rural landscapes, and the precise enhancement of traditional village habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature provides numerous functions and services that can contribute to societal climate change adaptation. These 'adaptation services' can be sustained, latent, or novel, depend on persistence or transformation of ecosystems, and require varying co-production by people. Adaptation services also include climate mitigation. We present an approach to explore an extensive set of land use and climate scenarios that outline possible futures for a landscape, and quantify the contributions of adaptation services. We quantified adaptation success across six criteria relevant to the region, characterised the contributions of different types of adaptation services, and mapped spatial variation in contributions across the landscape. We built an integrated model of the Mackenzie District (an upland landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand), and analysed 1200 hypothetical scenarios for the period 2060–2070. We found many adaptation options, with 46% of scenarios meeting the criteria for successful adaptation. Four sustained, two latent and five novel services co-produced through financial input made diverse contributions to economic profit, profit resilience, climate change mitigation, climate risk adaptation, landscape cultural heritage and biodiversity. Successful adaptation scenarios were multifunctional, relying on alternative combinations of services allowed by spatial heterogeneity. By accounting for the numerous relationships between people and natural components within complex landscape systems, our advanced simulation approach can inform participatory pathway development by quantifying the potential for nature to contribute to future climate change adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant phenomenon of sacral complexes in a landscape is their cultural heritage dimension. They are part of historical landscape structures, representing a type of cultural landscape. In addition, they are often perceived as important landscape landmarks and symbols. In Slovakia (Central Europe), most such complexes are abandoned and deteriorated. In this context presented paper deals with the assessment and possible future human use of Calvary in Hliník nad Hronom (Slovakia) in order to preserve it for future generations. A central aspect of our research work presented in this contribution is to elaborate a sustainable and feasible concept for the Calvary following the integrated approach of its revitalization. Firstly, we analyzed Calvary´s historical and regional setting with the help of a thorough review of literature, historical maps, and pictures. Then we evaluated architectural, landscape, and vegetation values, as well as landscape structure changes using relevant methodologies. Based on this evaluation, much fieldwork, and social survey we were able to identify the current problems of the place connected with abandonment and use, evaluated values, socio-economic factors, and preservation policies. Subsequently, we prepared a future concept for the Calvary following the selected criteria and distinguishing features and looking at the Calvary as a result of collective work. Finally, recommendations were formulated for legal framework and spatial planning procedures in order to enforce better preservation of values of sacral complexes in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with landscape to examine the ways people associate meanings to their environment through the cultural perceptions of space and time. It aims to explain the transformation from natural to cultural landscape in the cultural context of socio-spatial and socio-temporal organization in rural Pakistan. It is argued here that spatial and temporal references are pivotal in constructing, perceiving, and memorizing cultural landscape. The paper is based on ethnography of a Pakistani village, using participant observation in addition to interviews from thirty-two participants. These interviews included narratives, photo-elicitation, and memory imagework to analyze the spatial and temporal aspects of landscape from socio-cultural perspectives in rural Pakistan. The study shows that the interrelationship of space and time in rural social organization is evident in the social construction of landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: In Spain, fire is a tool used for management in rural landscapes but also wildfires can play a disruptive socio-ecological role. Therefore, its spatial structure analysis and spatial resilience quantification to wildfire is useful for territorial planning and management. Objectives: We evaluate the relationship between the spatial structure of Spanish rural landscapes with the historical wildfire frequency. We develop and calculate indices of spatial resilience to wildfires and large wildfires. Methods: We followed a stratified sampling based on the biogeoclimatic classes grouping by ecoregions. We calculated landscape metrics with Fragstats and collected wildfires occurrence from a national wildfire database. Spatial resilience was estimated with a self-elaborated index, using wildfires data and landscape structure subjected to a MANOVA and to a linear regression model. Results: The Northwest region suffered more wildfires and large wildfires than the other ecoregions. The differences in frequency of large wildfires were small and low in. Some landscape metrics were positively related to wildfire frequency (forest plantations and scrublands) and other negatively ("dehesas" and crops). Spatial resilience to wildfires and large wildfires was lower in the Northwest area but for large wildfires were also low in the Mediterranean Littoral and Central region. Conclusions: The relationship between the frequency of the two types of wildfires and landscape structure determines differences in spatial resilience indices. Large wildfires are positively related to shrubland abundance, whereas small wildfires are positively related to heterogeneous agricultural areas. Therefore, spatial resilience indices could be used as early warning tools to prevent wildfires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Multifunctional rural landscapes are social-ecological systems that represent a link between nature and culture. They are characterized by the conservation and protection of ecological processes, natural resources and biocultural diversity. The conservation of these landscapes is mainly based on the establishment of Protected Natural Areas (PAs) whose regulatory schemes have often promoted their degradation. Objectives: We evaluate the effectiveness of the conservation strategies of the Natural Park category in the protection and maintenance of rural cultural landscapes. We analyse at a regional and local scale both the dynamics of land-uses and the socioeconomic structure of the local populations involved, identifying the main social-ecological indicators of change in the protected landscape. Methods: We apply a methodological approach, based on geoprocessing tools and multivariate analysis, to examine social-ecological changes in rural cultural landscapes after the establishment of a network of PAs. The designed method allows us to infer the ecological and socioeconomic resilience of protected landscapes. Results: Conservation efforts have tended to underestimate rural landscapes in favour of natural ones, mainly forest systems, and have not been able to prevent the processes of abandonment and degradation of protected landscapes. A simplification of the land-use systems dependent on traditional farming practices is observed. This implies the loss of both the multifunctionality of rural landscapes and their resilience to environmental changes. The key socioeconomic indicators identified highlight the deterioration of the rurality of protected landscapes. Conclusions: Our social-ecological approach is a useful tool to evaluate the effectiveness of PAs. Protection of landscape is related to the decline of traditional agricultural systems and rewilding through land abandonment. Culturalness is necessary to promote the management and conservation of rural landscapes from a holistic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the study, based on historical-geographical research, was to reconstruct the history of an anthropogenically created cultural landscape on the southern edge of the Muránska Planina National Park in the Western Carpathians (Slovakia) as a potential European ground squirrel habitat. Humans began to change the original forest landscape in the second half of the 13th century in connection with the construction of Muráň castle, which became the economic center of the study area. The first written mention of the existence of Muráň castle (castro Muran) dates to 1271. The original deciduous forests were gradually removed and transformed into agricultural land. At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, we can almost certainly assume the existence of an agricultural landscape in the territory called Biele Vody (part of the study area) on the right side of the Muránsky Potok valley in such spatial dimensions as it is at present. The landscape created in this way provided suitable ecological conditions for the successful survival of the European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus). The analysis and reconstruction of the origins and development of the agricultural landscape were carried out based on detailed archival and terrain research. Map outputs are also the result of the reconstructions. Whether the European ground squirrel was already present in the locality before its conservation translocation (773 individuals were released at the site in 2000–2007) is discussed in detail in this paper. The current ground squirrel colony is dependent on feeding, mainly sunflowers (since 2011), on active management and maintenance of the landscape provided by a herd of donkeys (March–December) and sheep (May–July). The ground squirrel locality Biele Vody is currently a center of ecotourism and ecological education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the long history of planned water and landscape management in China, focusing on the Tai Lake Basin located in the southern part of the Yangtze River Delta. To position this polder landscape within the broad spectrum of water heritage in China, the paper examines the historical perceptions and symbolism of water and its decisive role in shaping Chinese outlooks on empire, urban settlements and landscapes. It then delineates the evolution of polder landscapes in the Tai Lake Basin, which has been recurrently transformed since the fifth century BCE through to their contemporary condition. Despite changing material forms, the polder landscapes in the region evidence continuous endeavour to manage water for both productive (food) and preventive (flood) purposes. The latter part of the paper considers to what extent these polder landscapes might now be considered as a 'continuing landscape' – an organically evolved cultural landscape reflecting the changing needs of society, economy, government as well as flood prevention. Today, with few features that are materially historical, their continued existence has been threatened by urbanization, land consolidation and agricultural modernization. The paper advocates historically informed landscape planning to safeguard these dynamic and adaptive agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural ecosystem services (CESs) are powerful motivators for stakeholders and managers to preserve valuable landscapes. There is little information about CESs and their spatial distribution in arid lands. It is necessary to identify the most important social-ecological drivers of CESs supply to improve coldspot areas in this regard. Seven cultural ecosystem services were quantified based on people's perception across eight different arid landscapes, in southeast of Iran. A questionnaire was prepared based on landscape photography to interview people using non-proportional quota sampling. Using hotspot analysis, the spatial distribution of cultural services was then examined. CESs' hotspots were often dispersed in the semi-arid regions (95% of hotspots), whereas coldspots were often dispersed in arid regions (73% of coldspots). The landscape condition, landscape type, and plant traits were the most important ecological drivers of CESs supply (p < 0.05), showing priority regions for conservation or restoration. Woodlands were more successful in providing CESs than rangelands. The two woodland landscapes, i.e., scale-leaved evergreen coniferous and deciduous broad-leaved trees had the most potential for providing CESs. The lowland mixed halophyte shrubs-annual species landscape had the least potential for CESs supply. The education and income (p < 0.05) were the main social drivers of CESs provision, which are effective for restoration of areas with the risk of CESs loss. Our findings provide useful information for planners and managers to understand the potential of different landscapes in providing multiple CESs and to relate them to conservation/restoration plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landscape connectedness, ecosystem service value (ESV), and resident welfare are intricately interconnected, and understanding their relationships is crucial for promoting regional sustainable development. Utilizing six stages of land use data from 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 in Xining City, Qinghai Province, this study identified landscape connectedness changes by landscape pattern indices, calculated ecosystem service value by the equivalent factor method, and quantified residents' well-being by comprehensive evaluation indices. To investigate the coupled and coordinated states among the three, a coupling coordination model is adopted. Furthermore, the relative development degree model is employed to reveal the relative developmental level of the three, clarify the lagging factors in their coupling coordination. The gray relational model is employed to identify key factors affecting the coupling mechanism. Key findings include the following: (1) The development trend of landscape types was moving toward diversification and balance, and the total value of ecosystem services has been declining. The comprehensive level of resident welfare has increased annually, but the structure has changed. (2) The coupling relationship among landscape connectedness, ecosystem service value, and resident welfare is strong and has remained at a high correlation level but has been in a state of discord. (3) The main constraint of the discord in the early stage was resident welfare, but the constraining factors in the later stage shifted to ecosystem services and landscape connectedness. The largest patch index and water resource supply were the key influencing factors in the system coupling mechanism. The research findings can provide a reference for the sustainable development of Xining City, regional land use policies, and ecological intervention planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to better care for the urban landscape as a cultural, material and regenerative resource is urgent and inevitable. From a planning and design perspective, national heritage characterisation tools currently constitute an explicit point of departure for attributing value to existing urban landscapes, which informs decisions about physical transformations. This qualitative and integrative review focuses on international recommendations and on the ability of national characterisation tools to address 'relational character', meaning the interconnectedness of architecture with its situated environment, people and place, atmosphere and the sensory. Although international heritage institutions pledge to include relational character, in our search of state-of-the-art and exploratory approaches to relational character both nationally and regionally, we find that few such tools incorporate relational character, and those that do provide different emphases. We conclude that heritage characterisation tools are not yet sufficiently developed to address existing urban landscapes from a relational perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the strategy developed thus far to have Andalusian olive-growing landscapes included as a Cultural Landscape on the World Heritage List (UNESCO). The research method used is descriptive, reflexive and prospective, and seeks to achieve a systematic and holistic overview of a complex reality. In addition to the corresponding bibliographical review, the research has been nourished by qualitative information from land surveys (field visits) and interviews with experts consulted during the preparation of the two technical dossiers of the candidacy produced so far. The results include the rationale for Outstanding Universal Value and the basis of the protection and management plan for the property. Subsequently, the paper discusses the possibilities for rural development that can be derived from this initiative through the virtuous interactions between the property, the region and the food (olive oil) obtained from traditional olive groves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the historical and contemporary role of landscape architecture in shaping the aesthetics of hydropower infrastructure using Switzerland as a case study. Topics include the overlooked involvement of landscape architecture in hydropower projects, the resurgence of hydropower discussions in Switzerland, and the intentional design of Lake Sihl's hydroelectric landscape in the early 20th century.

Mountains are perceived as places of biodiversity, as attractive places with breathtaking aesthetic views and epitomized by their unique landscape features. As mountains are the second most demanded outdoor destination category at a global level after beaches and islands, the steady growth of tourism places high pressure on sensitive mountain ecosystems. As can be observed from tourism practice in mountain environments, the distribution of tourism activities is highly uneven. In the Alps, one of the best-known regions with relentless tourism growth, a substantial concentration of tourism intensity can be traced to specific locations and valleys, whereas other parts have to cope with trends of marginalization. In this situation, many concerned stakeholders have long advocated for more balanced economic and tourism development. The initiative of "Mountaineering Villages" promoted by the Alpine Convention is one of a few respective actions to shift perspectives and persuade tourists to engage in sustainable tourism activities. The paper explores how these activities are linked to the balanced use of cultural landscapes and the narratives that are exposed as convincing development models in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to develop a framework for understanding the archaeological sites composed of the remains and traces of castle towns and evaluating these sites together with their landscapes with a retrospective focus. A case study approach was undertaken with a focus on Kale Tavas (Tabae) in the Southwestern Anatolia. The scope of the Historic Landscape Characterisation was adapted to characterise the remains and traces of the castle town together with its landscape. Site survey at different scales, archive research, and in-depth interviews were used to acquire data. Our results suggest the related conservation boundaries should be determined not only considering the citadel walls but also the natural context that had contributed to the evolution of the castle town. For Kale Tavas, heritage management should be planned by considering the values of the historical landscape and the factors that threaten them, as this study shows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Andalucía, located in the southern region of Spain, is the world's largest producer of olive oil. It is home to over 70 million olive trees, which shape the distinctive landscape of the olive groves typical of the Mediterranean Basin. This research focuses on analyzing the olive grove landscape and the rich culture associated with the olive tree as a tourist activity known as oleotourism. This form of tourism would attract an increased number of tourists and generate funds for the preservation of the olive tree heritage if UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site, similar to other cultural landscapes. Furthermore, it would help diversify the region's tourism industry, which has traditionally focused on sun and beach tourism. This study is a continuation of previous research initiated by the authors in 2017. It is observed that the profile of oleotourists before and after the COVID-19 pandemic has not varied significantly, although there has been an increase in the number of people engaging in this type of tourism, as evidenced by the results obtained with the SARIMA model. The SARIMA model is used for forecasting and analyzing time series data. These findings indicate that investing in this tourism activity would be profitable for local residents, making it a sustainable form of tourism that is compatible with the environment and the local community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landscapes rich in biocultural heritage are declining en masse across Europe. This is due to the effects of countryside depopulation and to large-scale, industrial agriculture. Landscape heritage and its associated biodiversity largely depend on pre-industrial agrarian management. Because authoritative conservation cares only for minor, more spectacular, landscape segments, other forms of everyday management of the more mundane biocultural heritage are needed. Herein, innovative, alternative food producers (i.e. environmentally and animal-friendly farmers) are investigated as potential stewards of biocultural heritage. The results show that alternative food producers contribute to new ways of reproducing the biocultural heritage, albeit with greater emphasis on its 'green' side (e.g. biodiversity) than that of cultural heritage. They also face numerous challenges that threaten their businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photo-based surveys are widely applied to elicit landscape preferences and to assess cultural ecosystem services. Variations in weather and light conditions can potentially alter people's preferences, as sunny landscapes are more positively perceived than those under inclement weather conditions. To assure comparability across pictures, studies usually include photographs taken at sunny days (i.e., blue sky). However, the influence of clouds in sunny landscapes on people's preferences has been rarely considered, although color contrasts between clouds and the blue sky may attract people's attention. This study therefore aimed to assess the effects of clouds in landscape photographs on people's preferences by (1) examining differences in preference between pairs of landscape photographs (i.e., with clouds and without clouds), and (2) explaining variations through variables from eye-tracking simulation, photo content analysis, and Geographic Information System (GIS)-based analysis. Our results indicate no significant differences in preferences between pictures with and without clouds when the pictures with clouds contained a proportion of sky around 22% and a cloud cover of about 39%. However, a higher proportion of sky positively influenced landscape preferences, while a higher proportion of clouds, especially in combination with a lower proportion of sky, had negative effects. These findings suggest that landscape preference studies should pay attention not only to the appearance of the sky in terms of cloudiness, but they also should control the proportion of sky across different pictures to obtain comparable results. Future research should address limitations regarding the transferability of our findings to other types of landscapes and regarding potential differences in perceptions between respondents with different socio-cultural characteristics. Moreover, landscape preferences under changing weather conditions or different cloud types as well as diurnal and seasonal changes should be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaya bazaar, which was formed in its present place with the relocation of the city center in the last century of the Ottoman Empire, had commercial and administrative functions together after the establishment of the Republic. The city's multi-layered and multi-cultural structure can be seen with buildings such as mosques, baths, churches, government offices, and small bazaars comprising merchant groups. Keeping the Malatya bazaar alive with all its tangible and intangible components is essential for preserving urban identity and all elements that reveal, contain, and carry it to the next period. Today, the bazaar structure, which has been exposed to many deteriorations, needs both physical improvement and intangible values to be made visible. The Historic Urban Landscape Recommendation, developed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2011, to preserve and continue to use historical urban areas, offers an approach for managing urban centers with a dynamic structure. The aim of this paper is to seek possibilities for the manageability of Malatya bazaar within the framework of the Historic Urban Landscape approach and offer suggestions in this context. In the first stage of the study, the possibilities offered by the Historic Urban Landscape approach are investigated by literature review and the second stage, the inventory of tangible and intangible cultural components of Malatya Bazaar is determined with field studies. Finally, as a result of the evaluation made, suggestions are presented on these problems through historical urban landscape application tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial‐scale metal mining has long been a feature of developing economies. Processing ores to recover minerals has generated large quantities of waste rock, tailings and contaminants. Mining‐related deposits, along with associated soil and water geochemistry, river modifications and other environmental changes, are a product of the nature, scale and intensity of past operations. These artefacts of historical mining create anthropogenic landscapes that extend far beyond individual sites due to the dispersal of mine waste by rivers and pose enduring threats to human and ecosystem health. Their presence and significance, however, are often overlooked by heritage and environmental managers. To be acknowledged as artefacts of the historical mining industry, landscape features must be identified and characterised with reference to the human activities that triggered their formation. This requires an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates anthropogenic landscape change at a regional scale. In this paper, we integrate archaeological, geomorphological and geochemical evidence to identify and analyse mining‐related changes to the Loddon River valley in Victoria, Australia. Nineteenth‐century gold mining caused extensive erosion of creeks and gullies and mobilised sediments that filled channels and spread over floodplains. In addition, tailing deposits concentrated arsenic at levels significantly above environmental background conditions. Recognising these legacies of historical mining is vital to understanding mining heritage and to managing healthy rivers, environments and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restored ecosystems are compelling cultural landscapes. While ecological restoration is commonly posed as the re-creation of historic ecosystem states on damaged landscapes, restoration practices iteratively reshape notions of normativity, historicity, and the human role in proliferating biodiversity. They do so by transgressing entrenched conceptual boundaries such as nature/culture and mind/body. In this article, I examine a restoration project in the Midwestern US to theorize restored ecosystems as instructive cultural landscapes. I focus on three restoration practices which are shaped by (1) participants' embodied experiences with the landscape and (2) the mediation of embodied experience through ecological theories and social dynamics of the project. I argue that a focus on embodied restoration practices offers opportunities to simultaneously employ discursive-materialist and non-representational approaches to cultural landscape geography. By conceptualizing ecological assemblages as self-assembling and autonomous, the project leaders give authority to the landscape to define how restorationists should engage with nonhuman inhabitants. This discourse facilitates restoration practices that rely on embodied experiences which are both non-representational and discursive. Finally, using ecosystem restoration as an example, I discuss how geographers might benefit from engaging with subjects, or events that are constituted by seemingly incongruous actors and concepts. These interstitial assemblages can serve as the basis for creating new worlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Woody vegetation landscape features, such as hedges, tree patches, and riparian vegetation, are important elements of landscape and biotic diversity. For the reason that biodiversity loss is one of the major ecological problems in the EU, it is necessary to establish efficient workflows for the registration and monitoring of woody vegetation landscape features. In the paper, we propose and evaluate a methodology for automated detection of changes in woody vegetation landscape features from a digital orthophoto (DOP). We demonstrate its ability to capture most of the actual changes in the field and thereby provide valuable support for more efficient maintenance of landscape feature layers, which is important for the shaping of future environmental policies. While the most reliable source for vegetation cover mapping is a combination of LiDAR and high-resolution imagery, it can be prohibitively expensive for continuous updates. The DOP from cyclic aerial photography presents an alternative source of up-to-date information for tracking woody vegetation landscape features in-between LiDAR recordings. The proposed methodology uses a segmentation neural network, which is trained with the latest DOP against the last known ground truth as the target. The output is a layer of detected changes, which are validated by the user before being used to update the woody vegetation landscape feature layer. The methodology was tested using the data of a typical traditional Central European cultural landscape, Goričko, in north-eastern Slovenia. The achieved F 1 of per-pixel segmentation was 83.5% and 77.1% for two- and five-year differences between the LiDAR-based reference and the DOP, respectively. The validation of the proposed changes at a minimum area threshold of 100 m2 and a minimum area percentage threshold of 20% showed that the model achieved recall close to 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the cultural power of changes in the Jiangnan region's landscape since the nineteenth century. Historically, there were two main perspectives of evaluating landscapes. One historical perspective was the view of most traditional Chinese scholars and a few Western scholars who valued traditional culture and agriculture and believed in the value of classical landscape and traditional farming techniques. The other perspective was the Western understanding of modernization, which has been dominated by Ferdinand von Richthofen's ideas of scientific land use and the Soviet model of unifying farm management. The grid planning in the era of collectivization and urbanization in more recent years reflects an oversimplified imitation of the West. This is one reason for the increasing chaos of farming landscapes. The future of rural landscape construction lies in combining traditional pastoral scenery and modern agricultural technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the evolving landscape of the prairies in Western Canada. It discusses how the prairie landscape has constantly changed over the years, from the influence of Indigenous peoples and European settlers to the impact of technology, agriculture, and modernization. The article highlights the disappearance of iconic elements like grain elevators and the transformation of cultural landscapes, emphasizing the dynamic nature of the prairie region's history and development.