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The modelling of land use change is a way to analyse future scenariosby modelling different future pathways. This study demonstrates the potential to explore and test the understanding of land use change relations by applying spatial data of different scales, coupled with socio-economic data. In the EU-FP7 research project PASHMINA (Paradigm Shift modelling and innovative approaches), three storylines of future transportation paradigm shifts towards 2050 are created. These storylines are translated into spatial planning strategies and their implication on land use changes were modelled via the cellular automata model LUCIA. An Eastern Danish case area was selected, comprising the Copenhagen metropolitan area and its hinterland. The different scenarios are described using a range of different GIS datasets. These include mapping of accessibility based on public and private transportation, urban density and structure, and distribution of jobs and population. These indicators are then incorporated in the model calculations as factors determiningurban development and localization of urban sprawl, reflecting the scenario outlines.The results calculated from the scenarios reveal the great difference in urban distribution that different spatial planning strategies may initiate, and thus change the shape of the urban landscape. The scenarios outline different planning strategies, leading to a more homogenous urban structure, targeted at a reduction of transportation work and thus energy consumption. This will lead to less impact on climate from transportation based on a more optimal localization and transport infrastructure strategy.

Mainstreaming ecosystem services in EU decision making processes requires a solid conceptual and methodological framework for mapping and assessing ecosystem services that serve the multiple objectives addressed by policies. The PRESS-2 study (PEER Research on Ecosystem Service – Phase 2) provides such an analytical framework which enables the operationalization of the present scientific knowledge base of environmental data and models for application by the EU and Member States for mapping and assessment of ecosystem services. This study was structured along three strands of work: policy and scenario analysis, mapping and valuation. Linking the maps of ecosystem service supply to monetary valuation allowed an analysis of the expected impact of policy measures on benefits derived from ecosystem services.The recreation case, which Marianne participated in, presents evidence that millions of people visited forests several times per year and they expressed their willingness to pay to continue doing so. The visitor statistics that were used in this study confirmed the usefulness of the ROS approach (Recreation Opportunity Spectrum) to identify areas in terms of their accessibility and potential to provide recreation services. In addition, PRESS-2 presents a spatial analysis of city population density and green urban areas.

SummaryThe overall aim of the ASSET (ASsessing SEnsitiveness to Transport) project is to develop the scientific and methodological capabilities in order to support implementation of European policies aiming at balancing the environmental protection of Sensitive Areas. WP3 Mapping transport and related sensitive areas in the EU deals with the operationalisation of the criteria for transport sensitivity and impacts, as defined in D2. This paper reports the findings of task 3.1, a Review on spatial approaches, mapping examples and available data sets at EU level. The outcomes of this task will guide further work in WP3, targeted at mapping of the proposed criteria and indicators on transport sensitive areas (TSA's) and impacts from transport activities at pan European level, utilising existing maps and statistical data. The objective of this deliverable is to provide an overview of existing mapping and assessment approaches and to give examples of these in order to provide best practice examples and to guide the ongoing work within ASSET. Furthermore, it provides an overview of existing geographical data sets and their accessibility and applicability with respect to pan European mapping. The first step was a structured literature survey of peer reviewed publications within core topics of impacts and sensitiveness to transport as outlined in deliverable D1 and the draft version of deliverable D2. The search for literature provided more than 1300 articles inside these topics. A critical review of these publications according to their relevance with respect to the criteria defined in ASSET and the mapping presented greatly reduced their number to 44. A few supplementary articles have been added from citations found. These 44 made up the final selection and have undergone an in-depth review, documented in an evaluation spreadsheet, listing the criteria addressed for each article. Most of the approaches found that way where in-depth scientific studies, mainly due to the fact that selection criteria have been peer-reviewed publications. The mappings displayed thus in most cases have the character of narrow studies and not broad integrated approaches.For selection of best practise examples, the articles have been supplemented further with other publications, i.e. reports and articles provided by the partners or found via search on the Worldwide Web. This search resulted in a lot of publications with a broader aim and examples of wall to wall pan European mapping. A selection is presented in this report, displaying many different kinds of maps and their application within the topics of ASSET. Maps thus are a strong way of communicating results to stakeholders and the public.The scan and retrieval of data available for pan European mapping exercises revealed a considerable number of high resolution maps suitable for production of map examples. The results have been documented as a spreadsheet, containing essential sets of metadata. Furthermore, it could be realised that the number and quality of map data available is constantly increasing, both with regard to coverage of existing maps and the release of new maps or maps harmonised from national mapping tasks. Main data gaps seem to be within data on meteorology and air quality, as they only exist in rather coarse spatial resolution. Finally, the visual quality of many of the map examples found is not satisfying, and this has indeed to be an area of concern, as it greatly influences the communicative value of maps. The potential for miss-interpretation by the reader or manipulation is obvious, and the map producer as well as the reader will have to keep these in mind.

Summary The EU-project ASSET (ASessing SEnsitiveness to Transport) aims at developing andimplementing a concise concept to assess transport sensitive areas (TSA) in a European context,i.e. areas in which transport leads to more serious impacts than in other areas. The aim of workpackage 2 (WP2) of ASSET is the precise definition of TSA. To do so we analyse why pressuresare higher in certain areas (drivers), how these drivers can be measured (indicators) and whatthresholds can be set for the indicators to define TSA.

Ændringer i habitaters rumlige struktur, såsom faldende habitatarealer og en rumlig fragmentering, er, sammen med en generel nedgang i habi-tatkvaliteten, en hovedårsag for et fald i den biologiske mangfoldighed. Rumlige indikatorer kan anvendes til vurdering af habitaters rumlige struktur og dens indflydelse biologisk mangfoldighed. I maj 2008 blev den Nordiske Workshop En sammenhængende natur i Norden (CONNOR) afholdt. Formålet var at samle forskere og naturfor-valtere fra de nordiske og andre europæiske lande for at diskutere mulig-heder, begrænsninger og nødvendig forskning for at integrere rumlige indikatorer i naturovervågningen i de nordiske lande. Denne rapport sam-ler workshoppens resultater. Workshoppens præsentationer indikerede tydeligt relevansen af habi-taters rumlige struktur i forhold til biologisk mangfoldighed. Desuden er rumlige indikatorer i en række studier med succes blevet anvendt til at beskrive tilstand og ændringer i biologisk mangfoldighed. For at beskrive biologisk mangfoldighed på en forsvarlig måde, skal rumlige indikatorer være baseret på konkret biologisk viden omkring specifikke arters behov for kvalitet og rumlig struktur af habitater. Anvendte data skal indeholde information, som reflekterer disse behov. Selv om der er en generel mangel på data, som indeholder denne in-formation, findes der i de enkelte nordiske lande en række datasæt, som er detaljerede nok til en biologisk meningsfuld anvendelse af rumlige indikatorer. Ud fra workshoppens resultater peges på nødvendigheden for at opret-te en forskningsplatform som omfatter eksperter med en biologisk, arts-specifik tilgang og eksperter med en rumlig geografisk tilgang. Anbefa-linger for en fremtidig forskningsindsats inkluderer etableringen af et mere grundlæggende viden omkring eksisterende teoretiske og metodiske tilgange. Derudover et det vigtigt at lave en grundig og kritisk gennem-gang af tilgængelige data i de Nordiske lande. Endelig er det afgørende at udføre konkrete eksempelstudier. På baggrund af resultater og erfaringer fra sådanne praktiske studier er det muligt at vurdere muligheder, be-grænsninger samt nødvendige tiltag for at styrke anvendelsen af rumlige indikatorer i de nordiske lande. Disse forskningsindsatser er afgørende i forhold til at udarbejde videnskabelig kvalificerede og fornuftige anbefa-linger for mere hensigtsmæssige kortlægningsaktiviteter og udformning af naturovervågningen i Norden. Changes in the spatial structure of habitats, such as declining habitat ar-eas and the spatial fragmentation of habitats are, together with a decreas-ing habitat quality, a major pressure on biological diversity. Spatial indi-cators can function as a suitable tool for the assessment of habitat struc-ture and its effects on biological diversity. In May 2008 the Nordic Workshop Connectivity of nature in the Nor-dic countries (CONNOR) was held. The aim of the workshop was to gather scientists and stakeholders from the Nordic and other European countries to discuss opportunities, limitations and needed research for the integration of spatial indicators in nature monitoring in the Nordic coun-tries. This report sums up the workshop results. Presentations given throughout the workshop clearly indicate the rele-vance of spatial structure of habitats for biological diversity. Furthermore, a variety of approaches exist, where spatial indicators have been success-fully applied to describe state and change in biological diversity. In order to reasonably describe biological diversity, spatial indicators must be based on specific knowledge on species' requirements for quality and spatial structure of habitats. Applied data must contain information re-flecting these requirements. Although there is a lack of data, which en-compass this information, within the Nordic countries there do exist dif-ferent spatial datasets, which are enough detailed for a biologically mean-ingful application of spatial indicators. Recommendations from the workshop suggest the necessity to estab-lish a research platform including experts with a biological, species based approach and experts with a spatial and geographical approach. Specific research needs include the establishment of a knowledge base of existing theories and methodologies. Furthermore, available spatial data need to be critically examined. Finally, in order to practically evaluate opportuni-ties, limitations and needed actions for the application of spatial indica-tors in the Nordic countries, specific example studies need to be con-ducted. These research activities are crucial for scientifically qualified and sound recommendations for the future exploitation of existing map data and for the design of nature monitoring programmes in the Nordic countries.