The Integrated Approach to Landscape Management —Experience from Slovakia

Zita Izakovičová,František Petrovič,Viktória Miklósová,László Miklós

doi:10.3390/su11174554

Abstract

The integrated approach to landscape management is generally accepted, but its application is not on the desired practical level. Sectoral approaches to decision-making and planning processes still dominate. The presented paper concerns selected aspects of integrated landscape management in Slovakia. This paper reflects the present state of the long-term effort and experiences of the authors in the integration of ecological knowledge in landscape management tools. The basic methodological procedure needed to achieve this goal consists of analysis, mutual comparison, and confrontation of the existing principles and tools used in applied landscape ecology, as well as in legislation and planning practice. The landscape ecological base for the implementation of scientific achievements in landscape management consists of two methods: landscape ecological planning and ecological network planning. These two methods were implemented into the legislation and practice of nature conservation, physical/territorial planning, watershed management, land arrangement projecting, forestry planning, and flood prevention management. Such systematic landscape ecological regulations in planning practice can be considered the basis for sustainable development.

Highlights

In Slovakia, considerable effort has been devoted to the implementation of integrated landscape management (ILM) and its resources since the definition of ILM in AGENDA 21 at the Rio Summit ‘92
This effort considered all aspects of ILM, including defining the issue in environmental policies, the appointment of management tools for ILM, the “ecologization” of these planning tools, the application of landscape ecological studies aimed at the optimal organization and utilization of the landscape, development of methods of landscape ecological planning and methods of projecting the territorial system of ecological stability, and implementation of these methods in the legislation of the Slovak Republic
Within the scope of this paper, we only present the framework of procedures which play a role in the process of the implementation of ILM in Slovakia

Summary

Introduction

In Slovakia, considerable effort has been devoted to the implementation of integrated landscape management (ILM) and its resources since the definition of ILM in AGENDA 21 at the Rio Summit ‘92 This effort considered all aspects of ILM, including defining the issue in environmental policies, the appointment of management tools for ILM ( spatial planning tools), the “ecologization” of these planning tools, the application of landscape ecological studies aimed at the optimal organization and utilization of the landscape, development of methods of landscape ecological planning and methods of projecting the territorial system of ecological stability, and implementation of these methods in the legislation of the Slovak Republic. This paper explains the problems of ILM according to the experiences of the authors over the previous three decades This whole process is extensive and complex. Particular attention is necessary to determine the best compromise between policy, legislation, scientific definitions, and spatial planning practice

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion