Extensive Landscape Research Articles

PSI-35 Foot and hair shedding scores of crossbred cattle grazing native rangeland differ by age group

Abstract Structural soundness is crucial to improve productivity and longevity of beef cattle in rangeland landscapes. In addition, hair shedding scores are utilized to select for heat tolerant cattle. Thus, the objective of this study was to collect data indicative of cattle adaptability to extensive rangeland landscapes in the Cal Poly beef cattle herd. Three trained technicians assigned claw set, foot angle and hair shedding scores. All data were collected over a 2-day period (n = 3 ranch locations) and foot scores were only collected from females (n = 211) that were at least 1 year of age. Each female was assigned a score for foot angle and claw set (1–9, 5 being ideal). A hair shedding score was also allocated (1–5, 1 = 0% winter coat, 5 = 100% winter coat) to both cows and calves of dams assigned to different age groups. Cattle were retrospectively assigned to a group based on age (Young = 2–3 years of age, Moderate = 4–7 years of age, Old = 8+ years of age) and data were analyzed with the main effects of ranch location and cow age group. Ranch location had no impact (P > 0.05) on foot score or hair shedding score. Cow age group had a significant impact (P < 0.01) on claw set, with young cows exhibiting a lower and more ideal foot score. However, cow age had no effect on hoof angle (P = 0.23). Young cows had a greater (P < 0.001) hair shedding score than their counterparts. Calf hair shedding score was not different (P ≥ 0.23) among dam age groups or ranch locations. Thus, these data indicate that feet and leg structure is compromised as cows age, and younger cows with higher hair shedding scores may lack adaptability to heat stress.

Implications of seed traits for restoration of ultramafic plant taxa from the Goro plateau in the subtropical hotspot of New Caledonia

The biodiversity hotspot of New Caledonia faces extensive landscape fragmentation. Progress of restoration practices is critical to address this problem for reestablishment of ecological continuities. The objective of our study, which can be considered as a first step, was to support appropriate species selection for restoration of fragmented habitats. We assessed seed dispersal, seed dormancy, and seed desiccation tolerance of 407 species from Forest (F) and Maquis (M) vegetation on ultramafic soils in southern New Caledonia. The primary seed dispersal mode was animals (zoochory, 53%). Overall, we found 34% of the taxa had some seed dormancy, and 72.9% had orthodox seeds. Wind‐dispersed (anemochorous) species had predominantly non‐dormant and orthodox seeds, whereas zoochorous species had seeds with at least some dormancy potential and higher recalcitrance. Further assessments were performed on 70 of the taxa, those currently used in ecological restoration. Their primary seed dispersal mode was found to be anemochory, 42.5% in Maquis (M) alone, and 40% in Forest and Maquis (FM) combined. Non‐dormant seeds were prevalent both in M (82.5%) and FM (90%), and orthodoxy was the seed desiccation tolerance type most common in both vegetation types (95% and 66%, respectively in M and FM). Thus, the seeds currently used in restoration projects are mainly wind‐dispersed orthodox seeds. To enhance both functional and phylogenetic diversity in restored areas, we recommend including fleshy‐fruited, animal‐dispersed taxa in restoration programs.

К вопросу об экстенсивном озеленении кровли

There are so many things made of concrete, glass and metal in modern cities. All of this displace nature and there is no space for planting. Plants produce oxygen and clean the environment. That is why the landscaping of the roofs of buildings is a kind of compensation in landscaping. The article is about studying methods of creating extensive green roofs from the origin to nowadays. The work includes the study of historical, architectural and regulatory documents and some literary sources. It also includes some facts from the history of green roofs creation, which appeared in the 9th century, on the example of the old house of the Vikings, who lived on the territory of the Faroe Islands. There is a comparative analysis of historical and modern technologies in the article. The design features of extensive roof landscaping are considered. The study revealed modern techniques of extensive landscaping, as well as a list of plants that are resistant to roof landscaping. Recommendations for the usage of waterproof materials like bitumen roll and other are given. The modern approach to the selection of substrates for growing plants on extensive green roofs is also considered. The study revealed modern techniques of extensive landscaping, as well as a list of plants that are resistant to roofing landscaping. It has been revealed that modern materials significantly reduce the specific weight of the construction and ensure the excellent efficiency of the system and the viability of plants during the all working lifespan of the roof. They are discussed the technology of growing planting material for roof landscaping like moss or sedum mats, growing plants in pallets and multiboards, etc.

Mines and Bats: the Impact of Open-Pit Mining on Bat Activity

Areas used in open-pit mining often undergo sudden and extensive landscape changes, including habitat fragmentation. With mining activity predicted to expand, understanding the impacts of this habitat loss on wildlife is key to developing effective mitigation at new mine developments. Despite this, research into the impacts of open-pit mines in general, and on bat populations in particular, is largely lacking. Here, we investigated potential impacts of a recently re-established open-pit mine in southwest Britain on bat activity in the surrounding landscape, using remote monitoring techniques. Distance from the mine site boundary was found to be an important predictor of bat species richness and activity levels, with the effect on richness extending to approximately 900 m from the site and the effect on activity potentially extending beyond the sampling range (1,200 m). The effect of distance from the site boundary on species richness also varied with the proportion of woodland cover. It appears that habitat loss within the mine site boundary may have reduced bat movement because of barrier effects. The study highlights the need for further research into the impacts of mines on bats.

Direct and indirect effects of agricultural practices, landscape complexity and climate on insectivorous birds, pest abundance and damage in olive groves

Pesticides used in agriculture to prevent yield and economic loss are a threat for the natural heritage worldwide. Finding win-win solutions for pest control management in sustainable and profitable agriculture is a current yet elusive challenge for human societies. The main alternative to reduce pest damage in a sustainable manner consists in fostering natural enemies through the extensification of agricultural practices or the promotion of heterogeneous landscapes. However, very few studies have analyzed the combined effects of these components on natural enemies and pests simultaneously.In this work, we fit meta-models (using Piecewise Structural Equation Models) aiming to understand the direct and indirect effects of agricultural management, landscape heterogeneity and climatic variables on insectivorous birds, pest abundance and crop damage. For this, we focus on olive groves, one of the most important woody agroecosystems worldwide, and its two main pest species.We found that management extensification and landscape heterogeneity benefited pest control and supported more insectivorous birds. Also, high temperatures diminished pest damage. Compared to landscape and temperature effects, abundance/richness of insectivorous birds were poor predictors of pest abundance and damage, suggesting that other natural enemies might be currently more important for pest control in olive groves. Lastly, we found a decoupled response of pest abundance and pest damage that may be attributed to insecticide use. This suggests that predation pressure by birds might predict better pest abundance than pest damage in our system.Current predation pressure by birds against pests in olive groves seems very low. Fostering extensive management and landscape heterogeneity increases the abundance of insectivorous birds in this system, potentially enhancing the pest control service.

Mosaic Landscape Structures in Relation to the Land Use of Nitra District

Abstract Mosaic landscape structures with traditional forms of land use are currently the most important landscape features, especially from the point of landscape and cultural-historical perspective. Their typical features are the alternation of the areas of narrow-field fields, meadow vegetation and permanent cultures, especially vineyards and orchards. Their presence in the territory is mainly related to the rich vineyard and fruit-growing tradition. On the territory of the Nitra district, we record the most extensive mosaic landscape structures from the south to the north-eastern part. These are heterogeneous units, typical of the rotation of small-area land management, scattered by non-woody vegetation and habitat. In the mosaic landscape structures, we also find elements of the traditional settlement architecture of the houses ‘hajloch’. Significant landscape elements in the form of mosaic structures survive thanks to the rich viniculture tradition. In the long run, however, there are changes in their use: they are often the subject of inheritance, they are converted into holiday homes or they are used for the needs of an expanding residential development. The aim of our study is to point out the dynamic and changes that occurred in the mosaic landscape structures between the two-time horizons (the 50s of the 20th century and the present). For this purpose, we use geospatial analysis to evaluate their area representation, spatial characteristics in relation to the surrounding settlement structure and selected properties of relief forms. The analysis and evaluation of the spatial diversity of mosaic landscape structures as important landscape elements play a significant role in protecting the natural and cultural heritage values of the area from the aspect of species diversity and rich gene pool, visual perception of the landscape, preservation of ecological stability of landscape, landscape potential and overall landscape diversity.

Effects of Revegetation on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties in Solar Photovoltaic Infrastructure

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is being deployed at an unprecedented rate. However, utility-scale solar energy development is land intensive and its large-scale installation can have negative impacts on the environment. In particular, solar energy infrastructure can require extensive landscape modification that transforms soil ecological functions, thereby impacting hydrologic, vegetative, and carbon dynamics. However, reintroducing native vegetation to solar PV sites may be a means of restoring soils. To this end, we investigated critical soil physical and chemical parameters at a revegetated photovoltaic array and an adjacent reference grassland in Colorado, USA. Seven years after revegetation, we found that carbon and nitrogen remained lower in the PV soil than in the reference soil and contained a greater fraction of coarse particles. We also found that the PV modules introduced heterogeneity in the soil moisture distribution, with precipitation accumulating along the lower edges of panels. The redistribution of soil moisture by panel arrays could potentially be used in concert with planting strategies to maximize plant growth or minimize soil erosion, and should be considered when evaluating the potential to co-locate vegetation with solar infrastructure.

Tourism development at World Heritage Site: The case of Loire Valley in France

In 2000, UNESCO included a linear cultural landscape along a 200 kilometre stretch in the middle reaches of the Loire Valley, between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes-sur-Loire. The management of this extensive cultural landscape is exemplary, innovative but also complicated. The aim of this article is to explore the challenges faced and strategies adopted by the Loire Valley as a World Heritage Site in the development of tourism. Quantitative and qualitative data were both used to enhance the depth and breadth of analysis. The work presented refers to three sources of data. The findings reveal that tourism development in the Loire Valley has some challengers, such as short stays of tourists, slow growth in tourist numbers, uneven visitor numbers between castles, and the blurred role of World Heritage status in destination image. However, three different aspects of strategies have been applied by the authorities to enhance tourism development, including governance and marketing, attraction development and activation, as well as synergies of local communities.

Untargeted Metabolomics Identifies Key Metabolic Pathways Altered by Thymoquinone in Leukemic Cancer Cells.

Thymoquinone (TQ), a naturally occurring anticancer compound extracted from Nigella sativa oil, has been extensively reported to possess potent anti-cancer properties. Experimental studies showed the anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and anti-metastatic effects of TQ on different cancer cells. One of the possible mechanisms underlying these effects includes alteration in key metabolic pathways that are critical for cancer cell survival. However, an extensive landscape of the metabolites altered by TQ in cancer cells remains elusive. Here, we performed an untargeted metabolomics study using leukemic cancer cell lines during treatment with TQ and found alteration in approximately 335 metabolites. Pathway analysis showed alteration in key metabolic pathways like TCA cycle, amino acid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism and nucleotide metabolism, which are critical for leukemic cell survival and death. We found a dramatic increase in metabolites like thymine glycol in TQ-treated cancer cells, a metabolite known to induce DNA damage and apoptosis. Similarly, we observed a sharp decline in cellular guanine levels, important for leukemic cancer cell survival. Overall, we provided an extensive metabolic landscape of leukemic cancer cells and identified the key metabolites and pathways altered, which could be critical and responsible for the anti-proliferative function of TQ.

Transcription from a gene desert in a melanoma porcine model.

The genetic mechanisms underlying cutaneous melanoma onset and progression need to be further understood to improve patients' care. Several studies have focused on the genetic determinism of melanoma development in the MeLiM pig, a biomedical model of cutaneous melanoma. The objective of this study was to better describe the influence of a particular genomic region on melanoma progression in the MeliM model. Indeed, a large region of the Sus scrofa chromosome 1 has been identified by linkage and association analyses, but the causal mechanisms have remained elusive. To deepen the analysis of this candidate region, a dedicated SNP panel was used to fine map the locus, downsizing the interval to less than 2Mb, in a genomic region located within a large gene desert. Transcription from this locus was addressed using a tiling array strategy and further validated by RT-PCR in a large panel of tissues. Overall, the gene desert showed an extensive transcriptional landscape, notably dominated by repeated element transcription in tumor and fetal tissues. The transcription of LINE-1 and PERVs has been confirmed in skin and tumor samples from MeLiM pigs. In conclusion, although this study still does not identify a candidate mutation for melanoma occurrence or progression, it highlights a potential role of repeated element transcriptional activity in the MeLiM model.

Influences of landscape change and winter severity on invasive ungulate persistence in the Nearctic boreal forest

Climate and landscape change are drivers of species range shifts and biodiversity loss; understanding how they facilitate and sustain invasions has been empirically challenging. Winter severity is decreasing with climate change and is a predicted mechanism of contemporary and future range shifts. For example, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) expansion is a continental phenomenon across the Nearctic with ecological consequences for entire biotic communities. We capitalized on recent temporal variation in winter severity to examine spatial and temporal dynamics of invasive deer distribution in the Nearctic boreal forest. We hypothesized deer distribution would decrease in severe winters reflecting historical climate constraints, and remain more static in moderate winters reflecting recent climate. Further, we predicted that regardless of winter severity, deer distribution would persist and be best explained by early seral forage subsidies from extensive landscape change via resource extraction. We applied dynamic occupancy models in time, and species distribution models in space, to data from 62 camera traps sampled over 3 years in northeastern Alberta, Canada. Deer distribution shrank more markedly in severe winters but rebounded each spring regardless of winter severity. Deer distribution was best explained by anthropogenic landscape features assumed to provide early seral vegetation subsidy, accounting for natural landcover. We conclude that deer dynamics in the northern boreal forest are influenced both by landscape change across space and winter severity through time, the latter expected to further decrease with climate change. We contend that the combined influence of these two drivers is likely pervasive for many species, with changing resources offsetting or augmenting physiological limitations.

Retracing Rivers and drawing swamps: Using a drawing tablet to reconstruct an historical hydroscape from army corps survey maps

This article presents a novel geospatial approach to reconstructing and analyzing environmental change over extensive spatial and temporal scales, even in systems such as rivers and streams that are comparatively difficult to digitize. We used a drawing tablet and stylus to digitize features found on historical Army Corps maps across the spatially extensive landscape of the Lower Wabash River’s riparian zone, in Indiana and Illinois, USA. The methodology allows for an efficient reconstruction of sinuous and irregular environmental features, such as sloughs, and demonstrates the utility of digitizing historical maps to understand the evolution of surface water quantity and location across a landscape. We then compared these historical data to contemporary environmental datasets for the same study area to understand what changes have occurred over a 100 year period. This reveals that the hydroscape of the Lower Wabash River has been significantly altered by past human activity, notably through the reduction of swamps, wetlands, and sandbars, and the increase in drainage ditches and overall stream area. Notably, many of these historical alterations are not captured within current environmental datasets.

Drought, fire, flood and COVID – complex systems and disruption

The ‘cure’ for maintaining the health of our human populations from COVID-19 has been halting social functioning, which is unravelling economic systems and damaging the livelihoods of many people. There will be winners and losers, and social institutions and economies may take long timeframes to recover. Indeed, they may not be the same again. This is not dissimilar to the ecological consequences of Australia’s recent bushfires. Building of ecosystems takes a long time if they are damaged to the extent caused by these fires, given that they followed extensive and broadscale drought and landscape drying. Over 1 billion mammals, birds and reptiles are likely to have been killed, according to calculations by Professor Chris Dickman whose interview on the subject is featured in this issue along with many other articles of value. Flooding rains followed rapidly in some cases, washing ash and soot into streams and rivers, realizing many of the losses in aquatic species anticipated by ecologists. The Australian government’s post-bushfire emergency response included food drops and fauna rescues for some species, not unlike the way society is now delivering economic stimulus and rescue packages for some businesses. This was rapidly followed by manipulations to reduce predation and competition, carried out in a manner not unlike the way financial assistance is being doled out to renters and mortgage holders. But, as Professor Dickman explains, there is in fact very, very little that we can do to help faunal populations recover once they have been hit so hard. Like in a complex economic system, the survival of ecosystems ultimately relies on the survival and reproductive capacity of the components and we hope to hell that the linkages that are so important can rapidly reconnect if severed. It is likely in this case, however, that the damage to fauna will prove to be very high and will have long-term repercussions. If a complex system cannot recover it changes shape. Changing shape can be a good thing if it improves our social and economic ‘work in progress’ – for example by reducing excessive global connectivity, revaluing regional and local industry and nurturing social relationship. But the same cannot be said for ecosystems that are works of nature, upon whose former shape we depend. The work of humans in this situation is not so much to find ways to change nature but to find ways that we can reduce our impacts upon it so that it can persist and repeat catastrophes can be averted. There are myriad small ways to reduce potential impact during and immediately after wildfire and even strategies available to establish insurance populations of threatened species in advance of catastrophes, as outlined in the Threatened Species Recovery Hub blueprint (Dickman et al. 2020), cited in the Dickman interview. But the two main causal factors of the impact of the recent fires cannot continue to be ignored and require enormous effort and creativity to collectively address. These are our impact upon climate, causing increased drying and thereby the extent of fires – and the total area and configuration of our land clearing, causing fragmentation of habitats and thereby reducing potential for fauna recolonization. The temporary ‘absence’ of humans during the global COVID-19 pandemic has been good for nature, but our complete absence should not be necessary to conserve ecosystems. There may well be ways that humans can limit our impacts and interact with the rest of nature without putting our civilization or ecosystem at risk. Such ways may, interestingly, have their roots in ways our forebears related to each other and the rest of nature, evidenced by cultural practices that many Indigenous and traditional societies still maintain. Indigenous patch burning coupled with western science, in particular, offers insights into ways Australians could potentially create habitat mosaics without causing more fragmentation. Reconnecting habitats at a landscape level is still possible and necessary without causing further risk to humans and can be part of the solution to the carbon emission crisis. But this can only be successful if we simultaneously and collectively reduce global warming and its consequences through a radical change to economic systems that reduce land clearing and dependence on fossil fuels, alternatives to which appear to be distinctly possible. Our economic system has suffered a massive shock. The difference between creative disruption and damage is whether we can learn from it and rebuild our economies in ways that better serve the needs of both humans and the rest of nature.

ZONAL PRICING IN KAZAKHSTAN POWER SYSTEM WITH A UNIT COMMITMENT MODEL

Developing economies are in process of liberalizing their electricity markets, following similar process in developed economics. This process aims at establishing liquid energy exchanges that provide clear price signals, providing indications on the profitability of different operations: production, retail, trading in interconnections. This paper aims at developing a unit commitment model for examining zonal market pricing in Kazakhstan. The latter has an extensive landscape but sparsely populated, while is also characterized by the high availability of domestic fossil fuels, but located in different sub-regions of the country. The provision of zonal price signals in such a power system in invaluable, as it enables the provision of clear price signals on the needed infrastructure and the estimation of the zonal hourly energy and technology mix. Moreover, in enables the formation of dynamic bidding strategies by market participants in cases with favourable conditions, such as the implementation of scarcity pricing. This paper presents a unit commitment model that used to assess different bidding strategies and to provide zonal price signals. The strategies are formed, depending on the technology type and fuel prices comparison. Results provide clear signals on needed infrastructure among zones in Kazakhstan. It also shows that dynamic biding can lead to market coupling. Finally, it indicates the importance of institutional capability to monitor bidding strategies, eliminating speculation.

High-resolution mapping of spatial heterogeneity in ice wedge polygon geomorphology near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

It is well known that microtopography associated with ice wedge polygons drives pronounced, meter-scale spatial gradients in hydrologic and ecological processes on the tundra. However, high-resolution maps of polygonal geomorphology are rarely available, due to the complexity and subtlety of ice wedge polygon relief at landscape scales. Here we present a sub-meter resolution map of >106 discrete ice wedge polygons across a ~1200 km2 landscape, delineated within a lidar-derived digital elevation model. The delineation procedure relies on a convolutional neural network paired with a set of common image processing operations and permits explicit measurement of relative elevation at the center of each ice wedge polygon. The resulting map visualizes meter- to kilometer-scale spatial gradients in polygonal geomorphology across an extensive landscape with unprecedented detail. This high-resolution inventory of polygonal geomorphology provides rich spatial context for extrapolating observations of environmental processes across the landscape. The map also represents an extensive baseline dataset for quantifying contemporary land surface deformation (i.e., thermokarst) at the survey area, through future topographic surveys.

La diversidad paisajista en el estado de Chiapas, México

El objetivo de la presente investigación es conocer y evaluar la distribución de la complejidad y diversidad de los paisajes físico-geográficos del estado de Chiapas, México. Para cumplir con este objetivo se aplicaron dos índices de complejidad, uno de riqueza y dos de diversidad geoecológica al mapa de los paisajes físico-geográficos del estado de Chiapas, a escala 1: 250 000. Los resultados indican una coincidencia espacial entre la diversidad y la complejidad paisajista. Los niveles alto y muy alto de esta correlación son representados por una minoría de extensos paisajes de origen tectónico-kárstico, tectónico-acumulativo y tectónico-intrusivo; las regiones físico-geográficas con estos tipos de paisajes son Sierra Lacandona, Sierras del Norte de Chiapas y Sierras del Sur de Chiapas. Las investigaciones sobre heterogeneidad geoecológica bajo el enfoque de la Geografía Física Compleja generan relevantes contribuciones a la Planificación Territorial, debido a que los resultados permiten identificar de manera clara y objetiva las áreas con mayor geodiversidad.

Technical note: Toxic plants in sheep diets grazing extensive landscapes: Insights from Fecal DNA metabarcoding

Toxic plants can negatively affect livestock production due to acute or chronic toxicosis. Detecting toxic plants in free-ranging animal diets has been a persistent challenge as toxicosis may only be noted with acute toxicity and subsequent mortality – but not necessarily when signs are sub-clinical. New fecal DNA (fDNA) metabarcoding technology can quantify diet composition of free-ranging livestock without the need for gathering/handling animals or the use of invasive procedures to determine hepatotoxicity and could inform more proactive toxic plant management. We quantified sheep diet composition in extensive rangeland environments with the specific aim of estimating toxic plant consumption using fDNA technology. Diets for 2 Rambouillet flocks in western Wyoming, USA [HSC flock: 1,800 ewes (+ lambs), 3,328 ha allotment, 1,829–2,438 m elevation; SBT flock: 1,010 ewes (+ lambs), a 4,262 ha allotment, 2,438–3,048 m elevation] were quantified with fDNA in the 2017 summer months. A total of 93 plant species were identified. HSC diets were dominated by grasses (51%) and forbs (31%) but SBT diets were dominated by forbs (42%) with minor contributions from shrubs (14%) and grasses (13%). Three potentially toxic species were identified: Short's milkvetch (Astragalus shortianus), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), and larkspur (Delphinium species). In addition and problematically, one Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) could be attributed to either 3 different selenium accumulating plant species in the Asteraceae family or the toxic plant deathcamas (Zigadenus venenosus var. gramineus) in the Liliaceae family, was also detected. Six genera of lichens were also identified in diets. Challenges with fDNA technology include (1) an OTU might be shared by several plant species, and (2) reconciling fDNA laboratory data with georeferenced plant data is necessary to ensure correct interpretations. Finally, fDNA could be used for adaptive grazing management to enhance livestock nutrition and as a proactive tool to increase awareness of potential toxicosis problems before clinical signs or mortalities occur.

Distribution of the Leafy Liverwort Frullania in Northwestern Missouri

Based on 308 specimens of Frullania Raddi collected in a variety of habitats in a 19-county region of northwestern Missouri between 2015-2018, 40 new county records are reported for this region dominated by agroecosystems. Six species of Frullania are now documented in northwestern Missouri. This study illustrates a broad distribution of a liverwort genus in a region of the Central United States. Despite extensive anthropogenic landscape conversion for over a century, riparian corridors, fire suppression, and conservation management have led to a heterogeneous network of forested habitats in northwestern Missouri.

КОНЦЕПТУАЛЬНІ ПІДХОДИ ДО РОЗВИТКУ ПОСТКОНФЛІКТНИХ ТЕРИТОРІЙ

The theory of post-conflict development of territories as an actual topic for Ukraine is studied. The methodology of research of the theory of post-conflict development of territories, which consists of applying the idea of geocybernetics and probabilism, is proposed. It is established that the post-conflict development of territories refers to large-scale General geographical issues, which will be addressed by representatives of many Sciences. Therefore, the study presents various points of view, which made it possible to form the author’s vision of post-conflict tourism development as a geographical system. A theoretical model of post-conflict tourism development as a system has been developed. It is established on the example of countries of the world that the Genesis of conflicts has a different character, but in the post-conflict period, similar results should be taken into account when overcoming the post-conflict situation in the Eastern territories. It is proposed to introduce a “model of post-conflict green development” in the old industrial Eastern territories of Ukraine, which should contain: effective use of regional potential; increasing the share of high-tech industrial sectors; the increasing role of services sector: business, tourist, recreation, social; improving the business climate and business activity; alternative energy development; ecological modernization of production and introduction of energy-saving technologies in production; change the behavior of economic actors; extensive landscaping; restructuring works at abandoned coal mines and other industrial plants; remediation of numerous waste heaps. The creation of a forest Park zone in the zone of the current confrontation in the Donbass, the organization of recreation places there in the future will contribute to the establishment of peaceful life, the establishment of ecological balance in the region, and overcoming existing problems of socio-economic development. It is proposed to use the “tourist and recreational” development path in these territories, which can become the first, least capital-intensive step in the future renewal of the East of Ukraine.

Een eeuwenlange strijd tegen droogte en teloorgang

An age-long struggle against drought and downfall. Values and meanings of the Curaçao plantation landscape Even if it is not obvious at first, a closer look reveals that Curaçao is actually one large plantation landscape, with the exception of Willemstad’s inner city. This landscape can be read as a history book with the old plantation houses as its most recognizable elements. But there are many more elements like cactus hedges, palm copses, stone walls, wells and (dysfunctional) waterworks. This landscape is most recognizable in the western part of the island. The central area around Willemstad has suffered from uncontrolled urbanization and industrialization, while the eastern part has basically become an extensive leisure landscape. The owners of plantations used several strategies like a multitude of crops, the creation of saltpans where possible and trade in the city (just a few plantation owners focused exclusively on agricultural production). At the end of the 19th century, several plantations were explored for extractable minerals. Throughout the 20th century, almost all plantations were gradually sold and abandoned. The abolishment of slavery in 1863 gave the first impetus for this, but the final blow was the exodus towards the city when an oil refinery brought new perspectives for the island. Paid employment in the city was much more appealing than an uncertain existence in the countryside, where years of failed crops could eventually lead to starvation. An overall problem is the ongoing privatization of public space, which results in the transformation of old plantations into gated residential areas and resorts, creating an unrecognizable landscape and a growing inequality between rich and poor. A future nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage List will possibly create new perspectives for this cultural landscape (see next article).