Natural Heritage Research Articles

OVERVIEW OF CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE OF ASSORTMENTS AND COSTS OF BUILDING PROFILES IN UKRAINE

Purpose. The main purpose of the publication is a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the changes associated with the implementation of new standards for rolled steel in recent years in the domestic regulatory framework. Also, an additional purpose is to estimate changes in the cost structure of certain types of rolled metal in Ukraine over the past 5 years. Methodology. In order to achieve the main purpose, both the rolled steel standards currently in force in Ukraine and the canceled previous standards were examined in detail. Comparison of standards for sheet profiles was carried out according to the criteria of the number of standard sizes and the profiles themselves in the standard. Comparison of standards for shaped profiles was carried out according to several criteria – the number of available standard sizes of profiles, the number of profiles themselves, the mass indicators of the largest and smallest profiles, as well as the efficiency indicators (nuclear distance and the square of the radius of inertia) of the largest and smallest profiles according to the standard. To assess changes in the cost structure of assortment profiles of various types, a quantitative comparison of their absolute and relative market value was carried out based on data from open electronic resources for the past 5 years. Findings. At present, in the part of standards for the range of steel products in Ukraine, a systematic and full-fledged update of the regulatory framework is taking place, with the full preservation of our own national heritage. The need to develop and implement a standard for flat hot-rolled broad-banded sheet, specialized and improved standards for hot-rolled bars and for cold-bent square and rectangular profiles, as well as the need to provide the official status of the standard for I-bars with parallel edges of the shelves are the main problematic issues in the part of the assortment normative base at the moment. Originality. In this publication, a theoretical estimation of modern changes in the current normative base of Ukraine, which regulates the issue of the range of steel rolled metal, is presented. In particular, 2 types of sheet metal, 5 types of shaped hot-rolled steel and 3 types of shaped cold-bent profiles, which are the most widely used for steel building structures, were analyzed. The main performance indicators of profiles according to old and new standards are calculated. Practical value. In the practical part of the completed review, changes in the cost structure of the main types of rolled steel over the past 5 years in Ukraine were estimated. The main problematic issues of the current assortment base of Ukraine are separately identified and practical recommendations for their elimination are provided.

Research on Entity Relationships in the Knowledge Graph of Disease Monitoring in Grotto Temples

Abstract. The grotto temple, carved into cliffs and widely distributed, is a significant cultural heritage in China. However, it faces severe damage and collapse threats due to natural disaster risks in its environment. Nearly seventy percent of grotto temples are located in regions prone to earthquakes and water hazards, leading to varying degrees of damage to cultural artifacts. Therefore, preventive measures are necessary to reduce the impact of natural disasters on grotto temples. A knowledge graph, a structured semantic knowledge base describing concepts and their relationships in the physical world, plays a crucial role in knowledge organization and content representation. Entity relationships are the core of knowledge, serving as both foundational data and a key task in constructing knowledge graphs and processing unstructured text. In the field of grotto temple disease monitoring, while data continues to grow, research on the correlation between textual data remains underexplored. This paper adopts the BiLSTM-CRF method to extract entity relationships, matching them with the grotto temple monitoring knowledge graph. Finally, the Neo4j software is utilized to program and display the knowledge graph, aiming to enhance the efficiency of natural disaster risk management and cultural heritage protection for grotto temples.

Environmental awareness of university students in Colombia

The objective of this article was to evaluate the level of environmental awareness of university students in a peripheral region of southern Colombia. Environmental awareness was approached as a multidimensional variable consisting of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions. The study was quantitative, approached from the deductive method and descriptive type. The study population corresponded to young university students, and a non-probabilistic convenience sampling was used. For the environmental awareness variable, an instrument was developed with a Likert-type scale based on multiple research studies. The sample consisted of 527 university students. The reliability of the study was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability, while validity was analyzed with mean variance explained and confirmatory factor analysis, being in all cases satisfactory. As a result, modest levels of environmental awareness were evidenced in all dimensions, which is particularly worrying as most of the young people surveyed were between 18 and 25 years old, indicating low interest, knowledge, and availability for environmental issues among future professionals of the South Colombian region. The results were in line with certain results found in similar research reported in the literature. Nevertheless, the situation is worrisome because young students are the new generation of citizens. Acknowledgment This article was written within the framework of the Special Cooperation Agreement No. 230 of 2023 signed between the Universidad Surcolombiana and the Corporación Autónoma Regional del Alto Magdalena CAM in the project “Implementation of the SENDICAM Science Center as a strategy for the recognition, conservation and social appropriation of the natural heritage in the central and southern area of the department of Huila” BPIN 2021000100425.

Polish Film Institute: Selected Legal and Financial Aspects

Legal issues concerning cinematography are part of the constitutional regulations concerning national heritage and cultural heritage. Supporting the development of cinematography is the main task of the Polish Film Institute. The aim of this article was to examine the legal and financial issues concerning this state legal entity (in particular, its revenues and expenses). In addition, the authors set out to determine whether the Polish Film Institute is an effective entity and whether its functioning is beneficial to Polish culture and national heritage. The publication uses a dogmatic-legal method and an empirical method (the financial plans of the Polish Film Art Institute from 2017–2022 were analysed).

Vulnerability of geoheritage sites in South Africa to climate change: Examples from the Eastern Cape Province

Climate change and variability have potential to impact on all types of heritage sites globally, through increasing weathering and erosion of geological and built heritage, changes in biome and ecosystem viability, sea-level rise and coastal flooding, and increased climate hazard events. This study examines the most likely impacts of climate change on different heritage sites in South Africa, with a particular regional focus on sites of potential geoheritage interest in the Eastern Cape Province of the country. The diverse examples described in this study are: (1) Klasies River cave, which is a Middle Stone Age archaeological site; (2) different localities along the coast where faunal footprints are preserved within aeolianite that dates mainly to the last interglacial period; (3) different localities inland where rock art panels are present within caves or rock shelters; and (4) Cape St Francis, which is a coastal foreland where different phases of late Quaternary coastal dunes with archaeological interest are preserved. Results show that many of these very varied sites of geoheritage interest are not protected as National or Provincial Heritage Sites under current legislation, which is weak and inconsistently applied across the country. This means that no specific management plans, under national policy guidelines, are in place for mitigating against the impacts of present and future climate change and variability, either regionally or nationally. These climate changes include: sea-level rise and increased coastal storminess and wave attack; and changes in weathering and erosion regimes as a result of increased temperatures and likely decreased rainfall or higher rainfall variability. A better appreciation of the interconnections that exist between geology and natural and cultural heritage may lead to valuing landscape and site geoheritage more highly at the local, national and international level.

Theme Exploration and Sentiment Analysis of Online Reviews of Wuyishan National Park

The study aimed to explore the relationship and interaction between humans and nature in specific areas. Latent Dirichlet allocation topic recognition and SnowNLP sentiment analysis were used to extract the topics and analyze the sentiments from visitors’ online reviews of Wuyishan National Park. The conclusions were as follows: (1) The tourists mainly expressed positive emotions toward Wuyishan National Park, and the tourists acknowledged its ecological environment and natural and cultural heritage value. (2) The tourists’ comments focused on four themes: tourism activities and facilities, natural and cultural heritage value, characteristic tourism products, and tourism management and services. Natural experience was the main tourism activity in Wuyishan National Park, while cultural activities were related to the tea culture. (3) The tourist facilities, ticket and reservation mechanism, and management and services of Wuyishan National Park were the main concerns of the tourists. The study suggested that Wuyishan National Park could be transformed from a tourist destination into a comprehensive national park that provides recreational experiences and environmental education. This should be conducted by (1) developing detailed natural and cultural education and experience products and (2) improving public service functions and enhancing the public welfare of the national park.

Sustainable Water Governance in the Brazilian Pantanal Biome: Challenges and Lessons

Problems caused by land-use change and climate change transcend territorial boundaries, but often management of natural heritage sites can only influence what happens within the local area. Therefore, we need innovative conservation strategies that also transcend territorial boundaries. Hence, the approach to managing our natural heritage sites may need innovative strategies to ensure their effective conservation. This study examines the conservation approach in the Pantanal biome, which houses multiple centers of decision-making across Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Despite the region’s significant contribution in providing ecosystem services and playing an integral part in local cultural heritage and Native communities, Pantanal has suffered from a lack of clear rules and strategies, challenges in implementation, and, largely, capacity and coordination across different governance scales. This contribution synthesizes key challenges and potential opportunities through co-production and information sharing to ensure a socio-ecological approach to promoting the conservation and resilience of the Pantanal biome.

Leeds FAS2 FSR: environmental challenges for the design of an in-river control structure

As flood risk authorities look to counter increasing peak river flows due to a changing climate, traditional linear flood defences are in many cases proving to be an unsustainable method of managing flood risk. Full containment of flows in the river channel will require ever increasing defence heights, cutting off communities from their rivers and natural heritage. Upstream flood storage provides a potential alternative means of flood management, allowing the peak of the flood to attenuate and downstream river levels to be kept within a tolerable range. The Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme Phase 2 (FAS2) uses a combined approach: linear defences are constructed in urban reaches and complemented by an online flood storage reservoir (FSR) upstream of the city. The FSR halves the annual probability of defences overtopping within the city centre from 1% to 0.5%, achieved through active variable flow control at the FSR. This paper explores some of the challenges faced in the design and construction the in-river flow control structure which is integral to the operation of the FSR. In particular this paper will consider some of the key environmental objectives for the scheme and offer considerations for working in a dynamic and environmentally sensitive fluvial environment.

Towards High-Efficiency Buildings for Sustainable Energy Transition: Standardized Prefabricated Solutions for Roof Retrofitting

Enhancing energy efficiency in buildings plays a pivotal role in realizing the ambitious objective of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, as outlined in the European Green Deal. Roofs represent the technical element most affected by energy phenomena related to heat transfer: in winter, roofing can lose up to 35% of heat, and the summer heat flux can even be higher. This paper provides a catalogue of optimized and sustainable solutions, with a specific focus on standardization and prefabrication principles, for enhancing the energy efficiency of the most prevalent types of roofs that characterize the national residential building heritage. The methodological approach that guided the research presented in this article was based on the identification and study of the most common roofings in the diverse national residential building heritage, followed by their classification according to their construction era. In the context of essential energy retrofitting of deteriorated residential building stock, 21 optimized standardized solutions have been identified. The outcome of performance evaluations of the proposed solutions allowed the implementation of a matrix that can be a valuable support for designers in selecting the most efficient precalculated and prefabricated solutions for the national residential building heritage based on energy performance and sustainability criteria.

Climate-responsive design practices: A transdisciplinary methodology for achieving sustainable development goals in cultural and natural heritage

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined by the United Nations represent a blueprint for the adoption of global practices and policies to foster sustainability in societies and increase efficiencies in resources uses. The Italian National Trust, FAI, has embraced these goals, developing a holistic and transdisciplinary methodology to promote a more sustainable approach to preserve its natural and built heritage. This methodology combines heritage protection with the SDGs in various macro-areas of interventions, including energy, water, biosphere, responsible consumption, and sustainable communities. The aim is to increase access to affordable and clean energy, reduce water, waste, and soil footprints, promote responsible consumption, and develop human capital. The paper proposes a set of strategies to achieve the SDGs in heritage, involving the collaboration of several stakeholders, ranging from institutions to citizens. The methodology is applied to a specific Italian case study, Casa Macchi in Morazzone, to highlight the challenges in achieving the dual objective of preserving the historic building and promoting sustainability in the built environment.

Ottoman heritage in Serbia on a cultural route: students’ attitudes

Cultural heritage is an important part of the cultural identity of any nation. The care of cultural heritage includes the protection and preservation of the material heritage of the majority nation and the heritage of all other ethnic communities that have left their cultural traces in the area under consideration. The protection of cultural heritage reflects the maturity of a society. That’s why the approach to the protection of cultural monuments should not be selective, narrow and strictly national, but comprehensive, preserving the cultural values of earlier eras and peoples as a general civilisational asset. The research aims to reveal how today’s youth perceive the Ottoman heritage in Serbia, their emotional relationship with it, and whether they recognise the Ottoman heritage as a possible resource for tourism in Serbia. The results indicate that the student population perceives the positive aspects of the Ottoman era in this region, as reflected in the legacy of Oriental culture and the multi-ethnic and multicultural order, to a large extent. Architectural heritage, gastronomy and intangible heritage (language and literature, legends, music, dances, traditions) are largely recognised as representative of the Ottoman cultural heritage and foreign influences on national culture. Their potential for tourism has also been recognised. However, the possible obstacles in the development process of the cultural route are foreseen in strong nationalism and negative collective memory, which were identified as key barriers.

Formation Mechanism of Tourists’ Pro-Environmental Behavior in Wuyishan National Park, China, Based on Ecological Values

The establishment of a new type of natural protected area system with national parks as the main body is an inevitable trend of current development, and it is also an important ways to build a more beautiful China. During tourist visits, the national park will promote a variety of ways to enhance the ecological values of tourists. Ecological values can strengthen tourists’ sense of identity, but their impact on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior is not discussed. Based on this, Wuyishan National Park, a world natural and cultural heritage, is selected as the case site, and the PLS-SEM analysis method is used. An empirical test was conducted on 358 valid samples collected in the field. The results show the following: (1) tourists’ ecological values and place identity can positively affect their pro-environmental behaviors; (2) place identity plays a mediating role between ecological values and tourists’ pro-environmental behavior; (3) place dependence and place identity play a chain mediating role between ecological values and tourists’ pro-environmental behavior; (4) according to the PLS-MGA test, gender and age can play a moderating role on the influence of ecological values on pro-environmental behavior. Therefore, the managers of national parks should pay attention to the cultivation of ecological values and consider tourist attraction, as well as formulating marketing strategies and other policy suggestions according to the different characteristics of tourists. The findings of this study offer both practical guidance and a theoretical underpinning for advancing ecological tourism within the framework of natural protected areas, with national parks playing a central role.

Activation and Out of the Circle: The All-Media Communication of Drum Pond Song Non-Heritage Culture in the New Era

The "Shashi Drum and Basin Song" has been passed down for thousands of years, and is part of the daily life of the people in Shashi and its neighbouring areas, forming a unique type of music in Shashi, and was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. Nowadays, we have entered the all-media era of media integration and development, how to optimise the communication method of "Shashi Drum Basin Song" through the innovation of communication concept and media technology is a hot topic in the study of non-heritage communication. This essay proposes that introducing the current situation of the dissemination of "Shashi Drum Pond Song" and its resources in the current media environment, pointing out the main problems existing in the dissemination at the present stage, and puting forward the innovation strategy for the dissemination of "Shashi Drum Pond Song" under the background of all-media in an attempt to make "Shashi Drum Pond Song" a new culture in the new era by means of all-media power, and to make it a new culture. It aims to revitalise the culture of "Drum Basin Song" in the new era through the power of all-media, and to break the circle of development.

Geodiversity of Italy

ABSTRACT In recent years, natural areas have been exposed to increasing anthropogenic pressure related to the growing need for natural resources. Comprehensive information on the geodiversity of a territory is essential for all stakeholders in order to define effective land management toolsusefull for preserving the natural heritage for future generations. We computed geodiversity map as the summary of lithological, morphological, paedological indicators and hydrological index using a workflow based on the grid analysis, performed in a Geographic Information System environment. The geodiversity map of Italy (main map) provides a synoptic view of the geographical distribution of the abiotic component of the landscape ranked into five classes varying from very high to very low geodiversity. This map is supplemented by histograms showing the percentages of geodiversity classes for each Italian region and a Regional Geodiversity Index map that assigns a geodiversity value to each Italian region.

Resonating Reflections: A Critical Review of Ethnosymbolic Dynamics in Les Six’s Music Nationalism Movement

Les Six and their mentors stirred a debatement of French nationalist music in the early 20th century. However, this movement faced serious criticism and mockery from various quarters and eventually fell apart amid challenges. This critical review explores the ethnosymbolic dynamics within the nationalism music movement of Les Six, and drawing upon ethnomusicological perspectives, the study examines how their compositions reflected and resonated with French national identity and cultural heritage. By analyzing primary sources, scholarly literature, and musical compositions, this article meticulously uncovers the chain reactions generated in the process of constructing national identity and cultural identity within this movement by examining the French societal backdrop, musical traditions, as well as the relationships and attitudes among relevant figures in this movement. The conclusions highlight the multifaceted nature of ethnosymbolism in their work, shedding light on the complexities of national identity construction through music.

Traditional Foods as a Way to Preserve the Genetic Diversity of the Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) in Tunisia

Tunisia has a long tradition of viticulture, and the grapevine is used for a variety of traditional foods. The country has many plant-based dishes, which may have different compositions and names depending on the region of origin. Unfortunately, over the years, traditional preparations are no longer as popular as they used to be, due to both changing lifestyles and the introduction of new crops and foods. For example, the use of grapevine in traditional dishes has declined as traditions have been lost and habits have changed in favor of new, ready-to-eat foods. The close link between grapevine, culture and territory requires an appropriate evaluation and characterization of traditional foods in order to enhance and extend their use, ensure their sustainability and preserve the varieties used to produce them. This review analyzes the use of local grapevine varieties in different traditional dishes as a means to preserve an invaluable natural and cultural resource and heritage.

Tourism Policies and Performance of Nigerian Heritage Sites

Background: Tourism policies have a significant impact on the preservation, promotion, and overall performance of heritage sites for both domestic and international tourists. This review provides insights into the entities responsible for tourism policy formulation, the policy objective, and how the stated objectives are being realized while shedding light on their implications for sustainability, economic growth, and cultural preservation. The main objective of Nigeria's tourism policy is to protect and improve the nation's natural and cultural heritage. Many activities aimed at encouraging tourism development include planning, provision of infrastructure, taxation regime that supports tourism growth, education and training for tourism employees, marketing, legislation and regulation in order to protect and preserve tourist facilities as well as the country's natural resources, historical and cultural assets. The critical concern is the enforcement and effectiveness of regulations, specifically the probability of a policy successfully promoting sustainable and viable tourism development and management. Aims: This paper therefore investigates the influence of tourism policies on the performance of heritage sites in Nigeria and the need for policy review for improved performance of Nigerian heritage sites. Methodology: The qualitative research paradigm emerged from a comprehensive review of tourism policy literature in Nigeria. The examination of documents and research projects focused on various aspects of tourism policy planning and governance, policy formulation, policy objectives, and their implications for sustainability, economic growth, and natural/cultural heritage preservation. In the data analysis, the comprehensive review were presented with an interpretative narrative. Results:  The findings revealed that Nigeria's tourism policy seeks to empower the tourism industry and position it as a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and cultural heritage preservation.  However, the policy's ability to achieve its goals optimally has been significantly hampered by lack of relevant mechanisms to measure overall levels of compliance, overreliance on petroleum resources, poor planning, and inadequate participation of relevant stakeholders in policy formulation, implementation, and monitoring. Conclusion: Despite policies and frameworks, Nigeria's tourism sector, including cultural heritage sites, has failed to reach its goals, losing the economy numerous potential benefits. In order to address the current circumstances and ensure successful heritage site design, development, and management in Nigeria, there is an urgent need for revision of the country’s tourism policy objectives and adequate enforcement measures implemented to adapt to changing circumstances and priorities.

Territorial heritage gentrification in Abdali in Amman, Jordan

Having established itself as a heritage discourse, planetary gentrification is being studied in terms of how it operates in the Global South. This study focuses on the case of Abdali Amman, a significant mixed-use neighbourhood in Jordan that has experienced numerous mega-gentrification initiatives. According to Bourdieu’s theories of the state and dispositional practices, this study critically evaluates urban gentrification practices. In terms of gentrification governance, which takes place in two adjacent ‘state’ and ‘civic’ zones inside the Abdali district, this study analyses the interactions between transnational and state actors and the intragovernmental (state-municipality) governance system. Gentrification in Amman is connected to the revitalisation of historic sites, is a matter of urban governance, and operates from the transnational sphere along national and local lines. Furthermore, gentrification is caught in a desire/resistance paradox with calls for legitimacy and recognition. As a country in the Global South, Jordan has welcomed capitalist urbanisation. Gentrification is articulated within a flux between deterritorialisation/reterritorialisation, producing a form of ‘heritage gentrification’ in which history and national heritage are sacrificed through a process of satellite gentrification that is rooted in generative cultural transformation and governed by decentralised power structures. Introducing a Western blueprint of planetary gentrification through narrow gates into non-Western environments is a prevailing challenge.

Factors Affecting Small Entrepreneurs’ Intention to Implement Green Production Processes

This research aims to analyze the factors that encourage small entrepreneurs, especially in the batik industry, to apply green behavior principles in the production process. This research was driven by the issue of environmental pollution which is still a problem that cannot be resolved to date. There has been external encouragement for the batik industry, coming from UNESCO, which requested that batik be recognized as Indonesia’s national cultural heritage if it is produced without violating environmental ethics. This research aims to explore the behavior of hand-written Batik entrepreneurs in carrying out the production process in accordance with environmentally friendly principles or green behavior. This research is exploratory research, namely as initial research, which aims to clarify problems regarding the driving factors of batik entrepreneurs in carrying out the production process with the principle of caring for the environment (green production). This research uses a survey with a population of all batik entrepreneurs in Sleman district, Yogyakarta. Sample selection used convenience sampling, where this research only used samples from batik entrepreneurs who were willing to respond to the questionnaires. The sample of the research is 30 persons. Data is analyzed using non-parametric statistics, namely Tau Kendall and Spearman’s rho. The results show that there are several factors that influence the intentions of batik entrepreneurs in implementing the green production process, namely green personality, personal norms, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control.

Bridging Natural and Cultural Heritage Management: Recommendations for Present and Former Raised Bog Areas

ABSTRACT Raised bogs (peat moss-dominated wetlands) are under environmental pressure but valued for their specific biodiversity and climate-mitigating potential. Strong efforts to restore these unique ecosystems contrast with a limited focus on cultural heritage management in bogs, putting their exceptional cultural heritage at risk. We take a new perspective on cultural heritage management in bog remnants and make recommendations for measures synergetic to their natural and cultural heritage. We focus on tangible cultural remains on the surface of bog remnants and surrounding former bog areas in the Netherlands, where bogs have long been under exceptional use and environmental pressure. To reach this objective, we first (1) explore the range and diversity of tangible cultural remains on the land surface through analysis of three case studies, (2) conduct a systematic inventory of how such cultural remains are currently incorporated in land management in and around 17 bog remnants, and (3) based on that develop a range of recommendations for improved integral management. We illustrate how preserving and displaying cultural remains can be aligned with the achievement of ecological goals in bog nature reserves.