Trans-border Area Research Articles

Problems of hydrological monitoring in transboundary rivers of Eastern Europe (on the example of the Western Dvina

Transboundary rivers are the connecting threads of different states. Hydrological monitoring and water quality control may vary significantly in different countries and leads to difficulties in solving various water management tasks. Trans-border areas require the resolution of a number of special issues, often in the field of interstate relations. This article presents the results of the analysis of hydrological processes monitoring organization in transboundary river basins of Russia and Eastern Europe. The assessment of typical monitoring problems on the example of the Western Dvina river basin under the circumstances of changing population of the territory and legislative framework governing water management is given. From the analysis of the official information sources and field observations, the structure of hydrological observations in the Western Dvina basin in Russia, Belarus and countries of the European Union is compared with their changes over time. Information on the number and density of the monitoring network stations is given, existing standards and documents regulating the procedure of observations, the composition of the measured parameters, the quality of measurements and the availability of monitoring data are compared. The analysis of methods of network observations of suspended sediments in the Western Dvina basin was carried out. The uncertainty of measurements of the concentration of suspended sediments at the outlet in the Russian part of the Western Dvina basin, caused by the existing methods and, thus, typical for determining this parameter on the observation network in the Russian Federation, is revealed. It is shown that differences and uncertainties in the collection and processing of hydrological information in different countries are a key difficulty in organizing monitoring, both at the international and at the state level.

Language identity and cultural memory in borderland areas. A survey-based research with aged respondents (seniors)

The article presents methodological and practical experiences of an inter-university research project “Language of boundaries – Boundaries of language. Paralinguistic aspects of intercultural communication”, one of project tasks being conducting interviews with Polish and German senior respondents. The project aims were, among others, to investigate linguistic and cultural awareness, the sense of proximity/alienness with the culture and the others in the transborder area and the processes of mutual accommodation. In this context, senior respondents are a particularly precious target group in language contact studies as they are witnesses of linguistic identity and cultural memory. The interviews took place in the Polish-German border region of Frankfurt/Oder and Słubice. The respondents were asked questions included in a questionnaire that was especially prepared for the purpose. The questions included among other things questions about the respondents’ origins, professional life, education, daily habits, languages spoken by them, attitudes towards the other cultural group. The authors have not only presented theoretical basics of transborder studies, accommodation processes and age studies, but they have also given practical tips on what should be considered when doing interviews with the elderly. The article includes a summary of the answers given by the two groups of the respondents. With the article, the authors intend to contribute methodologically to future socio- and gerontolinguistic studies.
 The research was carried out as part of the project Język pogranicza – pogranicze języka. Parajęzykowe aspekty komunikacji międzykulturowej (UMO: No. 0106 / NPRH3 / H12 / 82/2014) financed by the National Program for the Development of Humanities.

An evaluation of the economic, social, and ecological risks of China-Mongolia-Russia high-speed railway construction and policy suggestions

The construction of China-Mongolia-Russia high-speed railways is a strategic move to promote transportation infrastructure inter-connectivity between these countries, which will accelerate the implementation of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor. However, well-planned China-Mongolia-Russia high-speed railways demand accurately identifying construction risks, scientifically evaluating risk levels, and mapping the spatial distribution of these risks. Therefore, this study established the integrated risk evaluation model (IREM) to scientifically evaluate the economic, social, and ecological risks of China-Mongolia-Russia high-speed railway construction and determine their magnitude and spatial distribution pattern. Based on this analysis, we propose designs for the east and west China-Mongolia-Russia high-speed railways and policy suggestions to mitigate construction risks. Suggestions include developing innovative cooperation of the "high-speed railway for resources and market", strengthening communication and technology dissemination, and applying innovative engineering techniques and setting buffers; establishing collaborative prevention and control systems to mitigate the three major ecological risks in the China, Mongolia, and Russia trans-border areas; and promoting economic integration by improving strategic coordination. In summary, this study provides scientific support for designing the China-Mongolia-Russia high-speed railways minimizing construction risks.

RE-THINKING THE ROLE OF RURAL TOURISM. POTENTIALS FOR A SUSTAINABLE TRANSBORDER TOURISM IN THE AREA BULGARIA-GREECE

The paper aims to analyze the transborder area between South-West Bulgaria and Northern Greece through the lenses of sustainable rural tourism. The research evaluates the potentials for rural tourism by exploring the competitiveness of the chosen borderland. The applied qualitative analysis uses the complex aggregate indicator of competitiveness which is comprised of twelve criteria. The final aim of research is to emphasize the role of rural tourism so to rethink the possibilities of a common transborder strategy for sustainable rural tourism. The interesting and unique aspect of the study lays in its holistic approach and its deductive character. Keywords: rural tourism, transborder area Bulgaria-Greece, competitiveness analysis and evaluation, sustainability

Indígenas en ciudades “pares” en la Amazonia, entre la invisibilidad y la territorialidad urbana: Una mirada retrospectiva

Baseado numa revisão retrospectiva e focalizando um amplo diálogo com a antropologia, este artigo apresenta o processo de invisibilização e posterior revitalização étnica, sociocultural e política dos povos indígenas que têm habitado, e habitam, espaços urbanos tidos como cidades ou assentamentos “pares” em áreas fronteiriças e transfronteiriças da Amazônia. Examina especialmente o caso dos indígenas das cidades de Letícia e Tabatinga na tríplice fronteira do Brasil, Colômbia e Peru no contexto da dissolução dos estabelecimentos imperiais, a reconstituição desses assentamentos no século XX até hoje, com ênfase nos processos de recuperação étnica, da luta pelo reconhecimento dos direitos territoriais em espaço urbanos e fronteiriços, além da organização social e política expressa na constituição de cabildos indígenas urbanos.

Motywy osiedlania się Polaków w niemieckiej części obszaru funkcjonalnego miasta Szczecin. Studium przypadku miejscowości Löcknitz

Położone w północno-zachodniej Polsce przy granicy z Niemcami miasto Szczecin wraz z otaczającymi je gminami i miastami tworzy obszar funkcjonalny liczący, wg danych GUS z 2016 r., ponad 560 tys. mieszkańców. W jego obszernych granicach, a także w jego obszarze funkcjonalnym obejmującym otaczające miasto jednostki administracyjne, zachodzą procesy suburbanizacji, obserwowane od kilkunastu lat w całej w Polsce, mające wymiar przestrzenny i ludnościowy. Obszar funkcjonalny Szczecina wyznaczony przez Śleszyńskiego i Komornickiego w 2009 r. czy też inne obecne w dokumentach planistycznych delimitacje nie uwzględnia rosnącego oddziaływania tego miasta na obszary położone po niemieckiej stronie granicy. Zaryzykować można tezę, że miasto powoli i w niedookreślony jeszcze sposób odzyskuje zasięg oddziaływania utracony po historycznych ustaleniach granic Polski i NRD po konferencjach poczdamskiej i jałtańskiej. Po wejściu Polski do Unii Europejskiej oraz przystąpieniu do strefy Schengen w 2007 r., a także otwarciu niemieckiego rynku pracy rozpoczął się stopniowy proces osiedlania się ludności polskiej po stronie niemieckiej, na terenach w bezpośredniej bliskości miasta, będących w relatywnie trudnej sytuacji demograficznej i gospodarczej. W niniejszym artykule dokonana zostanie charakterystyka społeczno-gospodarcza tych obszarów, a dokładniej – przyległej do granicy z Polską jednostki administracyjnej Landkreis Vorpommern-Greifswald i Uecker-Randow, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem miejscowości Löcknitz. Charakterystyka stanowić będzie wprowadzenie do głównego celu artykułu, którym jest rozpoznanie i opisanie czynników motywujących ludność polską do osiedlania się na terenach przygranicznych. Dla osiągnięcia postawionych założeń posłużono się danymi statystycznymi, wcześniejszym piśmiennictwem oraz wywiadami i badaniami prasowymi.

Dynamic Calculation of Trans-provincial Border Pollutant Flux in River Network, Taihu Basin—Take Shengze District for Example

With the purpose of dealing with the increasing amount of trans-border pollution incidents and conflicts in Taihu Basin, trans-border pollution flux was always calculated to provide data support to relevant decision making and management. Combing the dynamic mathematic model calculation with regional pollutant flux calculation and modification equations, a new method of trans-border pollution flux calculation was put forward targeted in dense river net-work area of Taihu basin. In this study, Shengze District, the typical trans-border area in Taihu Basin, was selected to be the research target and the calculation of trans-provincial border pollutant flux can be calculated into 3 steps:(1) The 1-d mathematic model of Shengze District was built and calibrated with field measurement. (2)Basing on the mathematic model simulation result of water quality and discharge in main trans-border rivers from 2011 to 2013, the dynamic trans-border pollutant flux of Shengze District can be calculated .(3) Cooperated with monthly measurement result of important rivers from 2011 to 2013, the regional trans-border flux were modified by the calculated modification coefficient.

Sustainability in the trans-border regions? The case of Andalusia - Algarve

The goal of this work is to detect the basic characteristics of the development of the southern border between Spain and Portugal. This trans-border area is described and analysed comparing the region of Algarve, in Portugal and the region of the County, in Huelva, Spain. The method used 15 quantitative indicators, desegregated at municipal level, obtained from different official sources and applied to 30 municipalities. The analysis includes multivariate statistic methods. The conclusions show that those indicators related to national governance systems are of utmost importance in the cluster classification. Furthermore, those municipalities with higher development levels are also less sustainable from the environmental point of view - this is probably due to the fact that tourism supports the fragile socio-economic systems in many of such regions. Significantly, the clustering tendencies show that the Portuguese municipalities are tourism oriented (or less tourism oriented) and the Spanish ones are agri-business (or less agribusiness oriented). Lastly, such geographic structures seem to have its roots in long term paths of development.

Processes in transborder areas – significant impact on the economic growth

Dynamics and interdependence of socio-economic phenomena in the contemporary world require the appropriate instruments to be developed to monitor them. This becomes especially evident in the case of transborder areas, which are differentiated in terms of the socio-economic potentials, on the one hand, along with a growing gap in the data system for transborder areas, on the other. Therefore, it seems to be essential (especially in countries in transition) to create a coherent research system that collects, processes and disseminates information for such areas. Recognizing these needs, the Polish official statistics has initiated works towards establishing a suitable infrastructure. The results of this research (based on household surveys, border traffic surveys, entrepreneurship surveys, etc.) have shown, rather unexpectedly, that estimates of some items in Balance of Payment (BoP) are being changed. Consequently, they should be taken into account in the calculation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as discussed in this article.

Transboundary Conservation across Scales: A World–Regional Inventory and a Local Case Study from the United States–Mexico Border

Transboundary Conservation across Scales: A World–Regional Inventory and a Local Case Study from the United States–Mexico Border Jacob C. Brenner and John G. Davis (bio) Introduction Transboundary Conservation Background A major challenge in modern natural areas conservation arises from the tendency of ecosystems to cross administrative boundaries and the simultaneous imperative to expand conservation across broad spatial (landscape or ecoregional) scales. Making conservation work amidst the many differences (social, cultural, political, and economic) that exist across borders requires special coordination. The challenge of cross-border coordination becomes acute in cases of natural areas spanning international boundaries, as they often do (López-Hoffman et al. 2009). Envisioning coordinated cross-border conservation has become a primary endeavor of large international conservation organizations (Hutton et al. 2005). As early as 1991 the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) joined Flora and Fauna International and several other large organizations to promote cross-border collaboration among Uganda, the Republic of Congo, and Rwanda, forming the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (Rainer et al. 2003). In 1997, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas formed its Transboundary Conservation Task Force, which was later expanded into the Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group, with the primary objective being “To promote and encourage transboundary conservation . . . while promoting peace and co-operation among nations . . . for effective planning and management of transboundary conservation [End Page 499] areas” (IUCN 2011). Indeed, transboundary conservation is one of the hallmarks of a broader boom in protected areas during the past half century (Zimmerer 2006; Brockington et al. 2008). The United Nations Environment Programme’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) records 227 transboundary protected areas (TBPAs) as of 2007 (Figure 1), covering more than 4.6 million square kilometers of the global land surface (Lysenko et al. 2007). Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 1. Transboundary protected areas worldwide (1988–2007) recorded by the United Nations Environment Programme’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre (Lysenko et al. 2007). A few well-known examples suffice to illustrate the global scale of the proliferation of TBPAs, as well as their variability in size and composition (Lysenko et al. 2007). On the western border of the United States and Canada, the mountains bridging the U.S. and Canadian Rockies have been protected since 1932 as Waterton Glacier International Peace Park. The total land area of all twenty-five protected areas measures 30,975 square kilometers. The Glaciares–Torres del Paine–O’Higgins Complex of South America’s southern cone consists of nine reserves protecting 67,855 square kilometers of the southern Andean high peaks. The Serengeti–Maasai complex of Kenya and Tanzania consists of fourteen reserves protecting 43,460 square kilometers of savanna wildlife habitat and ancestral homelands. The Sundarbans of India and Bangladesh consist of nine reserves and 15,000 square kilometers of tidal mangrove habitat. [End Page 500] The global expansion of the transboundary conservation movement belies its uneven geography and begs several questions. What is the regional distribution of transboundary protected areas? Is transboundary conservation more prevalent in some regions than in others? Are there hotspots where transboundary conservation initiatives are thriving or where transboundary conservation opportunities abound? The Trouble with “Transboundary” Before we address these questions about the global transboundary conservation movement we should clarify some transboundary conservation terminology. The WCMC monitors “Transboundary Protected Areas” (Lysenko et al. 2007), where the term “transboundary” suggests a single conservation reserve spanning a jurisdictional border. In reality, such is seldom the case. A more detailed definition of this type of conservation reserve is offered by Sandwith and colleagues (2001), including: • Protected areas contiguous across a national boundary • Clusters of protected areas with intervening land • Clusters of separate protected areas without intervening land • Transborder areas that include proposed protected areas • Protected areas in one country with minimal or sympathetic land use in the adjacent country Unfortunately, amplifying the definition does not lend it any greater clarity. If anything, this more ample definition increases the ambiguity concerning what constitutes a TBPA, since the only characteristic uniting these five types of protected area complexes is their spatial coincidence in a border region. By this definition we might expect most international border...

Directions for development of transborder areas - state and prospects

The processes of integration in Europe cause the need for more and more information concerning transborder areas, thereby growing interest in regional statistics. The reason for this is mainly changes of functions of the borders caused by globalization process. The need for using the results of transborder surveys on the micro-mezo-macroeconomic level gives rise to establishing a consistent research system for these areas. Despite efforts of several international institutions, there still exist problems with lack of information on particular levels of aggregation as well as with data comparability level in individual countries. As a consequence, there is still a need for identification of major research areas and discussion on important methodological aspects relating to transborder areas.

Detection and genotyping of Borrelia burgdorferi in the trans-border area between Italy and Slovenia and evaluation of co-infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum in ticks

The present monitoring project aimed at detecting the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in ticks in the Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) Region (north-eastern Italy) and along the western border of Slovenia and to determine the Borrelia circulating genospecies. Since Anaplasma phagocytophilum had been found in the study area, we also evaluated the co-infection of the two pathogens in tick ( Ixodes ricinus) populations. The ticks collected during 2005 in 15 sites located in the study area were analyzed to detect the presence of B. burgdorferi by amplifying the intergenic spacer 5S–23S. Genotyping was performed using a new nested-PCR–RFLP method, targeting the ospA gene. A. phagocytophilum was searched for by amplifying the epank1 gene. The average infection rate of ticks with B. burgdorferi varied from 11.8% to 45.5% in the different study sites. A. phagocytophilum was present in the 1.6% of the investigated ticks and apparently homogeneously distributed. The percentage of co-infection with B. burgdorferi sensu lato was 3.4%. At least four different Borrelia species were found: B. afzelii (54.9%), B. garinii (31.7%), B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (6.1%), and 4.9% of a species unidentified whose phylogenetic analysis showed no similarity with any of the known Borrelia genospecies.

A comparative analysis of management options for grizzly bear conservation in the U.S.–Canada trans-border area

Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) populations spanning the U.S.–Canada border in the south Selkirk, Purcell–Yaak, and Cabinet Mountains are small, vulnerable, and at the front lines of any further range contraction in North America. Recent genetics work demonstrated that the south Selkirk grizzlies are an isolated population (no male or female connectivity) of fewer than 100 individuals with a 15–20% reduction in genetic diversity and that the Purcell–Yaak population is declining and demographically isolated (no female connectivity) with fewer than 50 individuals. The <25 animals living in the Cabinet Mountains population are likely isolated from both the south Selkirk Mountain and the Purcell–Yaak populations. We recognize these populations need enhanced management. To guide the development of a comprehensive management plan, we explored the effects of 3 actions (population augmentation, enhanced population interchange, and reduced mortality through management actions). We simulated 2 populations of 50 and 100 individuals using population viability analysis (PVA) software (VORTEX). We examined these management actions and combinations of them on population growth rate and extinction probabilities. Our simulations suggest that augmentation had the largest demographic effect on population growth rate over the short-term, mortality reductions had the largest effect in the long-term, and establishing population interchange and reducing mortality had the greatest effect on extinction probability. Enhanced cooperative U.S. and Canadian efforts are required to address the issues facing these small grizzly populations and to build connectivity to existing larger populations and areas of vacant habitat. Our findings apply to recovery and conservation efforts for small populations of all species of bears.

Le détroit du Pas-de-Calais : un espace frontalier terraqué ? (The Strait of Dover : a terraqué trans-border area ?)

Abstract. - We propose to study the Strait of Dover as a "terraqué" transborder area and not as a separated border or a crossing zone. After having justified this research position, we particularly analyse transborder cooperation documents between Kent and Nord-Pas-de-Calais because they are creating new spatial networks.

Cultural and social dimensions of borderlands: The case of the Italo-Slovene trans-border area

The article represents an attempt to explore the dimensions of border landscapes on the basis of some recent theoretical and methodological geographical trends in approaching such kind of regions and in the case of a special part of the current Italo-Slovene transborder area — the Gorizia section. Here, the contradiction between the stability of trans-border cultural and social links and the lability of the political partition seems to be particularly sharp. As a consequence, the border population try to reproduce the traditional spatial and social milieu in which it used to live before changes in international political framework occurred. Field methods for the detection of local social and cultural trans-border relations are then introduced, disclosing both the extent and qualities of the Gorizia trans-border region.