Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
2.6.2 Terminology and Typology of the New Wilderness
The existence and further development of the so-called “new wilderness” in present
European cultural landscapes represents undoubtedly a frequently discussed issue.
First of all we should explain the term “wilderness”. According to the explanatory
dictionary, wilderness is defined as an area of wild uncultivated land, usually far
from habitation, but sometimes refers to wild land in an urban area (Webster, 1987).
In the word “wilderness” the emphasis is placed on the objectively existing dif-
ference in comparison with a commonly cultivated land. Similar conclusions were
made by Míchal (2001), who furthermore defines the term wilderness on the ecosys-
tem level. According to Míchal, the development of the wilderness is not determined
from without but by inner movement without any defined goals or time limits.
Diverse concepts of wilderness have in common that they have as their basis the
things grown fully by oneself (not created by man) and that conform with oneself.
The attribute “new” wilderness shall accentuates the difference in comparison
with primary “old” wilderness, represented in Central Europe only by fractional
fragments of virgin forests, developing for hundreds and thousands of years without
the influence of the man. Old wilderness characterised by climax communities is
very rare, endangered and strongly protected in the European cultural landscape. To
the contrary new wilderness is characterised by initial and early successional stages
of vegetation, not older than approximately 50 years. It is not rare, but expanding,
perceived as unwanted and unprotected, of course. New wilderness originates and
develops on sites previously used by man. Fallow agricultural lands are considered
to be the most extended wilderness in the contemporary landscape of the Czech
Republic.
The succession of shrub and forest communities resulting from abandoning agri-
cultural lands completely changed the landscape character in some parts of the
country, especially in the above-mentioned erosion valleys of small water streams.
It is possible to distinguish different types of new wilderness according to the
duration of their existence in the landscape, speed and type of succession, type of
communities and site conditions.
According to the former land use, new wilderness can be classified as:
- postagrar (the most common - on abandoned agricultural lands; it can be further
divided into wilderness developed on former meadows, orchards, arable lands,
gardens etc.);
- postmining (in quarries, sand pits, dumps etc.);
- postindustrial;
- postsettlement.
The great diversity of plant communities under the diverse abiotic conditions is
a characteristic feature of the new wilderness: grasslands, steppe and forest steppe
vegetation, shrub vegetation, forest vegetation of different species composition, wet-
lands, reed and sedge vegetation, initial alder and willow alluvial forests etc. The
diversity of communities depends significantly on the time the new wilderness has
existed, of course. The development of the new wilderness has been too short so far.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search