Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2.3
Positive and negative aspects of the new wilderness in the cultural landscape
Positive aspects (+)
Negative aspects (-)
Compensation of intensively used arable lands
Space for natural processes, especially succession of
natural communities
Increase in ecological stability of the landscape
Increase in the area of ecologically stable landscape
segments like forests, shrub, steppe and wetland
communities
(Temporary?) increase in ecosystem and species
biodiversity
Strengthening of biocorridor functions of alluvial plains
and river valleys
Origin of biocentres and refugia for many plant and
animal species
Increase in vegetation index with positive climatic
consequences
Water retention in the landscape
No damage during floods
Some native species are endangered
by the change
Wildlife dependent upon agricultural
practices are threatened
Decrease in ecosystem and species
biodiversity
Possible spread of invasive species
Change in landscape character
Traditional regional rural landscape
types are under threat and vanish
Worse passability of the landscape (for
man only)
Worsens people's landscape
perception (especially for farmers,
owners, stakeholders)
2.7 Conclusions
Landscape is becoming an integrative concept. There is a growing need for trans-
disciplinary research (Naveh, 2000; Antrop, 2008). Landscape changes represent a
significant issue in contemporary Europe. Two aspects can be recognised: traditional
cultural landscapes become lost and disturbed, and the growing speed and magni-
tude of ongoing changes (Antrop, 2008). Landscape changes have always taken
place, but today this is too often coupled with loss of character. Today's fast chang-
ing society and environment result in the creation of completely new landscapes and
in rapid deterioration of traditional ones, which is considered a threat to quality and
values. The richness and diversity of rural landscapes in Europe is still regarded as a
distinctive feature and an integral part of the natural and cultural heritage of the con-
tinent (Meeus, 1995). But this heritage is now endangered by the processes of both
intensification and extensification. As regional cultural landscape types vanished
during the last century some new ones appeared like semiurban or hybrid urban,
recreational, post-industrial and post-agrar types of landscapes. It is not possible to
say that traditional landscapes are better or worse than contemporary landscapes:
the main difference is in our attitude to the environment. There will always be a
landscape, but what landscape? This is a new question (Antrop, 2008).
What is undisputed, the changes in land use and landscape structure have many
relevant ecological, environmental and even societal consequences. Among 203
threatened habitats in EU countries, 132 are potentially influenced by intensifi-
cation and 32 by abandonment of human activities (Mander & Jongman, 2000).
The assessment of changes in the landscape and of interventions by man into the
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