Theme 1. Understanding ongoing and emergent drivers and pressures of landscape change
Change is inherent to landscapes, either gradual or sudden. Some landscapes are more characterised by continuity and persistence. Yet, what drives these changes and persistence can vary greatly over space and time. In addition to widely recognised drivers like urbanisation, political and demographic changes, climate change, and intensification of agriculture, recent times have witnessed a rise in rapid and unpredictable events that are altering society and reflecting on the landscape. Examples include the COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflicts, the energy crisis and the economic recession. All these drivers operate at various spatial scales, from local to global and from individual to community, exerting direct or indirect pressures on landscapes. Understanding the driving forces and the pressures exerted on landscapes is crucial for managing and planning for landscape changes effectively. Within landscape ecology, these issues can be addressed in several ways, including, for example, investigating emergent drivers and developing new conceptual approaches to studying drivers and pressures.
Session 1A – Participatory Systems Mapping in Landscapes
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Workshop
Andrea Bina, UNDP Regional Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean, Panama, andrea.bina@undp.org
Keywords: participatory systems mapping, landscapes, ILM, drivers of change
Landscapes are shaped by the interplay of complex systems, including political, economic, social and natural systems. The unique dynamics that emerge in each landscape from the interaction of these systems contribute to the materialization (or not) of change in key landscape outcomes, such as the wellbeing of its human and non-human inhabitants (think about forests and biodiversity).
The Causality Assessment for Landscape Interventions (CALI) methodology was designed to support authorities and changemakers in landscapes to better understand these dynamics and how they affect some key variables in their landscape.
CALI leverages participatory systems mapping and contribution analysis to support the design and adaptation of landscape interventions and portfolios. At the same time, it provides a learning experience to the representatives of key stakeholder groups in the landscape, who are exposed to systems thinking and have a chance to reflect on the present and future of their landscape in a multi-stakeholder space.
This will be an interactive workshop where participants will explore and discuss the value of qualitative action research to catalyze sustainable change in landscapes. The workshop session will be focused on (i) sharing the latest with CALI, including case studies on application experiences in Indonesia and the Peruvian Amazon, (ii) responding to questions and receiving feedback on the methodology, and (iii) identifying potential new partnerships and opportunities for further testing.
Session 1B – Trees in Agricultural landscapes – A focus on traditional orchards and coppiced woodlands
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Symposium
Csaba Centeri, Department of Nature Conservation and Environmental Management, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Hungary, centeri.csaba@uni-mate.hu
Debbie Bartlett, University of Greenwich, Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, United Kingdom
Alexandra Kruse, Insitu World Heritage Consulting, France
Keywords: agricultural landscapes, biodiversity, climate resilience rural exodus
The landscapes around us reflects centuries of agriculture practice that varies according to the context provided by geology, soil, climate, vegetation and wildlife combined with local needs. This session will focus of traditional practices of managing trees, specifically traditional orchards and coppice woodlands, to explore how examining past management practices can foster understanding of the emerging pressures on these agricultural landscapes so enabling adaptive management to maintain valued ecosystem services, specifically biodiversity and cultural heritage.
Traditional orchards have provided fruits and nuts in many rural areas, contributing to regionally distinctive landscapes and resulting in local culinary specialities. Modern intensive systems increase productivity with plant breeding techniques, producing varieties that store and transport better but interest in orchard traditions continues, notably from tourism, restaurants, local consumers and for ecological reasons. Collections of old varieties provide propagation material, teach orchard restoration, and maintain the genetic resource with potential significance for future food security as well as in the context of climate change.
Coppicing is a traditional method of managing woodland producing regular crops of small roundwood used for many products, including tree stakes, fruit picking ladders as well as boxes and barrels. Most hardwood trees regenerate from the base – the coppice stool – when cut. This characteristic has been exploited for centuries as, before mechanised tools, such as chain saws, we introduced regular coppicing with an axe was an efficient way to harvest firewood, still an important product, as well as material for multiple other uses. New markets for coppice are emerging; awareness of nature conservation benefits increasingly drives management with carbon accounting providing an additional financial incentive.
Contributions are invited to share experience of trees as components of agricultural landscapes and, in the dynamic context of the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis, how considering traditional practices can inform adaption, increase resilience and maintain valued ecosystem services.
Session 1C – Oral Sources as a way of Exploring Drivers of Historical Landscape Change: Methods towards More Sustainable Landscapes for the Future
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Symposium
Marianna Biró, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary, biro.marianna@ecolres.hu
Rebekka Dossche, University of Genoa, IT, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Switzerland
Franziska Mohr, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Switzerland
Lien Imbrechts, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Institute for Environmental Studies
Rebekka Dossche, University of Genoa, IT, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Switzerland
Anita Zariņa, Department of Geography, University of Latvia, Latvia
Keywords: oral history interviews, historical landscape ecology, indirect drivers, sustainability transformation, ecological memory
Human activities have been shaping ecosystems since prehistoric times and are a central factor in the successive dynamics that have created our current landscapes. But the ways in which humans rely on and use the landscape tend to shift over time depending on communities’ needs and values. Landscape transformations can often be traced back to events in the past, driven by socio-economic processes such as political or demographic changes. This historical interconnectedness of nature and human culture is the central concern of historical ecology research. Moreover, in order to protect and manage rapidly changing European landscapes, a proper understanding of the historical roots of these driving forces is essential.
A fundamental resource within historical ecology can be found in detailed memories and knowledge of experienced past landscape transitions and management practices of local communities, e.g. in the form of oral history. While oral sources provide essential bottom-up insights into historical and social aspects of landscape change, the knowledge may be influenced by subjectivity, shifting baselines, or misconceptions about species or landscape management. Therefore, it is crucial to critically evaluate and use these sources.
This session aims to explore how to integrate oral history to address different methodological challenges and more sustainable management strategies for landscape development. We call for full and flash presentations focusing on the use of oral historical sources in landscape ecology and sustainable landscape planning, on different methodological challenges and innovations that show the added value of combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, and on how triangulation with other (historical) sources is possible. We plan to facilitate the symposium with a collective brainstorm on the use, challenges and opportunities of oral sources in landscape ecology. Therefore, we encourage the contributors to participate in the entire session. This session is organised by the IALE Working Group Historical Landscape Ecology.
Session 1D – Abandonment of Rural and Urban Landscapes: Understanding the Drivers and Implications for Ecology and People
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Symposium
Alexander Prishchepov, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen, Denmark, alpr@ign.ku.dk
Tomáš Goga, Institute of Geography, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia
Alexander Vorbrugg, Universität Bern, Institute of Geography, Switzerland
Keywords: farmland abandonment, drivers, landscape change, underuse, land use change
The ‘underuse’ or complete abandonment of farmlands and settlements has become a widespread global phenomenon. Farmland and settlement abandonment significantly impact the environment, landscape resilience, and societal well-being. However, the driving mechanisms behind abandonment, the emergence of novel ecosystems, and the dynamics of landscape resilience in regions prone to abandonment remain unclear. Furthermore, theories, methods, and toolkits for measuring and interpreting farmland abandonment are insufficient.
This session aims to highlight progress and address existing challenges in defining and understanding the diverse land transitions associated with abandonment, including the resulting low-intensity, underused, or fully abandoned urban and rural landscapes. Presentations are invited on the following topics:
Conceptualizing land transition processes related to abandonment, such as secondary forest regrowth, evolving novel ecosystems, and implications for landscape resilience.
• Coupling and decoupling processes in abandoned urban and rural landscapes.
• Research methods and toolkits to measure and interpret underuse, abandonment, and post-agricultural landscape transitions.
• Development of theories and evaluation of driving mechanisms of landscape change and corresponding policy responses.
• Environmental and societal implications of land abandonment and related transitions.
• Emerging land uses in post-abandonment contexts.
• Fostering novel interdisciplinary dialogues between (critical) social sciences and natural sciences to advance understanding of land abandonment.
This research session contributes to the activities of the Global Land Programme’s initiative, “Agricultural Land Abandonment as a Global Land-Use Change Phenomenon.” https://bit.ly/l_aband and https://www.land-abandonment.org/
Session 1E – Islandscapes: from Biodiversity to Ecosystem Services
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Symposium
Ioannis Vogiatzakis, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Open University of Cyprus, Cyprus, ioannis.vogiatzakis@ouc.ac.cy
Valia Drakou, Environmental Physical Geography, Mapping Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Services, Harokopio University of Athens, Greece
Emilio Padoa-Schioppa, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italy
Savvas Zotos, Open University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
Keywords: islandscapes, ecosystem services, biodiversity, natural capital, planning
European territory is strewn with islands including Mediterranean, North Seas but also Overseas Territories. These islands are hotspots of biodiversity and evolution which is an outcome of abiotic diversity but also cultural diversity creating unique land- and seascapes. Islandscapes reflect people-environment interdependence, while natural capital on island spaces includes both terrestrial and marine elements.
Planning for biodiversity management conservation on islandscapes becomes challenging since space is limited and pressures are amplified, while currently there is a paradigm shift from biodiversity conservation to ecosystem services (ES) supply. An island’s limited space and isolation means that natural capital is constrained, influenced more by externalities but at the same time precious for island societies and beyond.
The session will address both conceptual and methodological issues, including data challenges pertaining to natural capital assessment on islandscapes, with emphasis on small and medium size islands.
It will seek to address questions such as: How do you manage natural capital and main pressures related to islandscapes of Europe? How can we account for the marine natural capital of an island? How do you plan for conservation and ES management in these spaces? Are traditional conservation approaches enough? Can we rely on new “allies”, and methods already employed for landscapes and seascapes?
A large part of the session will focus on work related to the COST Action SMILES (CA21158) on European islands. However, it is open to submission of any related work which deals with terrestrial marine and coastal aspects of islandscapes. We would expect 10 contributions for this session. The contributions from this session will form the core of a special issue on an international journal.
Session 1F – Post-War Landscape Restoration: Make “it Back Better”
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Workshop
Sergiy Zibtsev, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Institute of Forestry and Landscape-Park Management, Ukraine, Sergiy.zibtsev@nubip.edu.ua
Lukas Giessen, Tropical & International Forest Governance, TU Dresden, Germany
Keywords: armed conflict, community and ecosystem recovery
Global society is currently navigating a period of profound upheaval and uncertainty, marked by the convergence of environmental, social, political, and economic crises. Wars and armed conflicts in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia are causing widespread geopolitical, environmental, economic, and social repercussions at local, regional, and global levels. These conflicts result in severe landscape degradation and erode the cultural and emotional connections people have with their environments. This turbulence poses a significant threat to the global community’s ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
The aim of this session is to discuss post-war landscape restoration, which presents a unique set of challenges that go beyond traditional conservation and development efforts aimed at fostering a sustainable future for forests and society. We invite participants to our session, which will be held in the form of a workshop, to present and discuss landscape restoration interventions across various contexts, with a particular focus on nature-based solutions.
The following topics are of particular interest:
• Innovative solutions in post-war landscape restoration (e.g., technologies, social innovation initiatives);
• Governance solutions in post-war landscape restoration that enhance the resilience and well-being of affected communities and ecosystems;
• Successful examples of post-war landscape restoration and peacebuilding across diverse contexts;
• Capacity-building opportunities for students and young scientists who will be engaged in post-war forest landscape restoration activities.
The overall objective of the session is to build global and regional networks of researchers from different disciplines, research organizations, practitioners, and decision-makers. This will foster the sharing, exchange, and application of high-quality, up-to-date scientific knowledge and innovative solutions related to post-war forest landscape restoration in diverse contexts.
Theme 2. Monitoring the landscape conditions and impact of landscape change
This theme relates to the role of landscape ecology in addressing the conditions and states that characterise landscapes. Changes in these conditions have been seen to impact landscape patterns and processes, the provision of landscape services, human well-being and the overall quality of the landscapes. Such conditions could be investigated as they have been in the past, as they are now, or as we predict they will unfold in the future. In this regard, approaches such as historical landscape research or the study of landscapes in conjunction with palaeoecological and archaeological investigations provide glimpses of the past, while landscape visions and scenarios help us address the upcoming challenges. Conditions that characterize landscapes can include and are not limited to landscape patterns, processes, and interactions, including biodiversity, habitats and species distribution, human-nature interactions, provision of landscape and ecosystem services.
Session 2A – Mapping Megatrends in Changing Agricultural Landscapes
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Symposium
Ronan Marrec, University of Picardie Jules Verne, France, ronan.marrec@u-picardie.fr
Marianne Laslier, University of Picardie Jules Verne, France
Majid Iravani, Alberta Monitoring Institute, University of Alberta, Canada
Keywords: land-use planning, socio-economic factors, landscape-level agricultural management, driving forces
Agricultural landscapes are affected by megatrends (sensu Debonne et al. 2022: climate change, demographic changes, (post-)productivism shifts, environmental regulations) that operate across different spatiotemporal scales to alter landscape structure and functioning. This symposium focuses on how we can quantify and predict changes driven by megatrends to better plan and manage the response of agroecosystems, and support policy that promote sustainable practices. A key bottleneck is data availability and spatial extent: while land use data is readily available, socio-economic data to quantify megatrends are often hard to access and not tied to spatial locations. This symposium will combine invited and contributed talks that explicitly address the challenges of how to: (a) scale megatrends down to management units, (b) link megatrends to biodiversity and ecosystem service data, (c) produce maps that define landscapes as planning areas combining ecological processes and anthropogenic pressures, (d) anticipate what land-use changes are likely to happen where, and how they will affect biodiversity and ecosystem services, and (e) predict the effect of alternative management scenarios. Mapping and monitoring megatrends and their landscape impacts will enable practitioners to prioritize conservation and restoration efforts, ultimately promoting biodiversity and ecosystem services within agricultural landscapes in a global change context.
Session 2B – From Landscape Science to Policy: Biodiversity Monitoring at the Landscape Scale for Future Restoration
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Symposium
Stefan Schindler, Environment Agency, Austria, Stefan.Schindler@umweltbundesamt.at
Christa Hainz-Renetzeder, Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Austria
Thomas Wrbka, University of Vienna, Division of Conservation Biology, Vegetation and Landscape Ecology, Austria
Florian Danzinger, Environment Agency Austria
Rafaela Schinegger, Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Austria
Keywords: biodiversity monitoring, restoration, science to policy, landscape scale
The biodiversity crisis is taking place at national and international levels, and urgent action is needed to halt the loss of species and habitats and prevent further degradation of ecosystems and their services. Along with habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, climate change is one of the key global drivers of the dramatic decline in biodiversity. Coordinated actions are needed to address the coupled climate- and biodiversity crises holistically, especially across whole landscapes, by linking freshwater and terrestrial realms. Existing land use conflicts between nature conservation and other land uses will intensify due to increased human demands and climate change impacts. Also, measures to mitigate climate change may create additional pressure on ecosystems, as the accelerated implementation of renewable energy infrastructure will lead to a drastic landscape change in the near future. The quality and effectiveness of protected areas in preserving biodiversity will strongly depend on their connectivity and surrounding natural or semi-natural habitats. Sufficient and high-quality monitoring data are becoming increasingly important in determining possible impacts on biodiversity due to landscape changes. Such data must be reliable, as they also provide the basis for developing effective policies and implementing targeted ecosystem restoration measures.
Following research questions address these challenges:
– How can novel methods and innovative approaches be optimally integrated into biodiversity monitoring at the landscape scale?
– How can we address new challenges, such as the rapid expansion of renewable energy infrastructure, through monitoring?
– How can resilient landscapes be maintained or established across realms to provide multifunctional benefits for nature and society?
– How to combine the needs for long–term monitoring with shorter-term implementation & evaluation of various policies?
To ensure a broad yet thematically focused session, we invite presentations that address various aspects of monitoring in the form of concepts, empirical data and results across realms.
Session 2C – Tracing Back Historical Land-Use and its Legacies: Common Insights and Perspectives of Landscape Archaeology and Historical Landscape Ecology
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Symposium
Marianna Biró, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary, biro.marianna@ecolres.hu
Sjoerd Kluiving, Vrije Universiteit, Netherlands
Valentina Pescini, Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Spain
Guillermo Reher, Comillas Pontifical University, Spain
Giovanna Pezzi, University of Bologna, Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, Italy
Keywords: human-environment interactions, long-term processes, land-use legacies, methods of landscape archaeology
Human impacts on the environment have a long history and understanding this may bring landscape ecology and landscape archaeology closer in a view to have a robust background and a proper perspective of the ongoing environmental changes, and identifies legacies. There are many questions and challenges easier to handle by bridging the two disciplines. Landscape archaeology, together with environmental disciplines (eg. palaeobotany), could help to understand millennia-scale human-environment interactions and long-term processes with its integrative approach using a range of methods from large-scale techniques like geoinformatics and LIDAR to microscopic analyses such as the study of wood charcoal and phytolith for example. This joint session of landscape ecologists of IALE and landscape archaeologists of IALA (International Association of Landscape Archaeology) brings together researchers to learn about each other’s methods and approaches and to identify common research interests and the possibilities for collaboration. The session will explore the effects of land-use and land management practices, as well as natural events over the past millennia. Topics may include the impacts of historical drainage systems and water regulations, major climatic periods and epidemics, volcanic eruptions, or the use of fire for pastoral or agricultural purposes. We are also calling for abstracts on the impact of wild and domesticated herbivores, long-distance livestock movements across European landscapes (e.g. the role of transhumance or cattle drives in landscape evolution), the agro-silvo-pastoral ecosystems across centuries, or the medieval ridge-and-furrow cultivation, and effects and legacies of other lost historical uses on the past or the present-day landscape and its habitats. As adapting to future landscape processes requires the integration of natural and social sciences, this platform will host inspiring research and debates on how the historical experiences of the two disciplines can be used to plan for a sustainable future with humans present in an improved biodiversity.
Session 2D – Monitoring Farmland Habitats and Plants across Europe
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Symposium
Wendy Fjellstad, Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, Norway wendy.fjellstad@nibio.no
Lisa Norton, Lancaster University, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, United Kingdom
Keywords: agriculture, monitoring, biodiversity, plants
This symposium will bring together researchers working on monitoring farmland habitats and plants at national or regional scales. Researchers will share experiences and analytical uses of current and past (potentially repeatable) monitoring approaches. We will compare methods, results, and how findings are communicated to policymakers and the public. We will also seek to identify how results from national monitoring schemes might contribute to a common farmland plant index that can be used to monitor the condition of farmland across Europe.
This work will take place in the context of ever-decreasing biodiversity across European farmland and multiple measures being taken to address it, including the new Green Deal focused on a circular bioeconomy, as well as country level initiatives. It also fits within the context of climatic change and its influence on agricultural landscapes e.g. through droughts and floods. Recent work on monitoring biodiversity across the EU country level means that many countries are working on monitoring programmes which inevitably cover agricultural landscapes. By sharing our research and working together we aim to increase understanding of ecological change in Europe and underpin European agricultural policies.
The objectives are: 1) to share monitoring and analytical approaches for farmland plant species across European agricultural landscapes, 2) to identify potential indicators (functional types, indicators of environmental drivers (climate, soil, management) and analytical approaches for assessing state and change, 3) identify opportunities for collaboration on indicators for measuring the condition of farmland.
Session 2E – Landscape Ecology for Drought Mitigation in the Context of Climate Change
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Symposium
Werner Rolf, TUM School of Life Sciences, Germany, werner.rolf@th-owl.de
Aude Zingraff-Hamed, National Centre for Scientific Research France
Isabel Loupas-Ramos, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal
Keywords: climate change adaptation, nature-based solutions, sponge-scape, drought resilience, hydrological management, water retention strategies, concepts and methods
The increasing frequency and severity of droughts due to climate change pose significant challenges to ecosystems, agriculture and water resources. Landscape ecology, focusing on spatial patterns and ecological processes at different scales, provides insights to manage drought impacts and enhance landscape resilience. This symposium will explore how landscape-scale approaches can mitigate droughts – meteorological, hydrological, agricultural and ecological – and improve the management of natural and human-modified systems in drought-prone regions.
The symposium will bring people together to share research findings, case studies, and strategies that demonstrate the relevance of landscape ecology to drought mitigation. Topics may include the role of spatial heterogeneity in water retention, improving hydrological and ecological systems, and innovative land use practices for sustainable water management. In addition, the symposium will explore how landscape ecology and leverage into policy making and planning to reduce the drought vulnerability of land use systems.
We invite researchers and practitioners from all disciplines to contribute. Papers highlighting integrated approaches to drought monitoring, spatial analysis, land use planning, and ecosystem restoration are particularly welcome. Submissions should focus on how strategies on the landscape scale can contribute to sustainable drought management and improve resilience under changing climatic conditions.
Depending on the interest of participants we will consider a joint publication of the outcome of the session.
Session 2F – Enhancing Landscape Assessments Through Ecosystem Services Science
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Symposium
Luis Inostroza, Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic, inostroza@vukoz.cz
Jakub Houska, Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic
Marketa Santruckova, Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Czech Republic
Keywords: landscape assessments, ecosystem services, methods, indicators
In the XXI century, there is no landscape not facing strong change pressures. Traditional landscape assessments must deal with the increasing complexities of landscape change crossed by the intricate interplay between ecological patterns and processes, cultural values, and socioeconomic and technological factors while at the same time facing increasing ecological deterioration, biodiversity loss, environmental inequality and urbanisation. Ecosystem services science can provide ready-to-be-used scientific knowledge to enhance landscape assessments to better cope with these new challenges, improving landscape responses to ongoing challenges, and facilitating better landscape protection that ensures that the benefits people receive from well-functioning ecosystems are maintained and enhanced. This session explores the integration of ecosystem services science within landscape assessments, focusing on contributions showing the current international state of the art in developing, testing and implementing multi-dimensional (ecological, economic, social) landscape assessments using ecosystem services science. Conceptual, methodological as well as operational contributions and case studies are welcome. The following topics are encouraged:
-landscape restoration, biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem services
– Landscape assessment conceptualisations, methods and indicators
– Interactions between stakeholders, planners and policymakers
– spatiotemporal relationship between urbanisation and ecosystem services
– Healthy landscapes through ecosystem services
– landscape indicators characterizing spatial processes related to ecosystem services
– landscape strategies for better use of ecosystem services science
Session 2G – Forest Landscapes for Multiple Benefits and Local Ecological Knowledge in Various Contexts
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Symposium – flash presentations
Nataliya Stryamets, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, School for Forest Management, Sweden, natastr@gmail.com
Marine Elbakidze, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, School for Forest Management, Sweden
Oksana Peluykh, Ukrainian National Forestry University, Ukraine
Guilia Mattalia, Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Italy
Keywords: functional landscapes, forests, non-wood forest products
The multifunctionality of forest landscapes is crucial for supporting biodiversity, building resilience, and increasing the productivity of forest ecosystems while simultaneously supporting community wellbeing. These multifunctional landscapes provide a wide range of ecological, economic, and social benefits at local, national, and global levels, ensuring sustainability for present and future generations.
This session aims to highlight the crucial role of ecosystem services provided by forested landscapes in Europe by discussing case studies of the reciprocal contributions between people and forest landscapes across various temporal and spatial contexts. Moreover, we encourage a discussion around the relevance of local ecological knowledge (and its transmission) for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
We will focus on the bijective relationship between the forest landscapes and their inhabitants, with emphasis on the changes in such relationships in time and space. We will discuss the current trends in increasing and diversifying recreational, economic, ecological, and social-cultural demands on forest resources. Particularly, how people use forest resources other than wood (i.e. non-wood forest products (NWFPs) for food, medicine, fibre, and employment to sustain their livelihoods as well as various cultural and spiritual values for well-being. The session will discuss the changes in NWFP use and demand patterns and the associated drivers of change (e.g. lifestyle changes, urbanization, lesser contact with nature).
Maintaining the overall health of the ecosystem in a “durable” and balanced way to achieve long-term resilience of the forest ecosystem, is crucial for human health. We will discuss how Indigenous and local communities have maintained (and enriched) forest systems (i.e. agroforests and agroforestry) over time through stewardship practices informed by their local ecological knowledge. Local ecological knowledge is crucial in maintaining a functional landscape for sustaining livelihoods while suggesting practices for forest management that help to achieve SDG.
Session 2H – Ontology of Landscape Open Spaces in Urban-to-Peri-Urban Gradients
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Workshop
Marcin Spyra, University of Ostrava, Department of Human Geography and Regional Development, Czech Republic, marcin.spyra@osu.cz
Deborah Schaudt, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
Sebastian Scheuer, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Geography, Germany
Janina Kleemann, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
Dagmar Haase, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Geography, Germany
Keywords: landscape, open spaces, ontology, planning, governance
To plan for resilient futures of transforming landscapes we require a sound and systematic understanding and typification, or thus ontology of landscape open spaces (LOS), which are one of the most important natural resources providing crucial services for human and non-human actors. The ontology will be based on a set of interrelated ideas assigned to specific categories contributing to an improved and shared conceptualization of LOS.
This session will focus on LOS along urban-to-peri-urban gradients, as the most rapidly transformed types of open spaces. The broad understanding of LOS is that they are publicly and privately-owned terrestrial areas, their land cover/uses not being related to different types of urban fabric, commercial and transportation areas. Nevertheless, we are interested to further develop this understanding into a comprehensive ontology of LOS. The scope and the purpose of this ontology will be to increase understanding of what are LOS, to understand what role they play in securing physical and social resilience of cities. Moreover, we envision that the ontology may support landscape governance by making linkages between specific aspects of LOS with corresponding planning/management schemes/institutions/actors.
This session aims to start building the ontology of LOS in a participatory way. The participants will be invited into an interactive workshop which will provide a basis for a semi-formal semantic description of LOS, which will subsequently be translated into a LOS ontology prototype. The prototype will be visualized during the workshop in the form of mind maps expressing semantic networks, i.e. graphs containing named nodes (that represent spatial, governance and functional traits of LOS and their attributes) and edges showing connections and relationships between the nodes. Session participants will work on a valuation of graph nodes to explore each node’s role in the ontology, to devise a taxonomy of nodes, and to model relationships between nodes.
Session 2I – Cities as Social-Ecological-Technological Systems: From Urban Research to Interventions in Planning Application
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Symposium
Julia Schiller, Technische Universität München, Germany, j.schiller@tum.de
Astrid Reischl, Technische Universität München, Germany
Stephan Pauleit, Technische Universität München, Germany
Keywords: nature-based solutions, urban green infrastructure, urban landscapes, systems-thinking approach
With an estimated two billion people living in urban areas by 2050, urbanisation poses unprecedented challenges. Urbanisation leads to the depletion and degradation of natural resources, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. The inclusion of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) as nature-based solutions is an effective tool to counteract those urban challenges and to make cities more climate resilient. UGI is planned and managed to deliver many provisioning, regulating, and cultural ecosystem services that provide multiple benefits to humans and integrate biodiversity in urban areas, e.g., climate regulation, water runoff mitigation, space for recreation and food production. Further, UGI can substitute for non-renewable resources (e.g., fossil fuels for air conditioning) and can be used for smarter design and management of cities through integration into technical infrastructures.
However, the integration of multifunctional UGI in densely populated urban environments is meeting significant barriers such as limited and intensively used above and belowground spaces, siloed administrations and regulations. Overcoming these and further obstacles call for integrated urban research between social, ecological, and technical sciences. Approaching urban areas as social-ecological-technological systems (SETS) will facilitate a deeper understanding of the interrelationships and dependencies between the three domains concerning UGI as an application solution. Collaborative knowledge development and sharing among researchers, practitioners and other stakeholders are needed to develop this systemic understanding, and to achieve a transformation towards urban sustainability and resilience.
This symposium invites presentations on novel approaches to create and manage biodiverse urban green infrastructures that provide multiple ecological and social benefits. Inter- and transdisciplinary approaches to better integrate urban research into urban planning with a focus on urban green infrastructure are particularly welcome. The session should include case studies, conceptual ideas as well as new methodologies from researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of social, ecological, and technological domains.
Session 2J – Transboundary Climate Change Adaptation through Green Infrastructure
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Workshop
Candela De La Sota, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Centre of Innovation and Technology for Human Development Spain, candela.delasota@upm.es
Renato Monteiro, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Department of Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Portugal
Keywords: green infrastructure, climate change, transboundary
In order to better understand how Green Infrastructure (GI) contributes to climate change adaptation, this workshop will reflect on Europe’s landscape transboundary conditions and evaluate the effects of transformations at the local and regional levels. GreenGap is an Interreg aimed at strengthening the local governments’ role in implementing GI in the Galicia-Northern Portugal Euroregion. Cross-border cooperation is driven both by historic and contemporary socio-environmental transformations. The territorial relationships between European countries highlights the importance of the Council of Europe’s publication ‘Landscape Dimensions. Reflections and proposals for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention’ as a key component on landscape ecology. The GI, which consists of a network of opportunity spaces, buffer zones, environmental corridors and core zones providing ecosystem services is crucial because it improves landscape resilience while also reducing the consequences of climate change.
The idea is to get the workshop participants together to talk about methods of cross-cooperation in GI implementation and monitoring, using the case study of GreenGap Project, offering a forum for debating approaches to quantify the ecological and socioeconomic advantages of climate adaptation. Throughout the event, participants will be encouraged to engage with one another and help build useful suggestions for incorporating GI into climate adaption policy. The workshop also intends to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and the formation of new collaborations to address climate issues. It is expected to facilitate a knowledge sharing session that supports the use of transboundary GI strategies as vital techniques in landscape ecology matters. The main objective is to create a list of proposals to mitigate climate changes through transboundary cooperation in Europe, coinciding with the goals of IALE 2025 to promote understanding and sustainable management of European landscapes
Theme 3. Responding to changing landscapes
The recent rapidly changing world brought a greater degree of uncertainty in predicting future landscape developments and challenges. The study of the interactions between different elements of the environment and how they respond to different stress factors can provide valuable insights into how landscapes can be managed to better cope with new challenges. Examining the intricate interplay between ecological functions, cultural values, socio-economic factors, and technology allows for better appreciation and protection of our landscapes, ensuring they continue to provide vital services and benefits. For instance, there are increasing efforts in nature and landscape restoration, and approaches such as greening agricultural landscapes, can help steer the future of our landscapes. The theme addresses approaches to improve the efficiency of landscape responses to ongoing challenges, to better plan and manage the response of ecosystems and landscapes to ongoing challenges, as well as the role of policies, planning and emergent governance contexts in promoting sustainable land use practices.
Session 3A – Integrating Local Knowledge into Landscape Research: Toward more Ethical Transdisciplinary Approaches
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Symposium
Julien Blanco, Université Paul Valéry-Montpellier, Institute of Research for Development, France, julien.blanco@ird.fr
Jean-Cosme Rouzaud, Université Paul Valéry-Montpellier, Institute of Research for Development, France
Stéphanie M. Carrière, Université Paul Valéry-Montpellier, Institute of Research for Development, France
Keywords: indigenous and local knowledge, environmental justice, landscape sustainability, ethics
Rural landscapes worldwide are experiencing changes at an unprecedented pace, driven by complex interplays of socio-economic, political, and environmental factors. These landscapes, as intricate research objects, encompass both tangible elements such as land uses and infrastructures, and intangible aspects including symbols and meanings. This complexity significantly challenges landscape scientists and raises important methodological and ethical questions. For instance, academic approaches often struggle to capture certain landscape changes, in particular those that are not measurable, not tangible, or too subtle to be monitored. Along with differences in worldviews, this leads to frequent divergences between the perspectives of academic researchers and those of local inhabitants. On an ethical stance, such divergences pave the road to epistemic injustices if local knowledge and perspectives are not acknowledged. Despite the growing recognition of the need to integrate non-academic knowledge into landscape research, fostering effective knowledge coproduction processes remains challenging. This session aims to explore approaches that articulate academic and non-academic expertise and operationalize transdisciplinary consortia. We seek contributions that demonstrate how such approaches can enhance our understanding of landscape transformations and contribute to more ethical research practices. Potential topics include:
• Participatory research
• Case studies showcasing (un)successful combination of academic and non-academic knowledge
• Ethical considerations in transdisciplinary research
• Innovative tools and technologies for combining diverse knowledge sources
• The contribution of transdisciplinary approaches to landscape research
This session aims to contribute to the development of more comprehensive, just and effective landscape research methodologies. We invite researchers, practitioners, and local knowledge holders to share their experiences, challenges, and successes in bridging the gap between academic and non-academic spheres. Ultimately, this session seeks to advance our collective ability to conduct landscape research that not only produces more accurate assessments but also acknowledges the perspectives of those who inhabit and shape these dynamic environments.
Session 3B – Advancing Sustainable Agriculture through Multifunctional Landscapes
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Symposium
Costanza Geppert, University of Padua, Italy, costanza.geppert@unipd.it
Péter Batáry, Centre for Ecological Research, Hungary
Stephan Pauleit, Technische Universität München, Germany
Keywords: ecosystem services, biodiversity, agriculture, multifunctionality
In human-dominated regions, landscapes form diverse mosaics of urban, natural, and agricultural patches. The complementarity of these patches enables heterogeneous landscapes to provide multiple ecosystem services, a concept known as ecosystem multifunctionality (Alsterberg et al., 2017 Sci. Adv.). This idea, fundamental to both basic and applied ecology, highlights how ecosystems can support various functions simultaneously. While high land-use intensification tends to prioritize a few services, such as food production, it often negatively impacts biodiversity and other regulating or cultural services (Allan et al., 2015 Ecol. Lett.). In contrast, multifunctional landscapes maintain diverse ecosystem functions and services within the same area (Hector & Bagchi, 2007 Nature). Landscape multifunctionality is not just about which ecosystem services are generated, but also about who benefits from them (Grass et al., 2019 People Nat.). Therefore, sociological, economic, and policy dimensions are critical for enhancing landscape multifunctionality. Despite growing interest, implementation in environmental management remains limited, with inconsistencies in how multifunctionality is conceptualized, quantified, and applied (Hölting et al., 2019 Ecol. Ind.). Our symposium will tackle these issues, focusing on how multifunctional landscapes can transform agricultural practices and contribute to sustainable land-use management. We will discuss how to design landscapes that support diverse ecosystem functions while meeting the needs of different stakeholders, including farmers, land-use planners, and policymakers. The symposium will also explore challenges related to measuring and implementing multifunctionality, particularly in agricultural contexts where sustainable farming is a priority. The overarching aim is to facilitate dialogue on how multifunctional landscapes can serve as a framework for promoting sustainable farming and improving agricultural landscape management. We aim to advance the practical application of multifunctional landscapes in agriculture by bringing together experts from various disciplines.
Session 3C – The Green Transition of European Landscapes – from Ambitious Spatial Plans to Comprehensive Land Use Changes
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Symposium
Peter Stubkjær Andersen, University of Copenhagen, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Denmark, stub@ign.ku.dk
Lone Søderkvist Kristensen, University of Copenhagen Faculty of Science, Denmark
Henrik Vejre, University of Copenhagen, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Denmark
Keywords: land use changes, climate action, green deal, spatial planning approaches, sustainable transition
The green transition towards climate neutrality by 2050 will have a comprehensive impact as driver of land use changes of the European landscapes: The Green Deal calls for actions concerning both decreased greenhouse gas emissions e.g. through identification of new and less intensive use of carbon-rich soils and restoration and construction of wetlands, as well as increased greenhouse gas uptake through changes in crop regimes, low impact livestock management, and increased afforestation initiatives.
However, the green transition is not only about reaching climate neutrality but should also address other current crises related to biodiversity, and pollution of the aquatic environment and how synergies can be achieved when addressing these crises together.
This session will explore: 1) How spatial plans for the green transition has been formulated through both top-down and bottom-up planning processes across European countries; 2) How and to what extent have land use changes already been experienced, and which scenarios are expected; and 3) Which knowledge gaps exist in relation to assure a sustainable land use transition.
Session 3D – Planning Spproaches to Reconcile Growing and Emergent Demands on Landscapes
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Symposium
Simona R. Gradinaru, Swiss Federal Research Institute, Switzerland, simona.gradinaru@wsl.ch
Anna Hersperger, Swiss Federal Research Institute, Switzerland
Beatriz Pierri Daunt, Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Spain
Chiara Cortinovis, University of Trento, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, Italy
Keywords: planning, response, evaluation
The recent rapidly changing world has shifted the significance of driving forces in landscape transformation and new conflicts have emerged. Increasing urbanisation, the need for energy and food production, nature conservation and recreational use are placing growing and often conflicting demands on landscapes. Balancing these demands often requires efficient and innovative planning tools and approaches. It also requires stakeholder cooperation at different levels, local, national and beyond.
The objective of this symposium is to assemble talks that:
• explore the substantive and procedural challenges in balancing these demands while maintaining the benefits that landscapes provide to both humans and nature,
• showcase planning tools and approaches for addressing the growing demands on landscapes, in their various forms ranging from targeted land-use policies to integrated strategic approaches for setting effective and long-term visions.
We welcome presentations which address the role of planning and policies in responding to changing landscapes at any step in the planning cycle.
This session builds upon previous symposia being organized during the European or World Landscape Ecology Congresses in Gent (2017), Milan (2019) and Warsaw (2022) and Nairobi (2023). Through this session, we expect that the community of landscape ecologists whose work addresses the political drivers of landscape change will strengthen their networks and find common ground for their research. This symposium is a contribution of the IALE Working Group Landscape planning (https://www.landscape-ecology.org/page-18081).
We expect the session to be the basis for the coordination of the development of a scientific paper addressing the proposed topic.
Session 3E – Sustainable Management and Communication of Changing Landscapes
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Symposium
Tibor Kovács, Hungarian Biodiversity Research Society, Hungary, gurgulo@gmail.com
Péter Póla, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Institute for Regional Studies, Hungary
Barbara Sallee-Kereszturi, Institute for Regional Development, Switzerland
Keywords: rural sustainable development, managing changes, gentrification, subsidiarity, local stakeholders, sustainable communication, community involvement, citizen science
Europe is changing, and so are European landscapes. If we aim to achieve long-lasting results in landscape conservation or restoration based upon skilful biotic data collection, we have to manage the changes sustainably and apply integrative methods, where community involvement and the participation of local stakeholders play an equally important role.
Focussing on the interdisciplinary methods of Citizen Science, we would like to provide best practices of the interplay between ecological functions, cultural values, socio-economic factors and technology. In this context we also ask the question on How to interest geographical regions and their communities in their own ecological, social, and economical well-being?
In our workshop/round table discussion, we would like to show and discuss ways of how to better understand the socio-economic changes of Europe’s rural landscapes. In our work we aim to look at landscapes in a holistic way, understand the landscapes’ history and dynamics, furthermore the vision for the future of their local communities. We ask also if these elements can be a adequately considered when involving local citizens in scientific work? Do regional partnerships between stakeholders within a region and citizen involvement (e.g. Citizen Science), furthermore teaching and learning in general strengthen the framework and the goals of landscape conservation and restoration? What is the potential of European landscapes and their communities regarding a sustainable future?
We are looking for participants who are familiar with ecological challenges and who see their communities’ growing understanding of democracy, subsidiarity and the necessity of nature-based solutions as well as for discussion partners, who experience the exact opposite, e.g. the decline of socio-economic achievements of the last 30-35 years while working for the ecological restoration of landscapes.
Session 3F – Conserving Biodiversity in Changing Landscapes
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Symposium
Clara Zemp, University of Neuchâtel, Conservation Biology Lab, Institute of Biology, Switzerland, clara.zemp@unine.ch
Keywords: biodiversity, nature conservation, land-use, ecosystem services, nature contribution to people, ecological connectivity
This session explores the integration of landscape ecology and conservation biology, focusing on biodiversity across multiple levels of biological organization—from genes to ecosystems—and across a range of spatial and temporal scales. It will examine the dynamics of individuals, populations, and metapopulations, as well as species, communities, and meta-communities, to understand how biodiversity patterns shift over space and time. It will address all facets of biodiversity, including taxonomic, functional, phylogenetic diversity, encompassing the entire tree of life. A core focus will be on how land use and climate change drive biodiversity change, and what are the consequences for nature’s contributions to people (NCP) and overall quality of life. It will also address the strategies and actions to conserve and restore biodiversity in transformed landscapes. For example, key themes include the restoration of ecological connectivity in fragmented landscapes and the role of ecological infrastructure in sustaining biodiversity and NCP. Through an interdisciplinary approach, this session will bridge theory and practice, incorporating traditional and novel methods in field studies, data integration and modelling. Ultimately, this session will serve as a platform for discussing evidence-based conservation of biodiversity in changing landscapes.
Session 3G – Interdisciplinary Responses: Perspectives for Grassland Research and Conservation Projects
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Symposium
Volker Mauerhofer, Mid Sweden University, Department of Natural Science, Design and Sustainable Development, Sweden, Sweden, volker.mauerhofer@miun.se
Monika Janisova, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia
Giovanni Peratoner, Laimburg Research Centre, Italy
Keywords: grassland, socio-economic responses, management, institutions
This session aims to bring together the contributions of advances in identifying, assessing and applying strategies towards grassland conservation at different spatial and temporal scales. It focuses on contributions presenting advantages of multi-sectorial research of semi-natural grasslands, i.e. those which require human management for maintenance and conservation. The session will address also different forms of incentives (rule, economic and information based ones), approaches of practical management as well as questions related to legal aspects like ownership and other property rights influences.
In this context, we particularly look at the approaches to capture responses to maintain or restore species-rich, grassland-dominated landscapes, as well as their productivity and dynamics. We are welcoming contributions especially – but not exclusively – on:
• changes in grassland diversity associated to land use changes and socio-economic transitions
• specific policy measures active on the grasslands that addresses changes in grassland flora and fauna at the interface with the agricultural management and applying a multidisciplinary approach combining agronomy, botany, ethnology and geography
• assessing the importance of social science inputs in practical grassland conservation and restoration
• policy mixes and instrument mixes
• the role of institution such as ownership forms and other property rights
The symposium is expected to serve as a platform for mutual knowledge exchange, for instance, across relevant Horizon Europe-cofinanced Biodiversa+ projects.
Session 3H – River landscapes towards restoration: challenges and opportunities between nature and culture
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Symposium
Romina D’Ascanio, Roma Tre University, Department of Architecture, Italy, romina.dascanio@uniroma3.it
Benedetta Giudice, Polytechnic University of Turin, Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning, Italy
Keywords: nature restoration, green blue infrastructure, landscape values, climate change, human nature interactions, ecosystem services
Climate and social changes are currently challenging traditional approaches to planning and design cities, prompting new attitudes toward seizing human-nature relationships in their varying features.
In 2024, the European Parliament approved the Nature Restoration Law, which aims to reverse the drastic decline of Europe’s nature, with the goals of restoring 25,000 km of rivers and 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030 and achieving full health by 2050. Rivers play a pivotal role in the Nature Restoration Law as key components of ecosystems that require restoration and protection. Indeed, restoring rivers not only helps to preserve and enhance habitats for aquatic species but also strengthens the overall health and resilience of ecosystems. Additionally, the law acknowledges the cultural significance of ecosystems by emphasizing their role in providing recreational opportunities, supporting local economies, and preserving cultural heritage.
Waterways are key elements of the green-blue infrastructure, they have historically shaped cities and landscapes over time and likewise have been influenced by human activities and urbanization. River landscapes are also destinations for recreation and are sensitive to climate change impacts. They can thus represent peculiar case studies to analyse the relationship between tangible and intangible values, ecological and cultural values.
This call seeks to gather examples of landscape design and planning at different scales across Europe, focusing on sustainable strategies that integrate human-nature relationships. We look for case studies and innovative approaches that address the ecological, cultural, and societal challenges of river restoration and sustainable water management. Contributions highlighting the intersection of tangible and intangible values are encouraged. Furthermore, the call welcomes studies, both qualitative and quantitative, that address how restored river landscapes can impact urban development, local economies, and community resilience.
Session 3I – Pathways to Quantify the Impact of Governance Instruments on Ecological Restoration
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Symposium
Markus Meyer, National and International Nature Conservation, Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Germany, markus.meyer@hs-anhalt.de
Marta Bonato, National and International Nature Conservation, Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Ryan Campbell, National and International Nature Conservation, Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Keywords: ecological restoration, landscape restoration, governance, policy mix, impact assessment
The current UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) as well as national and supranational laws, such as the European Nature Restoration Regulation, reveal a political momentum putting ecological restoration into focus. At international level, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework equally requires to apply to apply restoration measures under target three for 30 percent of degraded land surfaces globally. These governance instruments are primarily examples for dedicated instruments for ecological restoration. However, other policies at European level such as the Habitats Directive, the Common Agricultural Policy or the EU Forestry strategy as well as national or federal legislation also affect the process and the outcome of ecological restoration practices.
This session has two major interests: i) the analysis of the added value of novel governance instruments in the existing policy mix affecting landscape-level restoration and ii) the assessment of the impact of dedicated instruments for ecological restoration as well as other governance instruments (in)directly contributing to ecological restoration should be discussed during this session.
For the first subtheme, we are inviting studies analyzing how novel governance instruments, e.g., arising from the European Nature Restoration Regulation, complement existing policy instruments. What is the added value of bundling targets on ecological restoration in the European Nature Restoration Regulation compared to individual laws and strategies partially addressing ecological restoration, for example?
For the second subtheme, we are inviting different approaches, generally quantifying the impacts of one or multiple governance instruments related to ecological restoration at landscape or larger spatial scales. For example, how can we quantify landscape-level impacts of nodal (e.g., information and education on implementing restoration measures), authoritarian (e.g., binding national or subnational restoration targets), treasure-related (e.g., funded restoration measures such as peatland restoration, forest restoration, or agri-environmental measures), or organizational governance instruments (e.g., land care organizations or market-based restoration instruments)? What would be the ecological effect of different combinations?
Interested participants will be encouraged to contribute to a special issue depending on the contributions (e.g., Ecology & Society, Restoration Ecology Journal).
Session 3J – Towards Landscape Ethics: Fostering Just Sustainability Transition in Social-Ecological Landscape Nature and Culture
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Symposium
Rémi Duflot, University of Jyväskylä, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Finland, remi.r.duflot@jyu.fi
Teea Kortetmäki, University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, Finland
Keywords: landscape ethics, social-ecological landscape, just transition, cohabitability, environmental justice
In this session we discuss the opportunities and challenges to develop coherent and practical landscape ethics to respond to landscape changes caused by human activities.
Interdisciplinary landscape approaches have for a long time pursued the objective of balancing human activities with multiple values and value-laden objectives such as biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, or cultural heritage. However, such perspectives are often limited to a human-centered vision which differentiate (divide) human needs from non-human needs.
Landscape approaches often elude ethical considerations. No principles are used to define legitimate or just actions, or to articulate the ethical assumptions grounding approaches, except for the presumption that supporting biodiversity is desirable. To incorporate ethical and justice considerations into landscape change responses, both social (such as just transition) and more-than-human (such as cohabitability) perspectives are needed.
We welcome contributions from studies exploring for instance:
• Environmental justice
• Environmental landscape ethics
• Co-construction of practices and participatory landscape planning
• Landscape and sustainability transformations
• Social and ecological dimensions of landscape
The moderator will introduce the concept of planetary well-being and the potential contribution of a landscape perspective into it. We will close the session with a round table discussion that wraps up and integrates key insights of the different presentations.
Session 3K – Enabling Co-Governance of Urban Landscapes Amid and for a Rapidly Changing World
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Symposium
Beatriz Kauark-Fontes, Technical University of Munich, Germany, beatriz.kauark-fontes@tum.de
Martina van Lierop, Technical University of Munich, Germany
Stephan Pauleit, Technical University of Munich, Germany
Keywords: urban landscapes, urban nature-based solutions, urban green spaces, collaborative governance, reflectivity, flexibility, accountability, inclusion
A successful response to the rapid changes and uncertainties caused by accelerated population growth, unsustainable environments, increasing extreme events, and significant inequalities in cities’ landscapes requires a shift in how urban landscapes are governed. Top-down, hierarchical, and monocentric governance approaches—dominated by siloed sectors and responding to political and financial agendas often disconnected from local circumstances—are no longer sufficient to address the complex and multifaceted challenges urban landscapes face. The wicked problems threatening and influencing them require an integrative and transdisciplinary actor collaboration specific to local contexts that foster i) the inclusion of multiple perspectives, needs, and knowledge; ii) flexibility to adapt to unforeseen changes; iii) reflectivity to guide and re-shape the way forward; iv) and accountability on the short- and long- term to recognize socio-environmental circumstances and ensure long-lasting benefits.
The importance of more alternative and collaborative governance approaches has grown over the past decade with increasing calls to broaden perspectives to include all processes encompassing co-creation, co-design, co-implementation, co-management, and co-monitoring. However, collaborative governance of urban landscapes remains a challenge in practice. Knowledge and experiences on how to enable such processes influencing or supporting urban transformations are still limited and often clash with governance practices in place, hindering their implementation.
We invite conceptual and case study presentations that bring forward methodologies and experiences (good or bad) spanning the broad range of governance applications from co-creation to co-monitoring. Contributions can take an integrative perspective encompassing whole governance systems or in-depth insights on enabling or hindering factors to promote inclusion, flexibility, reflectivity, and accountability in urban landscape governance. Moreover, we welcome contributions from practitioners and researchers involved in the governance of urban landscapes, nature-based solutions, urban forests, and green spaces from different environmental, economic, and socio-cultural contexts. Through a co-learning roundtable setting with speakers and participants, the key messages and recommendations for collaborative governance will be synthesized.
Session 3L – Condatis Connectivity Analysis to Plan Resilient Habitat Networks
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Training Workshop – not open for abstract submission
Jenny Hodgson, University of Liverpool, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, United Kingdom, jenny.hodgson@liverpool.ac.uk
Claudia Gutierrez-Arellano, University of Liverpool, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, United Kingdom
John Heap, University of Liverpool, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, United Kingdom
Keywords: connectivity, conservation, planning, climate change, restoration, population dynamics, network structure
Condatis is decision support software to identify the best locations for habitat restoration to increase connectivity across landscapes. It can help planners to find multiple-win solutions for land management, so that biodiversity can recover and natural ecosystems can co-exist with human activities. Condatis’s metric of long-distance connectivity is particularly relevant under climate change, ensuring that networks of habitat facilitate range shifts. Condatis:
• Highlights pathways across a landscape that allow both dispersal and reproduction of species;
• Pinpoints bottlenecks in the habitat network, where there are restricted opportunities for colonisation, and where restoration would be most impactful;
• Ranks the feasible sites for habitat restoration, to efficiently enhance the existing habitat network.
Condatis has been developed since 2015 and has been used by conservation practitioners around the world, via its web application (see Condatis.org.uk). Through collaboration with users, we have designed it to be fast and user-friendly, and to work with the kind of data that organisations typically have.
This workshop for IALE delegates will provide a series of graded exercises, showcasing the different functions of Condatis. There will be examples using the web app as well as the R environment. Attendees will need some familiarity with GIS, e.g. reading, writing and querying raster data. After the exercises, there will be a Q&A session, and attendees may request to look at certain outputs in more detail.
Our examples will include a recent project of relevance to policy in England, UK, where a series of ‘Local Nature Recovery Strategies’ are published for the first time in 2025. Mapping of connectivity bottlenecks across England’s broad seminatural habitat networks was conducted to inform these strategies (https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/VI7HXP). ‘Search zones’ based on bottlenecks are convenient for time-pressed practitioners to use and combine with other spatial data.
Session 3M – River Restauration Strengthening Green Infrastructure
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Symposium
Ralf-Uwe Syrbe, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development, Germany, r.syrbe@ioer.de
Claudiu Forgaci, Delft University of Technology, Department of Urbanism, Netherlands
Ulrike Haase, Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Hydrobiology, Germany
Keywords: renaturation, streams, ecosystem services, stakeholder analysis
This session shall focus on the restoration of steams in urban or suburban areas as backbone for strengthening green infrastructure. Together with a valorization of watercourses as ecological connectors and habitats, designing their banks and environment as greenways and experience area for people help to enhance the ecosystem services and live quality. Such measures that enhance ecosystem services and biodiversity are called as nature-based solutions. The session aims to collect innovative ideas, frameworks to assess them and to adjust with stakeholders in order to make them appreciated and sustainable. The session will address several examples in European cities, the need for action, problems of implementation and transdisciplinary methods to co-design the according nature-based solutions with residents and stakeholders.
Theme 4: Advancing with new data, tools and methods in landscape ecology
This theme highlights the importance of integrated, data-driven approaches to address the challenges faced by landscapes and societies in a changing world. Advances in landscape ecology research demand and integration of new data, tools, methods, and knowledge sources. For example, many types of Earth observations in different spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions can be analysed using new digital technologies such as artificial intelligence. Advances in environmental-DNA allow us to study the impact human activities have on landscape processes and even detect endangered species that were otherwise unseen. The rise in big data facilitated a better understanding of human-nature interactions. Newly developed policy and management tools have helped translate scientific findings into practical actions, supporting evidence-based policies that promote environmental sustainability and social well-being. Finally, the integration of artificial intelligence, including machine learning techniques, into landscape ecology research presents itself with both opportunities and challenges. This theme highlights the importance of engagement within the landscape ecology community with forward-looking data, tools and methods to better understand and manage landscapes in the face of rapid environmental change.
Session 4A – Assessing Landscape Structure: Spatial Data Challenges, Metrics, and Solutions in Landscape Ecology
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Symposium
Marta Kubacka, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Department of Landscape Ecology, Poland, marta.kubacka@amu.edu.pl
Witold Piniarski, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Institute of Physical Geography and Environmental Management, Poland
Keywords: landscape structure, spatial pattern, metrics, databases, GIS tools
Rapid environmental changes in all EU countries are often associated with various aspects of landscape structure. The complexity of the landscape pattern, with its variety of scales and the need for analysis at different geographical regions, such as a watershed, a mountain range, or a natural community, presents an intellectual challenge. Scientific expertise is crucial in navigating this complexity, especially in cases where the initiative is part of government policy or planning, and the region may be delineated by a sub-national administrative unit or an entire country.
Notably, in most cases, there are no universal solutions and no single correct or optimal methods for describing and assessing landscape structure. However, since landscape patterns are scale-dependent, using different scales in the analysis may result in different outcomes, affecting landscape management options.
Over the last thirty years, many landscape indices have been developed for different purposes. Landscape metrics, widely recognized as practical tools for analyzing and evaluating environmental impacts and landscape changes, can quantify patterns.
Therefore, we should unanimously aim to review and adopt a wide range of good practices for analyzing and evaluating landscape structure and landscape changes, the latest research methods (source and quality of data as well as GIS tools), and possibly universal recommendations for landscape management at the local, regional, national, and international scales.
Session 4B – Intelligent for Nature
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Symposium
Aude Zingraff-Hamed, Ecole Nationale du Génie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement de Strasbourg, France, aude.zingraff-hamed@engees.unistra.fr
Mohamed Maanan, Nantes Université, Institut de Géographie et d’Aménagement,
France
Keywords: artificial intelligence, big data, biodiversity loss, disaster risks
In recent years, numerous reports have shown humanity’s inability to tackle two of the major global crises: climate change and biodiversity loss (IPBES, 2019; WWF, 2020; IPCC, 2021). As the worldwide climate crisis intensifies, and requests more complex analysis of increasing datasets new tools are required to assist scientists. Technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly critical in environmental sciences. It offers transformative opportunities in environmental sciences, particularly in disaster risk management and biodiversity conservation. By enhancing data processing, modeling, and translation in robust recommendation, AI can support a rational decision-making process and provide timely solutions to the urgent challenge faced by humanity. This session will explore how AI-driven innovations are transforming environmental science, focusing on disaster risk management and biodiversity conservation. Leading and junior scientists will present case studies and research on how AI can enhance predictive analytics for natural hazards and biodiversity loss, improve early warning systems, and optimize emergency response efforts. Additionally, the session will delve into AI’s role in monitoring ecosystems, human activities, climate change, and environmental process changes.
Session 4C – LiDAR in Landscape Research
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Symposium
Juraj Lieskovský, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia, juraj.lieskovsky@savba.sk
Pavol Kenderessy, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia
Tibor Lieskovský, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Slovakia
Keywords: LiDAR visualisation, DEM, modelling, remote sensing
Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology enables precise, high-resolution 3D mapping of terrains, buildings, and vegetative structures. This session explores the growing use of LiDAR across various landscape research disciplines, including landscape archaeology, environmental science, remote sensing, and landscape planning. Key focus areas include its ability to detect subtle landscape features hidden beneath vegetation, assess ecological variables such as forest biomass and canopy structure, and the use of detailed Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) for modeling various landscape processes. Presentations covering the application of airborne, terrestrial, and mobile LiDAR systems, from case studies to regional-scale analyses, are welcome. Challenges related to data processing, accuracy, validation and cost-efficiency will also be addressed, alongside discussions on future advancements. This session aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration by presenting LiDAR as a transformative tool in landscape analysis.
Session 4D – Transdisciplinary Approaches in Landscape Research
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Symposium – speed talks
Elena Grace Siegrist, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Switzerland, elena.siegrist@wsl.ch
Tim Geiges, Swiss Federal Research Institute, Switzerland
Silvia Tobias, Swiss Federal Research Institute, Switzerland
Keywords: transdisciplinarity, sustainable development, integrated landscape approach, collaborative solutions, co-design
Landscapes serve as boundary objects, accessible to various disciplines and actors from multiple sectors. They are increasingly promoted as entry points for addressing real-world challenges in the interests of sustainable development, such as climate adaptation and mitigation, regional sustainability or robust food systems. Methodologically, transdisciplinary (td) approaches, such as Real-World Labs, Integrated Landscape Approaches, Joint Problem Framing, and Co-Design, have gained traction for tackling landscape ecological research questions.
Our session targets those applying such td-approaches and methods to bridge diverse perspectives and knowledge systems to tackle societally relevant issues at the landscape scale. We will convene to exchange practical examples and to foster dialogue aimed at further anchoring td-approaches in the realm of landscape research.
In this session, speakers will present their projects through brief speed talks (5 minutes each), highlighting key discussion points. Following these presentations, participants will have the opportunity to participate in small discussion groups, where they can delve deeper into topics of interest and explore collaborative solutions. The session will conclude with a brief summary and reflections in the plenary. Overall, the session aims to provide a platform for shared learning and networking.
Session 4E – Modelling Vegetation Dynamics: Integrating Ecological Processes and Climate Change Impact
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Symposium
Katarína Merganičová, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia, k.merganicova@forim.sk
Maša Zorana Ostrogović Sever, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Department of Forest Management and Forestry Economics, Croatia
Christopher Reyer, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany
Keywords: models of vegetation dynamics, ecological modelling, environment
Understanding the drivers and pressures of landscape change is essential for predicting and managing vegetation dynamics and assessing the contribution of different landscapes to biodiversity protection, the provisioning of ecosystem services and nature-based solutions. This session will explore the latest advancements in modelling vegetation dynamics, focusing on the integration of ecological processes and the impacts of climate change. We aim to address how ongoing and emergent drivers, such as global warming, conflicting societal demands, and biotic threats, influence vegetation processes and landscape patterns. Various data, tools, and methods that enhance our ability to model these dynamics accurately will be considered.
This session aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between ecologists, climate scientists, and data analysts, providing a platform for sharing recent research findings and methodologies. By identifying gaps in current models and proposing future research directions, we aim to advance the field of landscape ecology and to raise the capacities for activating more effective environmental management strategies.
Key topics include:
• Investigating the roles of ecological processes in shaping vegetation dynamics.
• Assessing the projected effects of climate change on vegetation and landscape patterns.
• Comparing empirical, process-based, and machine learning models in capturing vegetation dynamics.
• Leveraging remote sensing, field data, and other sources to improve model precision and reliability.
• Presenting real-world applications of vegetation models in conservation, land management, GHG inventory reporting and policy-making.
Session 4F – Using Remote Sensing Data to Understand 3D Structure and Function in Urban Areas
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Symposium
Bronwyn Price, Swiss Federal Research Institute, Switzerland, bronwyn.price@wsl.ch
Janine Bolliger, Swiss Federal Research Institute, Switzerland
Natalia Kolecka, Swiss Federal Research Institute, Switzerland
Benno Augustinus, Swiss Federal Research Institute, Switzerland
Keywords: remote sensing, connectivity, urban, 3D, nature-based solutions, green infrastructure
Urbanisation is rapidly increasing globally and existing urban areas densifying, resulting in significant changes to the composition and configuration of urban landscapes. These changes result in increased pressure on urban green spaces and blue-green infrastructure with a myriad of implications for urban ecosystem functions. At the same time, in many urban areas nature based solutions are being implemented to enhance urban blue-green infrastructure, promote biodiversity and improve resilience to climate change and invasive pests and pathogens. Urban ecosystems are characterised by complex three-dimensional (3D) structures, including buildings, vegetation, blue and green spaces, and transportation networks. The ability of urban green elements to meet ecological infrastructure needs for services such as biodiversity and heat and flood mitigation while maintaining resilience to pests, pathogens and climate change depends on numerous factors including their structural composition and that of the surrounding areas/buildings. Traditional two-dimensional (2D) approaches to studying and planning urban infrastructure fail to capture the full scope of interactions between vertical and horizontal urban elements. Remote sensing, especially through advanced techniques like LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and high spatial and temporal resolution aerial, terrestrial and satellite imagery, offers innovative ways to map and understand green infrastructure and urban connectivity by considering all urban structures in 3D.
This symposium will explore how remote sensing technologies are being utilised to map, analyse, and improve blue-green infrastructure and connectivity in 3D in urban spaces. We welcome contributions considering all forms of remote sensing data (e.g. LiDAR, satellite images, aerial photographs, UAV data, terrestrial scanning, webcams, photographs, streetview imagery) and considering any aspect of urban ecological infrastructure, connectivity and nature based solutions where a 3D perspective is of importance. The symposium will be a mix of full and flash presentations with related posters and time for discussion, depending on the number of appropriate submissions.
Session 4G – Remote Sensing of the Grassland-Dominated Landscapes
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Symposium
Robert Pazúr, Swiss Federal Research Institute, Switzerland, robert.pazur@wsl.ch
Alexander V. Prishchepov, University of Copenhagen, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Denmark
Keywords: grassland diversity, biodiversity, earth observation, spatial modelling
Advances in remote sensing technologies offer the opportunities to capture plant and faunal diversities and their complexities.
Sensors of different satellites, aerial photos, or other specific devices provide unique opportunities to study herbaceous flora and associated fauna and their changes at different spatial and temporal scales.
This session aims to bring together the contributions of advances in monitoring with remote sensing techniques grassland landscapes at different spatial and temporal scales.
In this context, we particularly look at the approaches to capture the details of the grassland-dominated landscapes, their productivity and dynamics. We are welcoming contributions on:
• monitoring the grassland landscapes and land use intensity,
• changes in grassland composition, productivity and management,
• integration of remote sensing data with the ground-truth observations,
• modelling the grassland diversity based on the geospatial models,
• analysing the changes in the grassland-dominated landscapes that affect the grassland diversity,
• challenges and limitations of the remote sensing methods on capturing the grassland diversities.
The symposium is expected to serve as a platform for mutual knowledge exchange, for instance, across relevant EU Biodiversa Plus projects.
Session 4H – Biodiversity Monitoring in the Era of Big Data: From In-Situ Data to Large-Scale Ecosystem Mapping
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Symposium and workshop
Jose Manuel Álvarez-Martínez, Biodiversity Research Institute, Spain, jm.alvarez@uniovi.es
Borja Jimenez Alfaro, Biodiversity Research Institute, Spain
Jose Valentin Roces Diaz, Spain
Adrian Regos, Spanish National Research Council, Spain
Keywords: biodiversity, remote sensing, Copernicus, ecosystems, EUNIS, vegetation, habitats
A current challenge of biodiversity and conservation relies on the estimation of the spatial extent and conservation status of habitat types across broad territories and through time. In the absence of fine‐resolution maps, predictive modelling based on remote sensing (RS) helps in assessing the spatial distribution of vegetation cover through key indicators of community structure, function, dynamics and vulnerability. However, such approaches are still uncommon in regional planning and management. In this symposium, we look forward for case studies ranging from regional to biogeographical scales on which a comprehensive pool of predictions for monitoring the conservation status of habitat types following the Habitats directive framework are applied. Data ranging from readily available Copernicus Land Monitoring Service products and indicators derived from different RS platforms such as Landsat and Sentinel, LiDAR, UAV flights and field spectroradiometry will be welcome. Methods should apply modelling approaches that combine in-situ, expert-based data and spatial predictors for getting suitable estimates of forests to shrubs, pastures and wetlands at different scales and with different purposes.
In the corresponding workshop, we will present and apply different methods for mapping the distribution and conservation status of vegetation types at the landscape to biogeographical scales, providing an overview on database collection and processing, analytical methods and model applications, ranging from R based models to GEE worksflows. The workshop will seek fostering a critical thinking for discussing the strengths and limitations of different approaches for different applications and across multiple scales.
Session 4I– Education and Teaching Perspectives in a Rapidly Changing World
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Symposium
Werner Rolf, TUM School of Life Sciences, Germany, werner.rolf@th-owl.de
Veerle van Eetvelde, University of Ghent, Belgium
Isabel Loupa Ramos, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal
Federica Larcher, Italy
Marcin Spyra, University of Ostrava, Department of Human Geography and Regional Development, Czech Republic
Cristian Echeveria, Universidad de Concepción, Chile
Keywords: education, teaching, teaching methods, curricula
This symposium seeks to explore innovative teaching approaches and methodologies in the context of a world undergoing rapid transformation. Recent global events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions and economic fluctuations, and the surge in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, have created a landscape of uncertainty that significantly affects educational practices. This symposium will provide a platform for educators and researchers to discuss how these changes influence teaching strategies and learning outcomes, particularly in landscape ecology and related fields.
We particularly encourage submissions about:
• What are new trends in teaching landscape ecology?
• How do the contents of landscape-related courses differ based on political, environmental, and social contexts?
• What are the main themes in landscape ecology that should be prioritized for teaching the next generation?
• In what ways can landscape concepts be incorporated into curricula of other disciplines beyond traditional landscape-related fields?
• How can we enhance student exchange experiences to foster a broader global perspective on landscape ecology?
• What are the implications of digital transformation on pedagogical frameworks?
• How can educators effectively navigate and mitigate the challenges posed by technology lag in teaching practices?
The symposium wants to provide a space for everyone interested in conceptualizing, planning and implementing landscape related teaching and education approaches. We want to will bring people together to provide an opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences and exchange ideas. Furthermore, we want to provide an opportunity to connect with each other, to discuss ideas and maybe even initiate new collaborations to further develop landscape research education across Europe and beyond.
The symposium is organised by members of the IALE-Europe Education Working Group but is explicitly open for everyone. All presenters and participants are invited to contribute to our own living special issue in the Scopus listed open access e-journal Landscape Online: https://www.landscape-online.org/index.php/lo/education_in_LE-call
Session 4J – Landscpes in Landscapes – Cultural Genome of Cultural Landscapes
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Workshop
Duško Aleksovski, University of Shtip, Macedonia, dual744@gmail.com
Keywords: cultural genome
I will present new integrated, data-driven approache supported by new methods, and knowledge sources based on material and non-material cultural heritage for insight into new realms of integrated landscape ecology research. Archaeology, ethnology and biology are interconnected in European landscapes and cultural landscapes are systems of interaction between human and nature, systems of interactions between natural and cultural heritage.
We don’t have only endangered habitats but also endangered cultures in European landscapes and together with nature we are also losing cultures of these landscapes. In Slovenia a new term has been defined by Pleterski (2014), “cultural genome”. Just as the biological genome determines our biological appearance, the cultural genome determines our cultural appearance. It is a set of knowledge about how the world works and the rules derived from it that govern individual and community life. This knowledge and these rules change according to changes in the environment, the economy, and social relations. Knowledge and rules can be considered as the fixed core of the elements of any cultural area. In the initial forms of the cultural genome, we can also see the primordial science from which modern science has emerged (Pleterski 2023).
It was a spiritual state of our ancestors, connected to nature, which originated from antiquity and was passed down from generation to generation, despite the fact that they were all “Christianized” (Čok, 2015).
What is the definition of the cultural genome from a landscape ecology perspective? In front of us is research of continuity of human presence in European landscapes, their alteration of landscapes, spirituality, traces of their activitites and relations with today’s landscape and biodiversity.
New resarch approach is nededd for new combine heritage protection – natural and cultural.
Čok B. 2015 in Hrobat Viroglet K., Kavrečič P. ISBN 978-961-6963-41-1
Pleterski A. 2023. ISBN 978-961-07-1696-9