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Janeckova Molnarova K, Bohnet IC, Svobodova K, Černý Pixová K, Daniels M, Skaloš J, Drhlíková K, Azadi H, Zámečník R, Sklenička P. Does Increasing Farm Plot Size Influence the Visual Quality of Everyday Agricultural Landscapes? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:687. [PMID: 36613007 PMCID: PMC9819788 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The increase in farm plot size is one of the most apparent and significant trends that have influenced central and eastern European agricultural landscapes since the 1950s. In many countries where the average plot size in traditional land-use systems did not exceed several hectares, present-day plots reach the size of 200 ha or more. In recent times, efforts have been made to reverse this trend to restore important ecosystem functions and to re-establish the aesthetic values of everyday landscapes. Visual landscape quality is becoming a major driving force in the development of agricultural landscapes with known effects on people's well-being and health, and this quality plays an increasingly important role in agricultural policies. However, no comprehensive research has been carried out to establish the links between perceived visual landscape quality and the scale of the farm plot pattern. The current study was therefore designed to determine whether greater farmland pattern heterogeneity, i.e., smaller farm plot sizes, is consistent with higher visual preferences. The results showed that people preferred a small-scale plot pattern in landscapes characterized by a flat relief and a low proportion of woody vegetation. These homogeneous landscapes were also overall considered significantly less beautiful than more diverse landscapes. However, even a moderate decrease in plot size notably improved these low beauty scores. These preferences were displayed consistently by all respondents, and most strongly by older respondents, respondents with a higher level of education, and those professionally engaged in landscape design or conservation. The high level of consensus among respondents in rejecting further land consolidation in homogeneous landscapes, which form a large proportion of European farmland, underlines that the results of this study provide a valid argument for discussing sustainable agricultural plot sizes as part of agricultural policy-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Janeckova Molnarova
- Department of Landscape and Urban Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Iris C. Bohnet
- Department of Landscape and Urban Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Kamila Svobodova
- Department of Landscape and Urban Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kateřina Černý Pixová
- Department of Landscape and Urban Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Daniels
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80210, USA
| | - Jan Skaloš
- Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Drhlíková
- Department of Landscape and Urban Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Hossein Azadi
- Department of Landscape and Urban Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
- Department of Economics and Rural Development, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
- Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Roman Zámečník
- Department of Planting Design and Maintenance, Faculty of Horticulture, Mendel University in Brno, Valtická 337, 691 44 Lednice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Sklenička
- Department of Landscape and Urban Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
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Zheng J, He J, Tang H. The Vitality of Public Space and the Effects of Environmental Factors in Chinese Suburban Rural Communities Based on Tourists and Residents. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:263. [PMID: 36612605 PMCID: PMC9819321 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The vitality of public space in rural communities is an important symbol of rural revitalization, especially in suburban rural communities. Previous studies focused on rural industries and ignored the effects of the spatial environment on different groups of people. Hence, this study takes the public space of suburban rural communities as an example and uses Global Positioning System (GPS) and cognitive mapping data to establish a new vibrancy assessment system for tourists and residents, respectively. The effects of the public space environment and space vitality in suburban rural communities are revealed through ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models. The results suggested that: (I) There were pronounced seasonal changes and spatial distribution differences in the space vitality of tourists, while residents were concentrated in fixed public spaces. (II) For tourists, the public space vitality in rural communities was affected by seven factors, including accessibility, seats, green looking ratio, recreational facilities, water area, plant species richness, and plant color composition. Green looking ratio and water area had a negative impact. For residents, the public space vitality in rural communities was affected by five factors, including shelter facilities, seats, accessibility, space type, fitness facilities. Only fitness facilities had a negative effect. Our research proposed a feasible and effective method to assess the vitality of rural public space in rural communities, and the finding from this study provides significant implications for the development and planning of suburban rural communities oriented by vitality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zheng
- School of Textile Engineering and Art, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Junjun He
- School of Textile Engineering and Art, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Hongya Tang
- School of Textile Engineering and Art, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
- School of Geography and Tourism, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241003, China
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Resident Willingness to Pay for Ecosystem Services in Hillside Forests. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19106193. [PMID: 35627738 PMCID: PMC9141452 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19106193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the willingness of residents to pay for ecosystem services in a hillside forest in the Lanyang River Basin, which is among the most vulnerable watersheds in Taiwan. The economic value of provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting ecosystem services was evaluated. The Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) was applied for economic analysis of public welfare. The determinants of the economic values were identified. A total of 444 respondents completed the questionnaire. The results revealed that the four ecosystem services had high economic value, indicating that conserving hillside forests can ensure the welfare of nearby residents. The findings of this study can serve as reference for regional land planning and social and economic system development policies. In addition, this study addressed policy implementation from the perspective of ecological economics to contribute to an improved Anthropocene.
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Human Activity Intensity in China under Multi-Factor Interactions: Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Influencing Factors. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14053113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Human activities involving nature have various environmental impacts. The assessment of the spatial and temporal evolution of human activity intensity (HAI) and its driving forces is significant for determining the effects of human activities on regional ecological environments and regulating such activities. This research quantified the HAI of China, assessed its spatiotemporal characteristics, and analyzed its influencing factors based on the land use data and panel data of 31 provinces in mainland China. The results indicate that the HAI in China is increasing, with the average value increasing from 15.83% in 1980 to 20.04% in 2018, and the HAI was relatively serious in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta in this period. The spatial differences in the HAI in China show a pattern of being strong in the east and weak in the west, and the spatial center of gravity of China’s HAI has gradually moved west, changing from a central enhancement mode to a point-like “core” enhancement mode. The dominant factors affecting spatial differences in HAI are economic and industrial levels. Labor, population, and capital factors also strongly impact HAI, and energy consumption and pollution emissions have little impact. These results deepen the understanding of the underlying mechanism of the environmental impact of human activities and provide a scientific basis for land-use-related decision making and eco-environment construction.
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