The paper derives from the problematic of agricultural land decreasing in Slovenia. It discusses different approaches for agricultural land conservation and presents some proposals for establishment of the areas of prime agricultural land. While the current system of agricultural land conservation is obviously inefficient, a new concept for agricultural land conservation is being prepared. This was also the challenge for the students of 1st year of Master study in Landscape architecture, who have developed some proposals for prime agricultural land conservation. The most important emphases, which should be mentioned, are: to consider regional and local characteristics of agricultural production, to assure maximum possible self-sufficiency, to introduce new technologies and to preserve cultural landscape.
F.24 Improvements to existing system-wide, normative and programme solutions, and methods
COBISS.SI-ID: 8191609The article discusses the problematics of abandoned Gottscheer villages. The villages were abandoned due to political and economic circumstances before World War II and systematic emigration of Germans at the beginning of the war. Historical context and progress of events which led to current condition are presented. Further on, similar cases throughout Europe are presented, as well as attempts for their revival. Extensive tourism was chosen as the basic activity for revival of abandoned Gottscheer villages. All abandoned villages in Kočevje municipality were evaluated according to selected measures regarding their suitability for the development of smaller tourist resort. The resort would enable the revival of the area, its inclusion into the system of natural and cultural values of Kočevska, as well as permanent settlement in the selected village. The result is a plan for the tourist village with some other possible complementary uses and guidelines for the management of other abandoned villages.
F.27 Contribution to preserving/protecting natural and cultural heritage
COBISS.SI-ID: 2694851The research literature provides ample evidence that physical activity has an impact on human health and well-being. The “urban densification” paradigm, prevailing in urban planning policies since the beginning of the millennium resulted in poorly equipped open and green space in collective housing environments. The aim of this research was to explore the linkages between the outdoor space in contemporary collective housing areas in Ljubljana and the lifestyle adopted by the inhabitants. The research questions addressed the quality of residential area urban design, activities of inhabitants in the residential open spaces and their perception of their living environment. The study revealed that the relatively positive perception of the quality of their living environment is mainly related to the residents’ strong economic status, high level of completed education, and lower average age. User groups with such characteristics can compensate for poor outdoor space by using infrastructure elsewhere. On the other hand, the quality of life in new residential areas is inadequate for other users such as children and the elderly. The immediate environment of contemporary collective housing, which is not stimulating spending time outdoors, walking to services, playing and socializing, does not provide conditions for healthy childhood and active aging in the long term.
F.24 Improvements to existing system-wide, normative and programme solutions, and methods
COBISS.SI-ID: 8191097The aim of the project was to prepare guidelines for landscape features, important for biodiversity conservation in Slovenia. This requires: (1) to determine the relationship between landscape heterogeneity and biodiversity and the relevance of agro-technology for the former, (2) to identify landscape features, important for biodiversity, (3) to prepare the guidelines for their management. A theoretic model for the assessment of structural landscape heterogeneity and a list of landscape features, important for biodiversity were prepared. The model was tested on three sites of 1km² surfaces in different landscape regions of Slovenia (Parje, Barje, Trenta). Field work was performed to assess the relevance of chosen features for biodiversity and landscape heterogeneity and to test the accuracy of mapping features from existing data layers. We found that the latter is relatively low, as some features are very unstable (vegetation) and can be difficult to identify on the maps. The calculated landscape heterogeneity index is in “medium” and “high” category, while all three are characterized by high biodiversity. The relationship between biodiversity and compositional heterogeneity is stronger than in the case of configurational heterogeneity. The land cover (in particular natural and semi natural types) and individual landscape features are equally important. The general recommendations for conservation and management of landscape heterogeneity include protection of the identified features and the extensive use of their surroundings especially on the intensively used agricultural land. The specific guidelines are described for each of the identified features and they can be implemented through nature conservation policy, in the frame of the agricultural policy (CAP); the features can be included among the cross compliance criteria or in the agri-environmental measures. The model for heterogeneity assessment as well as management guidelines were discussed in the seminar for different relevant stakeholders, whose suggestions were incorporated in the final proposal.
F.27 Contribution to preserving/protecting natural and cultural heritage
COBISS.SI-ID: 8335993Department of Landscape Architecture organised on September 28th and 29th 2015 the international conference with the title Green infrastructure in Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe : is there a universal solution to environmental and spatial challenges? The conference served as an annual meeting of the representatives of the spa-ce.net network which joins representatives of research institutions of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe focusing on the spatial planning. The event attracted 56 representatives from the 10 European countries (Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bolgaria and Croatia) which presented work in the three sections: green infrastructure and climate change, green infrastructure and health and green infrastructure and governance. The authors have addressed the current challenges of the urban areas through the comprehensive concept of the green infrastructure. At the same time they also discussed how the concept is understood and grasped in different countries and what states have in common in solving these problems. In the year 2016 a special issue of the journal Urbani izziv (Urban challenge) will be published with the selected scientific articles by the participants of the conference.
B.01 Organiser of a scientific meeting
COBISS.SI-ID: 281239552