Historical Agricultural Landscape as a Subject of Landscape Ecological Research

Abstract

This article is focused on historical agricultural landscapes in Slovakia, which have been preserved and have irreplaceable ecological, cultural and historical value. Historical structures of agricultural landscapes (HSAL) are a type of cultural landscape that contains, within a geographic area, both natural and man-made features that typify connected activities, and a cultural expression reflecting past events or patterns of physical development. They are now becoming rare, making them even more valuable, however, on a European scale. The article presents an overview of research activities focused on the historical agricultural landscape and point out different types of historical agricultural landscapes such as viticulture landscapes, mountain grassland-arable landscapes, agricultural landscapes with dispersed settlements etc. The research emphasized land-use changes, driving forces, and threats and trends relating to the historical agricultural landscape in Slovakia.Key words: historical agricultural landscape, cultural landscape, landscape ecology, Slovakia Povijesni poljoprivredni pejzaž kao predmet istraživanja ekologije pejzažaRad se bavi očuvanim povijesnim poljoprivrednim pejzažima u Slovačkoj, čija je ekološka, kulturna i povijesna vrijednost neprocjenjiva. Povijesne strukture poljoprivrednih pejzaža (engl. HSAL) tip su kulturnog pejzaža koji unutar geografskog područja posjeduje prirodne i ljudskom rukom nastale komponente pejzaža koje predstavljaju njihovu tipičnu poveznicu te kulturni izričaj koji odražava prošle događaje i obrasce fizičkog razvoja. Takve strukture danas su sve rjeđe te je stoga njihovo očuvanje još važnije. Ovaj je rad pregled istraživačkih aktivnosti usmjerenih na povijesne poljoprivredne pejzaže te izdvaja različite tipove poljoprivrednih pejzaža, poput vinorodnih, planinskih travnato-obradivih, s disperznom naseljenošću itd. Istraživanje naglašava promjene iskorištavanja zemljišta, faktore promjene, prijetnje i trendove povezane s poljoprivrednim povijesnim pejzažima u Slovačkoj.

Land use changes of historical structures in the agricultural landscape at the local level — Hriňová case study

“…Current choices include increased abandonment and a decrease in agricultural activity, or hopefully, support of agrarian funding schemes to reverse the effects the first two choices have already inflicted on our landscape. Correct decisions will ensure,the traditional cultural landscape and the preservation of their ecological systems (Forman, Bandry, 1984;Špulerová, Petrovič, 2011).…”

The Role of Small Farm Activities for the Sustainable Management of Agricultural Landscapes: Case Studies from Europe

“…The main risks for their preservation are mostly extensification and land abandonment on the one hand, and land use development and intensive agriculture on the other. As a response to global trends in agriculture at the European level causing degradation of the agricultural landscapes and the loss of biodiversity, new solutions are being considered for their optimal multifunctional land use [7]. Traditional agricultural landscapes support biocultural diversity and ecotourism [33].…”

“…The more marginal ones in the mountains changed less, and traditional land use forms have persisted to date [6]. In Central Europe, traditional farming practices have been significantly influenced by current innovative technologies, intensification of agriculture, industry, transport development, and collectivization [7][8][9]. The present-day character of the agricultural landscape in Europe has been significantly influenced by several processes but in a number of places a dominant rural character remains, delivering cultural, recreational, habitat, and supporting services [10][11][12] Despite the above-mentioned exceptional value of the historical rural landscape, its conservation practice is very poor.…”

Environmental factors influencing the distribution of agricultural terraces: Case study of Horný Tisovník, Slovakia

“…Traditional agricultural landscapes (TALs), characterised by a complex stratified palimpsest of patterned human activity through time, are physical records of agriculture, risk management strategies, building technology, environmental change and historical ecology (Ericson, 2003). Agricultural terraces are valued from the cultural and historical viewpoints as specific features of TALs (Špulerová and Petrovič, 2011).…”

“…Agricultural terraces in Slovakia form a relevant part of agricultural history, yet their function in the traditional agricultural landscape, as well as their conservation, is under-researched. There are official policy documents that focus to some extent on TALs (Špulerová and Petrovič, 2011), and in 2005 Slovakia adopted the European Landscape Convention (CoE, 2000), which proclaimed the preservation and the maintenance of the characteristic Slovakian landscape types. TALs, however, are not subject to any specific national protection policy (Slámová et al, 2013), even though they do represent a significant part of a Slovakian landscape typology.…”