Transformation of the Slovak Cultural Landscape Since the 18th Cent. and its Recent Trends

Abstract

Transformation of the Slovak Cultural Landscape Since the 18th Cent. and its Recent Trends The paper is focused on a long-term development of the selected Slovak cultural landscape types (plains, basins, uplands, highlands, and mountains) in approx. 200 years, which shaped the main land use features as well as on the recent transformation trends. The land use development analyses showed that from a long term view perspective several distinct periods can be distinguished. Each of these periods was characteristic for certain land use changes depending both on the landscape character or the socioeconomic situation. The recent trends as land use intensification (intense agriculture, sub-urbanisation, industrial construction) or land use extensification (agricultural land overgrowing) are considered to be common for the entire Slovak territory. Special transformation trends reflect more local conditions, human needs and preferences (construction of water reservoirs, wind calamities or tourism resorts) and though they are spatially isolated and small they influence the majority of Slovak inhabitants.

Maps in Historical-Geographical Research of Cultural Landscape

“…Okrem historických 3D modelov územia (obrázok 1) umožňujú napr. tvorbu tematických máp s databázou plošných relácií tried land use/landscape use (mapy 1 a 2, Chrastina, 2009 Potenciál takto získanej databázy je značný; pri zohľadnení multitemporálnej analýzy umožňuje koncipovať rôznorodé konštrukcie sociálno-ekonomického charakteru a doplniť tak neraz torzovité správy o skúmanej lokalite alebo území (tabuľka 1, diagram 1) čo povrdzujú svojimi prácami aj viacerí domáci autori (Chrastina, 2004, 2008, Chrastina, Boltižiar, 2008, Boltižiar, Chrastina, 2008, Chrastina, Boltižiar, 2006, Chrastina, Křováková, Brůna, 2008, Boltižia, 2009a, Olah, Boltižiar, Gallay, 2009, Žigrai, 1995, 2000, 2001, a iní).…”

Predicted Development of the City of Nitra in Southwestern Slovakia Based on Land Cover-Land Use Changes and Socio-Economic Conditions

“…We divided landscape elements into five degrees of land use intensity according to Olah et al (2009). Every group was assigned coefficient from 1 to 5:…”

“…1 -Very low land use intensity (tree vegetation, bedrock baring and raw soils, water bodies) 2 -Low land use intensity (shrub vegetation, young forest) 3 -Medium land use intensity (clearings, grass-herbal vegetation, patterns of agriculture land) 4 -High land use intensity (intensively cultivated agricultural land, residential greenery) 5 -Very high land use intensity (built-up and urban areas) For determination of range and trend of changes, we calculated the intensity of land use and its changes during the studied years according to Olah et al (2009). We calculated partial changes of land use intensity from the difference between coefficients of landscape elements (Eq.…”

Historical Agricultural Landscape as a Subject of Landscape Ecological Research

“…Historical landscape structures are a significant feature, which have to be considered with tourism development (Krnáčová et al, 2005). They represent our natural and cultural heritage and they are often part of the cultural landscape of the Biosphere reserve (Olah, 2003;Olah et al, 2006). Unique landscape character, for example, creates terraced relief of agricultural landscape and structure forms in Pieniny National Park, together with Prielom Dunajca (cliff relief) and well-preserved folk architecture (Kuľanda and Slámová, 2008).…”