Natural Heritage

The Bucegi Mountains and the Prahova Valley represent the most important destinations for winter tourism activities, of great heritage value in the Southern Carpathians -Romanian Carpathians. A number of resorts have developed here over time, currently enjoying great popularity among those keen on such activities. This article aims at presenting, on the one hand, the natural features (terrain factors and climate variables) favourable for winter tourism activities, and on the other, our results concerning the statistical analysis of the accommodation infrastructure, ski amenities and tourist flow. The expansion of the ski area and the development perspectives of the existing infrastructure as much as the local, regional and national authorities' interest represent the premises for hosting the winter edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival, in 2013 and the Winter Olympic Games in the year 2020 in the outlined area.

A comprehensive investigation for all UNESCO sites in the world, with a simplified methodology, was proposed by . Onsite observation has been the most common way of studying and monitoring the world's cultural heritage sites and monuments. However, this procedure, which includes field surveying, ground-based data collection and periodical observations, is time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, the installation of monitoring devices, such as optical targets, GPS stations or inclinometers, on the heritage sites and monuments can lead to aesthetic and functional impacts that can affect the integrity and availability of the heritage. Since 1992, new space technology based on radar interferometry has been capable of monitoring, with millimetre precision, surface deformation for reflective targets named persistent scatters (PS), which consistently return stable signals to the radar satellites. A special project (PROTHEGO) applying this new technique was recently approved by the European countries funding heritage research, together with the European Commission (Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPI-CH)), in order to provide a standard methodology for all monuments and sites that are potentially unstable due to landslides, sinkholes, settlement, subsidence, active tectonics and structural deformation, all of which could be amplified by climate change and human interaction. After the remote sensing investigation, detailed geological interpretation, hazard analysis, local-scale monitoring, advanced modelling and field surveying for the most critical sites were carried out to discover the cause and extent of the observed motions. To magnify the impact of the project, the

La III edición del Congreso Internacional de Ciencias Sociales, Tecnología y Educación (CISOTED) lleva por título «Espacios, tiempos y culturas de la ciudad: retos para su enseñanza desde las Ciencias Sociales». Las ciudades contemporáneas se presentan como formidables constructos multiformes, plurifuncionales e hiperculturales en permanente cambio, siempre inacabadas. Su pujante dinamismo engendra, al mismo tiempo, problemáticas muy diversas en torno a su sostenibilidad, su habitabilidad, los modelos socioeconómicos que promueven, el uso de las nuevas tecnologías, la participación ciudadana, cuestiones identitarias y de convivencia, etc. Todo ello conforma un gigantesco mosaico que es necesario estudiar y proyectar a través de la Educación. Desde el área multidisciplinar de las Ciencias Sociales, la gran diversidad de retos que plantea la enseñanza de la ciudad y de lo urbano es un campo extraordinariamente fértil para la teoría y la praxis educativa.

El objetivo de este congreso es promover un foro en el que compartir y debatir reflexiones, experiencias y propuestas en torno a enseñanza/aprendizaje de la ciudad desde el ámbito multidisciplinar que constituyen las Ciencias Sociales.

Rome Province with its 4 million inhabitants is one of the Italians areas with the largest urban expansion, mainly concentrated around the capital city. The uncontrolled urbanization of the past has heavily marked the landscape, especially Rome countryside and coastline. However many zones have exceeded the anthropic pressurewithout serious consequence since the sensitivity towards environmental protection has grown in recent years. Rome Province Administration has devoted special attention to the improvement and protection of its naturalistic heritage by means of a series of administrative actions, cultural initiatives and projects for environmental education. In this perspective a three-year agreement was concluded with CNR LARA focused on the study of natural vegetation by means of MIVIS (Multispectral Infrared Visible Imaging Spectrometer) remotely sensed data. This study distinguished and mapped the most important natural forests, shrub and herbaceous formations, assessed the health conditions of the arboreal vegetation, identified the areas with little water supply, and measured some environmental parameters, like temperature and surface humidity. The results achieved highlight the large botanical and naturalistic assortment and the complexity of the study-area.

INTRODUCTION Of all Natura 2000 sites that form the basis of the national nature conservation system in Latvia, 43% are owned privately. Therefore, the owners and managers of private lands are strategically important stakeholders, and the achievement of nature conservation goals depends to a large extent on their motivation, environmental awareness, and involvement. The forest is an important and indispensable custodian of natural values, but natural and semi-natural grasslands are recognised globally for their high biodiversity, social and cultural values and provided ecosystem services. The aim of the research is to obtain data on how private land owners and managers treat natural values and their conservation not only in Natura 2000 areas, but also outside them. This decision was made because a large part of grasslands and forest micro-reserves are also located outside Natura 2000. METHODS To collect data on private landowners’ opinions about their motivation for being involved i...

Starting from a well defined and demarcated area in space, the Corgo River, in the region of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, this work seeks through Information Technologies (IT), Digital Humanities and online tools and applications (software) to provide digital images of space and water resources, anthropic elements related to water and various natural features. Based on these available resources and a set of historical cartographic documents, we provide a realistic view of the cultural and natural water landscape and how augmented reality can help archaeology interpret this landscape and its historical transformations.

Vegetation natural heritage can be valued in itself, but also as a habitat for many wildlife species. This study presents a methodological essay concerning the evaluation of plant heritage, applied in Central Alentejo, in the south of Portugal. This evaluation was based on the following criteria: horizontal and vertical structure of vegetation, tree cover density, rare plant species richness, phytocenotic maturity, importance as ecological corridor, historical record, scientific and educational potential and recreational potential. The vegetation heritage value (VHV) was calculated using a linear combination of the weighted criteria. In this way it was possible to identify the most interesting areas for conservation purposes. Of the 7500 km2 analyzed, 52% are natural and semi-natural areas, and of these, 18.8% have very high VHV, 70.7% have high VHV and only 10.5% average VHV. The highest VHV areas are actually included under the protected areas of Natura 2000 sites.

Management and coordinating insufficiencies led to several technical, economic and management barriers that constrain coastal restoration performance. This generates distrust in restoration projects and is also linked to several enablers that can facilitate coastal restoration. In this context, the present technical report is a deliverable that aims to provide information for the nine REST-COAST Pilots on barriers and enablers for coastal restoration upscaling, whose creation is required by Task 1.2, "Implementing hands-on restoration in the Pilots" included in the Work Package 1 (WP1) of the REST-COAST project. For this purpose, different inquiries were sent to the nine Pilot coordinators as well as the key local stakeholders of each Pilot site to acquire quantitative and qualitative data mainly about technical barriers and enablers for coastal restoration upscaling but also about governance and financial ones. In addition, information about the establishment and development of the COastal REstoration PLATformS (CORE-PLATs) of the different Pilots was collected. The level of commitment from all 9 REST-COAST Pilots as well as SHs organization with all the activities carried out in this analysis was very high. As a result, updated and exhaustive review was obtained, not only qualitative but also quantitative, on the relevance and frequency of technical, governance and financial barriers/enablers in the nine REST-COAST Pilot sites to establish priorities and guidelines for hands-on coastal restoration. The present report collected not only the expert criteria on coastal restoration from each Pilot's team but also the perspectives of key local SHs from different sectors to integrate the knowledge and interests of all parties involved in coastal restoration. This led to a global picture that integrates the main technical limitations (barriers), successful solutions (enablers) and good practices for coastal restoration upscaling. This deliverable (D1.2) makes available to the REST-COAST partners, and to the stakeholders and restoration practitioners in general, a comprehensive review of the barriers and enablers of coastal restoration. Consequently, it is expected to encourage future discussion and the co-creation in CORE-PLATS becoming, beyond an exhaustive compilation a useful tool for hands-on coastal restoration in the 9 pilot sites of the project and to drive the scaling up on a REST-COAST scale as well.

Journées de rencontres et d'échanges en Pays Pyrénées-Méditerranée (Vallespir) Valoriser les espaces forestiers méditerranéens tout en conciliant nature et systèmes productifs Compte rendu de deux journées de terrain par Léa VEUILLEN forêt méditerranéenne t. XXXVII, n°3, septembre 2016 brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk

[Objective] This study aimed to implement 3D image acquisition and postprocessing tools for the natural heritage preservation of a collection of craniums from a zoology museum and a wildlife rescue center. [Methodology] Samples were prepared following osteotechnics protocols developed at the rescue center. They were then digitized in a darkroom using a metrology-grade 3D scanner. Meshes were optimized for both fabrication and visualization purposes. Subsequently, some of the models were printed at a university makerspace using three different technologies to be measured and analyzed with the metrology capabilities of inspection software; the purpose was to determine which technology provided the most accurate replicas.[Results] The results demonstrated that the three technologies produced high-quality replicas. However, those based on optical processes (SLA and material jetting) generated more accurate physical models, which are of particular interest for scientific fields, such as zooarchaeology, paleontology, biology, and veterinary medicine. These fields could benefit from training and learning experiences supported by these digital asset collections. The models were successfully adapted to be uploaded to a 3D viewer platform, which is compatible with low-cost virtual reality solutions, to implement them in environmental education activities. [Conclusions] The experience demonstrates that photogrammetry and 3D scanning are feasible solutions to preserve high-value samples of scientific and historical interest composed of biological materials exposed to degradation by environmental conditions. It also provides new digital assets to foster outreach and educational activities for universities, museums, and rescue centers.

Tenggara Timur Indonesia accommodate the cultural, facility and also community being tourism attraction. How can Praijing being most wanted village, that depend to the creator (tourism stakeholder) commitments to make it happen. All of that needed planning and education to build and development cultural package.

A budapesti agglomeracio a Budapest kozponttal kialakult telepulestomorules, amely a magyar fővarost es a vele szorosan egyutt elő, gazdasagi, infrastrukturalis, munkaerőpiaci es szolgaltatasi tekintetben egymasra utalt telepuleseket foglalja magaba. A budapesti agglomeraciohoz tartozo 81 telepules felsorolasat a Budapesti Agglomeracio Teruletrendezesi Tervet rogzitő 2005. evi LXIV. torveny tartalmazza. 2007-ben a 81 telepulesen osszesen 2 457 787 fő elt, ami Magyarorszag lakossaganak kozel egynegyedet jelentette. Ebből a fővaroson kivul 755 290-en elnek. A taji ertekei jelentős resze a telepulesek be nem epitett reszen, a nagyobb reszt termelesi celu, kisebb reszt rekreacios celu termelő feluleteken vagy zoldfeluleteken talalhato. A korabban kevesse befolyasolt, alig atalakitott tersegekbe benyomulo szuburban terjeszkedes szetfesziti, atformalja es differencialja a varosi tajat ovező ruralis tajat, az elővarosi terseget. A valtozas ohatatlanul a – meg meg nem semmisult – ertekek uj...

Fertő/Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape, as a transboundary World Heritage Site of Hungary and Austria, possesses unique cultural and natural values. The examined areas can be characterised as meeting places of different cultures. We examined the role of small towns in Fertő/Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape, which play an important role in regional development. In the last 25 years, different levels of cooperation started among the Hungarian and Austrian settlements aiming at nature and cultural heritage protection and tourism development. We formulated suggestions to maintain and strengthen the existing co-operation and relations.

The Versilia plain (NW Italy) experiences forms of tourism that are mainly limited to the beach area and concentrated in the summer season. The area is rich in cultural and natural heritage, not yet adequately enhanced. The presence of four local archaeological museums and a natural park offers a great opportunity to favour feasible archaeological and environmental tourism. The aim of this study is to use a holistic methodology to improve a different type of tourism in the study area. We propose a consilient multidisciplinary approach based on geological, biological and archaeological data in order to enhance the cultural and natural heritage of the Versilia plain. We have based our study on the reconstruction of palaeoenvironment maps showing the evolution of the territory and used them as a leitmotiv to link the archaeological museums and the natural park. We define real and virtual itineraries to create a synergy between the most important archaeological and natural sites and mus...

O Laboratório de Paleontologia Sistemática (LPS) do Instituto de Geociências (IGc) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP), possui uma das mais importantes coleções paleontológicas do Brasil. Em 2012, os espécimes provenientes de ações de proteção ao patrimônio fossilifero passaram permanentemente para acervo do IGc, possibilitando sua utilização pelos pesquisadores e pelo público em geral. A maior quantidade deste material é composta por fósseis do eoretáceo da Bacia do Araripe em apreciáveis condições de preservação. Todavia, numerosos espécimes foram adulterados para suprir uma demanda do comércio ilegal. Estas adulterações comprometeram o uso desse material em pesquisas científicas, porém não comprometeram seu uso para a educação e divulgação científica. Os docentes responsáveis pelo LPS optaram pela utilização deste material para abordar assuntos científicos (p. ex., grandes eventos de extinção e tipos de fossilização) e sociais (p. ex., contrabando de fósseis e patrimônio científic...

SUMMARY

This study is the result of work carried out within the framework of the Scientific Research Project “Mapping and Documentation of Archaeological Areas Using Advanced Technologies: GIS, Drone, Lidar, and Laser Scanner,” funded by the National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation (NASRI) and implemented by the Polytechnic University of Tirana, Faculty of Geology and Mining, in collaboration with: the Academy of Sciences of Albania, the History and Archaeology Commission, the Institute of Archaeology; the Faculty of History and Philology; the Regional Directorate of Cultural Heritage of Korça; the National Museum of Medieval Art, Korça; and Lubonja village. The project was conducted under the framework of the 2023-2024 National Program for Research and Development, in the field of Social Sciences and Albanological Studies. The project aimed to map and document archaeological areas using advanced technologies such as GIS, Drone, Lidar, and Scanner, in order to support archaeologists in conducting surveys, tests, and excavations in known areas and identifying previously unknown ones. The Scientific Report is divided into six chapters.

Chapter One, “General Information on the Project”, provides an overview of the Project: its purpose, objectives, activities, and results.

Chapter Two, “Use of Advanced Technologies: GIS, Drone, Lidar, and Laser Scanner for the Mapping of Archaeological Sites and Natural Monuments”, describes the methodologies and tools used, along with relevant recommendations for the continued work of archaeologists and other experts in cultural heritage and bio-monuments. Based on the collected data, the chapter concludes that in today’s context, the use of advanced technologies in archaeology is vital to increase efficiency, excavation accuracy, and high-quality documentation. It offers suggestions for continuing archaeological testing and excavations, restoration of cult objects, and preservation of natural monuments in the Lubonja area.

Chapter Three, “The Archaeological Potential of the Village of Lubonja, Korçë: An archaeological view within the HDZA Project”, addresses the archaeological surveys and the development of an Archaeological Map for all areas with archaeological potential in Lubonja. It provides general information on each zone, including location, historical data, survey results, archaeological findings, and their interpretation. The chapter concludes with concrete recommendations for each area with archaeological potential, both for their preservation and for the continuation of archaeological research in the future. The main conclusion of the study is that Lubonja and its surrounding areas, Boshanj, Rehovë, and Rroshanj, constitute a high-potential archaeological region that has not been previously studied scientifically. Altogether, the Lubonja area comprises 11 sites with archaeological potential, including religious monuments and early settlements. To preserve the cultural heritage of Lubonja and its surroundings, the project proposes the development of a Regional Plan for the management, conservation, and transformation of the area into an attractive destination for cultural, religious, and natural tourism.

Chapter Four, “The Mural Painting and Iconography of the Church “Dormition of the Virgin Mary’, Lubonja-Korçë - A First Category Cultural Monument. Assessment of Its Current State and Protection and Restoration Measures”, addresses issues related to the condition of the 1005-year-old mural painting in the Church “Dormition of the Virgin Mary” and the preparation of a proposal for its restoration. The chapter includes comprehensive information about the church, its construction period, architecture, changes over time, mural painting, phases of painting, its components, values, and current condition. It also provides detailed information on the church’s iconography, iconostasis, and other distinctive elements. It concludes with specific recommendations for the church in general, the mural painting, the iconography, and the complete revitalization of this First Category Cultural Monument.

Chapter Five, “The Natural Heritage of Lubonja”, deals with the study of the natural heritage of the village of Lubonja. It provides a general overview of the area’s natural monuments, including the centuries-old oak trees near the churches, the ancient pine trees near the Lubonja Castle and in Kalidhe, and the lower glacial lake of Mali i Zi. The chapter concludes with concrete recommendations for granting Natural Monument status to these sites and the necessary conservation measures.

Chapter Six, “Design and Implementation of the Web GIS Application “Touristic Lubonja’ for the documentation of heritage using Drone, Lidar, and Laser Scanner technologies”, emphasizes the importance of preserving and documenting heritage through advanced technologies. The chapter underscores that cultural heritage is an integral part of a country’s identity and historical-social development. This heritage must be preserved and protected through documentation, monitoring, and modern management technologies. In this context, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), specifically Geographic Information Systems (GIS), have emerged as transformative solutions. Web GIS applications have recently enhanced opportunities for collaboration and real-time data sharing by offering accessible and interactive platforms for the integration of geospatial data. Web GIS empowers heritage experts by enabling them to create accurate maps, 3D models, and real-time representations of cultural assets. Despite its potential, one of the main challenges remains the limited dissemination of information to attract tourists and promote heritage sites. This study explores the use of Web GIS in Lubonja, a prehistoric village in Korçë, Albania. It discusses the advantages and limitations of this technology for preserving and promoting cultural heritage, and how advanced geospatial technologies can improve accessibility, public engagement, and heritage management.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS


1. THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF LUBONJA

Conclusions

Based on the historical data of the area, scientific articles, community narratives, and field observations, the Project Team has drawn the following conclusions:

[1]. Lubonja and its surrounding areas, Boshanj, Rehovë, and Rroshanj constitute a high-potential archaeological zone that has not yet been scientifically studied. The Lubonja area includes a total of 11 sites with archaeological potential, including places of worship, early settlements, the Lubonja Castel, and the industrial zone of the Rehovë copper mine.
[2]. The current settlement of Lubonja is of high interest due to the Church of the “Dormition of the Virgin Mary,” a First Category Cultural Monument, which features very early mural paintings from the 10th-11th century, old icons, and three other churches, now destroyed, which contribute to reconstructing the area’s historical narrative. This area also includes two old stone bridges.
[3]. Kuqeshi, one of the earliest settlements, is of interest due to the presence of at least three other churches, traces of ancient graves, burial mounds, and an abundance of ceramic material. Based on the materials found during this project, the exact location of the settlement remains unclear. Current data from this area dates from the Bronze Age (13th-12th centuries BC) through the Roman period (1st-4th centuries AD).
[4]. Mëhalla e Sipërme is also one of the early settlements, notable for its numerous ruins, discovered ceramics, the existence of a church, and old graves. The data from this area date to the Bronze Age (13th-12th centuries BC) and the Iron Age (11th-9th centuries BC).
[5]. Rrobasi is believed to be the oldest settlement in the area. It holds interest due to its antiquity, ceramics, wall remnants, the possible existence of a church, and traces of brick workshops. This site remains unstudied.
[6]. The Lubonja Castle is the primary cultural asset from the Illyrian and Illyro-Byzantine antiquity period. Within the context of early Iron Age fortifications, it holds special importance for establishing the chronology of early Illyrian forts (8th-7th centuries BC and 5th-6th centuries AD). Due to its exceptionally well-preserved condition, with minimal cleaning and careful restoration, the fortress could become a tourist attraction.
[7]. Mali i Zi is a little-studied area with potential for future research. Occasional ceramics, wall segments, and traces of illegal excavations have been found there.
[8]. Guri i Shqipes is of interest due to the ruins, the large number of ceramics discovered, and the belief that it may have been a fortress site. Data from this area date to the Bronze Age (13th-12th centuries BC) and Iron Age (11th-9th centuries BC).
[9]. Breza is a historically and touristically interesting area. The presence of a lake, ruins, and old walls makes it attractive. It remains unstudied.
[10]. Stërmolli is believed to represent a distinct early settlement. It remains unstudied.
[11]. Fusha e Lubonjës: The presence of a potential mound church, a large quantity of ceramics, numerous ruins and walls, and its position along an old historic road suggest that this may have been a major settlement. The materials found date from 2100-1900 BC, followed by the Bronze Age (15th-14th centuries BC), Iron Age (11th-7th centuries BC), and other periods up to the Late Antiquity (5th-6th centuries AD).
[12]. The Rehovë copper mine also holds touristic potential. Community members have found slag, traces of furnaces possibly used to smelt copper, native copper sheets, and ceramics. This site remains unstudied.
[13]. The use of advanced technologies such as Drone, Lidar, and Laser Scanner enabled the discovery of five wall segments and many ruins not visible through general visual observation.
[14]. The Project developed a GIS Archaeological Map of the ent...

Geomorphosites are often important elements of Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) and may be valued both as structural and functional elements of the natural system and for their social values in relation to their location. Natural protected areas are designated as a result of a wide range of natural and cultural values that define a landscape, a natural environment, an ecosystem or a habitat. The conservation and study of the geomorphic values of NPAs may be approached from three viewpoints: as the infrastructure of habitats and ecosystems, as the landscape in general, and as an intrinsic value of the natural environment. Up to now the first view has been dominant and has resulted in a failure to consider geomorphic features as elements of value for conservation, investigation and management. In light of the second approach, geomorphosites have now been redefined in the framework of the cultural landscapes with which they are interrelated and which they affect. In this sense, the geomo...

Explaining what the Camino de Santiago is becomes a very difficult endeavor you have to live it you have to feel it every step is a world of sensations that the pilgrim jealously guards after a long journey contact with nature art culture history religiosity spirituality and so many factors turn it into a fine palate dish the Camino de Santiago is life on a small scale moments when you enjoy but also moments when you suffer instants of solitude and instants of brotherhood everything fits surely what the Camino de Santiago has given me I will hardly be able to return it they are experiences emotions feelings people talk about spirituality about finding oneself about being oneself again they are right meeting other people towns landscapes is simply that bag that the pilgrim fills the backpack is enriched by a friendly sincere kind and at the same time encouraging gesture

The Cultural Heritage Map of Teià is an initiative jointly promoted by the Cultural Heritage Office of the Barcelona Provincial Council and the Teià City Council.

Since 1998, the Cultural Heritage Office has been driving this program. Its main goal is to inventory and analyze the local cultural heritage, providing a valuable tool for city councils within the Barcelona area.

Each map includes, at a minimum, the following:

Cultural Assets that are either in the process of being declared, or already declared, of National and Local Interest (BCIN and BCIL). It also covers those cataloged by the Teià City Council as part of their urban planning.

Natural areas protected by any level of government, whether local, provincial, autonomous, national, or European.

Archaeological sites listed by the Generalitat in the Archaeological Heritage Inventory.

Elements and buildings cataloged by other regional services (those operating across multiple municipalities).

Assets included in Catalonia's ethnological and industrial inventories.

And finally, all other significant elements of the municipal area's heritage, including immovable, movable, documentary, intangible, and natural assets.

Purpose – In Europe, as in other developed regions of the world, formal protected areas (PA) are, almost by definition, conservation islands within a wider landscape of intensive farming, towns, industry and transport links. The recognised need for “more, bigger, better and joined” implies the need for complementary approaches. The purpose of this paper is to examine some innovative funding and delivery mechanisms in the UK and their strengths – and weaknesses – compared to the formal system of PA. Design/methodology/approach – Building on recent research undertaken for the UK Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) the HLF landscape partnership (LP) programme is described and related to other area-based approaches including the Wildlife Trust’s Living Landscapes, the Futurescapes programme of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the UK government’s Nature Improvement Areas (NIA). Findings – LPs represent an increasingly important vehicle for securing conservation of the natural an...

Tourism developed in rural se0ngs requires a local iden4ty representa4ve of the community, combined with organiza4onal development and management of common goods oriented toward the social and solidarity economy, but with ac4ons framed within the capitalist market. Therefore, the objec4ve is to analyze the theore4cal vision of the capitalist economy and the social and solidarity economy in the field of community-based tourism, as well as their limita4ons and scope. The theore4cal analysis highlights two economic models: capitalist and social and solidarity economies, in the context of community-based tourism on the islands of Pátzcuaro, Michoacán. The method involves the analysis of four central axes in the areas of Pacanda, Yunuen, and Janitzio. The results reflect an economic model oriented toward the social and solidarity economy, emphasizing self-management, coopera4on, and sustainability as fundamental principles. It is concluded that the economic model demonstrates that it is possible to reconcile economic development with cultural and environmental preserva4on, offering an inclusive approach that contrasts with the dynamics of capitalism. In this sense, their prac4ces represent a viable and effec4ve alterna4ve for building a more equitable and sustainable future.

The classification system of plant communities using phytosociological methods can be applied to their conservation in protected areas, as well as in establishing adequate protections and granting legal status to such areas. A new integrative index is developed to classify plant communities for the evaluation of the conservation status of protected areas, obtained from the product of three statistical indices of diversity: Syntaxonomic Distinctness, Rarefaction and Areas Prioritisation, which has been named DRA (acronym of the three indices used). The DRA is used to assess whether the status granted to Protected Areas matches the values provided by the plant communities within them and which were the basis for the identification and description of the Habitats of Community Interest (Habitats Directive—92/43/CEE). The proposed method was applied to the network of protected natural areas on the Andalusian coast, including 14 areas with different protection status, where, once the plan...

Today, cultural heritage is no longer limited to urban and archaeological sites; it has expanded to encompass beliefs, traditions, rituals, modes of production, and local daily life practices. This broadening of the concept necessitates a redefinition of conservation approaches. In this context, cultural routes have increasingly become one of the most commonly used methods for safeguarding cultural heritage and managing cultural tourism. These routes support sustainable conservation in complex and dynamic environments while facilitating the use of resources. This study examines 82 sites comprising cultural and natural heritage areas located in and around the cities of Safranbolu and Amasra, which are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and the Tentative List. It proposes an integrated and participatory planning method for the design of cultural routes. The study area offers a valuable opportunity to analyze issues
such as uncontrolled mass tourism in historic cities and abandonment in rural heritage areas, both common globally. The proposed cultural route is inspired by the travel routes of five historical travelers known to have passed through Safranbolu. The route aims to integrate heritage sites from a historical perspective and establish a resilient network. The methodology of the study consists of three main stages: (1) data collection and processing, (2) design of the cultural route, and (3) analysis and evaluation of the proposed route. This methodology integrates the collection and
analysis of data through GIS-based applications and crowdsourcing methods; the participatory implementation of a multi-criteria decision-making process using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP); the synthesis and processing of data for route identification through clustering supported by artificial neural networks; and the analysis and evaluation of the proposed route within a participatory framework through SWOT analysis and design workshops. Key findings reveal significant
conservation risks in the study area while strongly highlighting the potential of heritage assets to promote sustainable tourism. The semi-structured interviews and analyses uncover significant governance challenges, including political tensions, lack of integrated management strategies, and ineffective participatory mechanisms. Critical
issues such as inadequate infrastructure, limited capacity development, and insufficient promotion activities have also been identified. In conclusion, integrating diverse methods within this study has developed an effective participatory planning support system. The proposed cultural route links areas under pressure from mass tourism with abandoned rural zones, offering a balanced and sustainable eco-cultural development model. This model holds significant potential to mitigate the negative
impacts on heritage sites.

Modern museums have an ever more important role in the implementation of programmes of cultural or natural tourism, for with their collections and exhibitions they attract increasing numbers of tourists and also encourage their visitors to set off into nature, to see the sites of the natural history. The Republic of Croatia has outstanding geological (rocks, minerals, fossils and relief) and biological diversity (the plant and animal worlds, habitats and ecosystems), and a little part of this is to be seen in the museum as well, which gives it great potential for interpretation of the natural heritage, and thus for tourism as well. The museum does keep and look after its heritage, but it also promotes it, together, then, with its city, region and country. The partnership between museum and tourism is today necessary for a given natural feature to be properly presented and preserved. There is particular importance in the networking of natural history museums with institutions related to the actual sites of natural features of interest (nature and national parks, geo-parks). The paper shows how the museum in its programmes is oriented to the popularisation and interpretation of the natural beauties of the country. Along with the interactive map on the museum's web site, by touring the display and the exhibitions, through workshops, publications and other activities, the public can get to know some well known and less well known or entirely unknown and yet significant natural history sites. The programme partners are primarily schools, and after them, tourists. The Croatian curriculum is increasingly encouraging familiarity with natural history, the aim being systematic learning in the classroom and in nature as well, at the sites themselves. In the museum programme of presentation of the natural heritage for schools and tourists, sites are presented that have not only natural value and interest but are also easy, simple and safe of access, in other words, laid out for visitors.

This chapter presents a recent regional project developed to improve tourism governance in and around the protected areas (PAs) administered by the National System of State Natural Protected Areas (SNASPE) within the Aysén Region of Chile. The project focused on the design of a participatory multi-scale governance and management system that would enable local communities to work with SNASPE PAs and improve tourism services for visitors, both within PAs and within the surrounding communities. As part of the project, a proposal for the creation of Local Tourism Councils (LTC) was developed. In this chapter, we discuss the validation of the proposed local governance model through a pilot implementation of the LTC concept, within the Cerro Castillo National Park (CCNP) and two of its primary gateway communities: Cerro Castillo Village and Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez. Early outcomes for the CCNP and its gateway communities seem to support the potential for the LTC model. We present a series of enabling factors observed during the project that may inform the creation of other LTCs in other areas. Achieving this outcome would help stimulate local economies and improve the potential for tourism development to be compatible with the conservation of natural and cultural heritage.

MÖ 14. yy’ın ilk yarısında Hitit Devleti’ne başkentlik yapan Ortaköy-Şapinuva Hitit kentinin Tepelerarası mevkinde, 2014-2024 yıllarında gerçekleştirilen kazı çalışmalarında, Hitit arkeolojisinde benzeri olmayan atölyeler/işlik yapıları1 bilim dünyasına kazandırılmıştır. İşlik yapılarının açığa çıkarıldığı Tepelerarası mevkinin güney bölümünün, Hitit döneminde ‘İşlikler/Atölyeler Mahallesi’ olarak kullanıldığına dair verilere ulaşılmıştır. ‘G Alanı’ olarak adlandırılan sektörde, körük, üfleç, pota ve taş kalıpların (kolcuklu balta, çubuk külçe, ok ucu) in situ olarak tespit edildiği İşlik I ile ocakların bulunduğu İşlik II yapıları açığa çıkarılmıştır. İşlik I ve İşlik II, ana toprağın kazılarak inşa edilmesi, dikdörtgen forma sahip olması ve işlevi sona erdikten sonra çeşitli yapılara ait enkaz topraklarıyla doldurulması açısından birbirine benzemektedir. Anadolu’nun MÖ II. Bin yıla tarihlenen Kültepe, Boğazköy, Alaca Höyük, Kınık, Sinop-Kovuklukaya, Gavurkale, Korucutepe, Tepecik, Gözlükule, Hisarlıktepe/Troya ve Alalah kentlerinde açığa çıkarılan metal atölyelerine son yıllardaki keşiflerle Ortaköy-Şapinuva işlik yapıları da eklenmiştir. Ortaköy’de keşfedilen metal atölyeleri, Şapinuva’nın Hitit döneminde başkentlik vasfının yanı sıra üretim faaliyetlerinde de önemli bir merkez olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu makalede, İşlik I ve İşlik II metal atölyelerinden elde edinilen veriler, MÖ II. Bin yıl Anadolu örnekleri ile karşılaştırılarak değerlendirilmiştir.

The author advocates the use of the phrase “intangible culture” instead of “intangible cultural heritage”. The word “heritage” implies a certain fixity and immutability, and assumes that authorities have identified and proclaimed heritage. Dealing with intangible culture would provide the opportunity for the deflection of the UNESCO model of preserving intangible cultural phenomena, whose application has brought some problems. The author illustrates this in practice with the example of bell-ringers, who are included on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Th e synergistic eff ects of integration of the culture and tourism sector contribute to cultural tourism being a true catalyst for overall tourism growth and development. Th e transformation of the authentic cultural and historical heritage of Sremski Karlovci into a tourist attraction is the valorization of the identifi ed cultural and tourist values. Th e aim of this paper is to valorize the tourism sector and the management sector for cultural goods of the town center of Sremski Karlovci according to the Hilary du Cross Model for the valorization of cultural and tourist values. Th e results of the analysis of the subindicator, the allocation of M cells (1, 3), confi rmed the existence of favorable conditions for further development of cultural tourism, with continued reparation, conservation, restoration and presentation of its cultural-historical heritage. Although thus far there have not been any negative refl ections on cultural and historical heritage, the capacity of the space and the natural environment should be subject to a review based on monitoring and the eff ects of tourism's impact on the preservation of the cultural and natural heritage, as well as on the life of the local community.

This document presents the first integrated heritage map of Wuqro Town, a  a culturally and historically significant town in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region. It was produced as a semester project in the graduate-level course Urban Heritage Conservation at Mekelle University, under the supervision of the course instructor.

The work consolidates spatial and descriptive data on the city’s tangible (historic churches, vernacular housing clusters, Italian-era public buildings, and markets) , intangible (traditional festivals, oral narratives, artisanal knowledge, and religious practices), and natural heritage (sacred trees, springs, and culturally significant topographic features) through a combination of fieldwork, community engagement, and documentary research.

Beyond mapping, the project aimed to introduce students to methods of heritage inventory, landscape-based analysis, and community-informed documentation, particularly within the context of post-conflict urban resilience. This publicly accessible map offers an initial reference for future conservation planning and scholarly engagement with Wuqro’s urban heritage landscape.

Globally, there has been a gradual realisation of caves potential in stimulating sustainable tourism growth and heritage preservation. Zimbabwe has a rich heritage of caves, with the Chirorodziva Caves in Chinhoyi being the most prominent ones. However, most of these caves remain unexplored and untapped for tourism growth. Cave tourism has at best generally remained understudied and undervalued. This study carried out at Chirorodziva Calabash, explores how cave tourism can be a panacea to sustainable heritage tourism development and heritage preservation. The article is qualitative, combining testimonial methodology, literature review, print and electronic articles, observation and expert views. Results of this study indicate that the development of a sustainable cave tourism product can serve as a text for opportunities such as; state-local communities' partnership in management and conservation of cave resources; preservation of cultural resources around them; cave tourism as an alternative livelihood for local communities, increased tourism revenue and tourism product diversification.

The project focuses on involving stakeholders such as communities, authorities, industry, and researchers from the Danube River Basin (DRB) countries in sharing responsibility for the protection of natural heritage in the Danube Delta (DD). The expected results include increased shared responsibility for the protection of the Danube Delta natural heritage, informed and engaged communities in the DRB, and better networking between the stakeholders. These results will be achieved by using an upstream-downstream cooperation approach through round-trip visits by a Boat interactive centre, application of ICT, and a plethora of events. The project results will promote institutional, economic, and behavioral changes that ensure sustainability and preservation of natural heritage.

O conceito de saúde é atualmente entendido de uma forma positiva, acentuando a importância dos recursos sociais e pessoais, bem como das atividades físicas (CARTA DE OTTAWA, OMS, 1986). Considera-se também que a saúde pode ser promovida através de estratégias e ações não exclusiva, nem fundamentalmente, biomédicas, direcionadas a um conjunto alargado de determinantes sociais da saúde (CARTA DE OTTAWA, OMS, 1986). Os espaços verdes são hoje vistos como espaços promotores de recreio e lazer, propícios ao desenvolvimento de atividades diversas, como jogos, desporto, convívio e interação social, contribuindo para o prazer e bem-estar da população. O presente trabalho procura avaliar o contributo dos espaços verdes urbanos da cidade de Vila Real na melhoria da qualidade de vida da sua população. Avaliam-se os dois EVU mais importantes da cidade, o Parque do Corgo e o Parque Florestal.

Open Ecomuseology examines the social importance, challenges, and opportunities of peace museums and how they use the ecomuseology methodology to further their safeguard of nonviolent pacifist heritage of humanity in the current climate change emergency we are in. It was developed through severl years of work with the most respected museological institutions and networks, such as the International Council of Museums (ICOM) International Movement for a New Museology (MINOM) Digital Resources for Online Public Services (DROPS) Ecomuseology Platform, Latin America Network of Art Wokers (RLATA), Open Heritage Platform, and Future for Religious Heritage (FRH). It was compiled by a request of the International Network of Peace Museums (INMP) aiming at assisting the preservation the heritage of museums itself.

Open Heritage Interontological Alignment is a philosophical compared analysis of Umberto Eco's historiography of science, Charles Pierce's semiotic of belief's roles in the conceptualization of culture, and Abraham Moles' second-order cultural heritage safeguard sociodynamic cybernetics. It was requested by the Catholic Pontifex University (PUC) Subjectivity Studies Center due to my several years working with the international open source movement and international museums. From the acquired minimum literacy on the subject I proceed presenting urgent practical applications of this knowledge for the benefit of the academic ecosystem, internet governance, and the most respected international heritage organizations, like the United Nations Education Science Culture Organization (UNESCO) support. Then I finish with an interontological alignment semiocybernetic analysis proposal.

Using GIS and remote sensing tools, the current dissertation shows the impact of agricultural mutation in drylands and highlights the effect of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) plantations (DPP) on desertification phenomenon in oases of the Algerian Sahara Desert. The spatiotemporal survey was conducted using three Landsat satellite images (TM-1984, ETM+-1999, and OLI-2013). Likelihood supervised classification was used to quantify DPP change over three decades, whereas four remote sensed indices were extracted as indicators of desertification process in the study area: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), Salinity Index (SI-T), and Crust Index (CI). Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were applied to test the effects of year and DPP 'presence/absence' for NDVI; year, DPP and NDVI for both CI and NDMI; year, DPP, NDVI and NDMI for SIT. DPP area and tree numbers quadrupled over the last three decades with a surface increase of 4822 ha and more than 0.5 million trees. DPP presence positively influenced NDVI, NDMI and CI, but negatively affected SIT. Highly significant positive relationships were found between NDVI-DPP, NDVI-NDMI, and NDVI-CI, although negative relationships were obtained between SIT -NDVI and SIT -NDMI. DPP areas indicated higher NDVI, NDMI and CI values, but with lower SIT values compared to the rest of the desert habitats. Our results highlighted the potential role of DPP in controlling and mitigating desertification in hot drylands. This arises from the effectiveness of strategic agricultural policy programs. Landsat series data provided a cost-efficient tool for monitoring change in oases and arid environments.

Las Áreas Naturales Protegidas, como el Parque Nacional Sierra de Órganos en Zacatecas, son espacios que permiten aprender Geografía de manera directa y práctica. El objetivo de esta investigación es evidenciar la importancia del Parque Sierra de Órganos para la formación de docentes de Geografía, a través de la metodología cualitativa, por medio del método interpretativo, como técnica de
recogida de datos se utilizó el cuestionario, como instrumento de recogida de datos un formulario de Google, los resultados muestran que la mayoría de los futuros maestros de Geografía no conocen dicho parque, sin embargo, reconocen la importancia de visitarlo y desarrollar prácticas de campo. La conclusión evidencia que, las prácticas de campo son el recurso didáctico predilecto de los normalistas, pues con ellas se pone en práctica la teoría aprendida en el salón de clase. Asimismo, se evidencia la necesidad de enseñar
Geografía en el Centro de Actualización del Magisterio, Zacatecas, a través de esta sugerencia didáctica.

European Souslik in Fejér county
Among Europe's mammals European Souslik has the least distribution area, its habitat has been contionoiusly decreasing and degrading. This once widespread species is now treated on the IUCN Red List as 'endangered'. Hungary's population also decreased strongly. From the 180 remained populations Transdanubia has only 40-45, mostly on grassy airports.
Duna-Ipoly National Park had information about 34 European Souslik habitats in Fejér county. In 2024 all of them were visited and surveyed. 18 extincted, 6 population is critically weak (under 20 individuals), 4 is in bad condition (20-70 individuals), 4 is promising (70+) and 2 grassy airports hold huge populations (1000+). Interestingly several population extincted despite constant pasturing and some populations exist without grazing animals.
In 2023 the county's first European Souslik repatriaton was held initiated by civil nature protectors. 100 individuals were taken to a protected loess vally from a grass airport. In the same year 4 orphan  European Sousliks were reared and repatriated to the abovementioned habitat.

Intangible cultural heritage, according to a UNESCO definition, is 'the practices, representations, expressions as well as the knowledge and skills that communities, groups and in some cases individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage'. Using a case study of Shirakami-sanchi World Heritage Area, this paper illustrates how the local community's conservation commitment was formed through their long-term everyday interactions with nature. Such connectivity is vital to maintaining the authentic integrity of a place that does not exclude humans. An examination of the formation of the community's conservation commitment for Shirakami reveals that it is the community's spiritual connection and place-based identity that have supported conservation, leading to the World Heritage nomination, and it is argued that the recognition of such intangible cultural heritage is vital in conservation. The challenge, then, is how to communicate such spiritual heritage today. Forms of community involvement are discussed in an attempt to answer this question.

The promotion of geological heritage can significantly contribute to geoeducation. As geosites are areas that can be visited by everyone and not just experts on the field, a good comprehension of the processes under which they were formed can improve their understanding of the Earth in general. In this work, we have selected two Greek regions, namely Samaria Gorge (Crete) and Mount Pentelicus (Attica), and their sites of geological interest were mapped. Subsequently, some georoutes are proposed, covering both these sites and other locations of cultural, historical, archaeological, and/or religious interest. Through a detailed description of each site and its georoutes, we intend to promote the two areas' geological heritage on the one hand, and contribute to the development of geoeducation on the other hand. For this purpose, we have also created an online story map and a Virtual Reality (VR) application for each one of them, both addressed to the general public.

The regions of Acheron and Parga (Epirus, Greece) are characterized by a significant geodiversity (e.g., stratigraphy, palaeontology, tectonic, geomorphology, hydrology, etc.). In this work, we have tried to create a preliminary list of the most prominent geosites of these two areas, based on bibliographical review and, predominantly, our own field observations. More specifically, we have identified and mapped a total of 28 geosites. We assessed their geological value, as well as additional values (socioeconomic and cultural values, aesthetics, as well as potential for geo-education). Upon their assessment, the area was found to be of very high geoeducational significance, whereas the geotouristic potential also is very high. Our ultimate goal is to promote the geological heritage to both geoscientists and the lay public, so as to contribute to its geo-conservation and the geo-education of locals and students/pupils. Thus, after assessment, we created a virtual field trip, in form of a webmap, where all of these geosites could be "visited" by potential geotourists, as well as geoscientists. This webmap can be updated whenever new research on additional geosites in the area is published.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Bojan Erhartič had a strong impact on Slovenian geography because he placed it on the map of countries where geographers deal with geomorphological heritage. He began his research path into the world of natural heritage with the study of geography. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he turned his attention to studying geodiversity, and this led him to issues concerning the evaluation of geomorphological heritage, especially in mountainous areas. Erhartič was among the first in Slovenian geography to deal with the aesthetic evaluation of geomorphological heritage. His interest in the “beauty of nature” stemmed from many years of planned work in (geographical) photography. The Anton Melik Geographical Institute of the Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts holds approximately 218,000 of his “geographical” photos, which he took during his many travels in more than forty countries on five continents.

This article discusses cultural and spiritual values, national mentality traits, and long-established traditions, which are considered essential identifiers of a nation's identity. It reveals the tendencies of deformation affecting these values in today's information-driven society. From a socio-philosophical perspective, the research examines the results obtained during the study, applying a mathematical method aimed at identifying interrelations between the stages of the issue's development. Moreover, a model was developed that illustrates the transition from specific to general aspects of the issue under consideration.

تتناول الدراسة المهددات التي تواجه الراث المادي بولاية الجزيرة وخصوصا المنطقة التي
تنحر بن الشبارقة جنوبا وحتى منطقة النوبة شالا عى ضفتي النيل الأزرق/ وهي منطقة
عمل البعثة المشركة بن جامعة النيلن والهيئة العامة للأثار والمتاحف. وقد تم رصد العديد
من المهددات البشرية والطبيعية، حيث شهدت المنطقة تطورات كب رة من خال قيام مروع
الجزيرة وما صاحب ذلك من توسع في الرقعة الزراعية وانشاء لخزان سنار وحفر الرع وقنوات
الري والإنشاءات التي تتبع لها، والتوسع العمراني، شبكة الطرق البرية والسكك الحديدية بالإضافة
لقيام العديد من المناطق صناعية ولم يصاحب ذلك أي نشاط لدراسة الاثار والتوثيق التاريخي الا
من بعض الاجتهادات القليلة. كذلك نجد ان المهددات الطبيعية المتمثلة في الفيضانات والسيول
التي شهدتها المنطقة. ومؤخرا تأث ر الحرب الدائرة بالباد حتى الان والهجرات الجماعية. وقد
رصدت الدراسة العديد من المهددات البشرية والطبيعية في المواقع التالية: موقع سنار القديمة،
الشبارقة، ام عليلة، برنكو، ود الماجدي وموقع الكسمبر. وتوصي الدراسة بتفعيل الدور الحكومي،
الشعبي والمحي في المساهمة في الحفاظ عى هذا الراث ونر الوعي بن الأهالي.
كلات مفتاحية: مهددات / تراث مادي/ النيل الأزرق / الجزيرة / جامعة النيلن/ الهيئة العامة
للأثار والمتاحف.