Relating spatial patterns to ecological processes is one of the central goals of landscape ecology. The patch-corridor-matrix
model and landscape metrics have been the predominant approach to describe the spatial arrangement
of discrete elements (“patches”) for the last two decades. However, the widely used approach of using landscape
metrics for characterizing categorical map patterns is connected with a number of problems. We aim at stimulating
further developments in the field of the analysis of spatio-temporal landscape patterns by providing both a critical

As part of the planned expansion work of the motorway A8 between Rosenheim and Salzburg and the
associated legal opportunity to develop new traffic noise protection measures, this study investigated
properties of sustainable noise abatement in a community next to the A8. A two-stage empirical survey
was conducted integrating a citizen and an expert Delphi survey. The results show that the noise from
the motorway heavily affects the quality of life in health, economic and ecological respects. Sustainable

This study focuses on how traditional rural landscape and proximity to a Natura 2000 Site of Community
Importance (SCI) might influence consumers’ choice of an agritourism farm for a weekend stay. Data were
collected in Umbria region’s (Italy) agritourism farms in 2014 by interviewing 160 tourists. Results from a
discrete choice experiment reveal that the most important feature affecting the interviewees’ propensity to
pay a premium price to stay in an agritourism farm is the well-preserved traditional landscape (willingness to

Planning often yields only limited influence on policy making. This paper explores how planning could address this
challenge and support most effectively transitions towards sustainable landscape change. In merging insights from
sustainability science research and nine recently concluded case studies of landscape planning, the paper reflects
upon the applicability of the concept of “transition support”, discusses planning approaches and their perceived
effectiveness to induce change in landscape governance, and identifies lessons learned. The paper’s outcomes

This paper presents a review of the presentations and synthesis of the discussion during a Symposium on ‘Transformation
of rural-urban cultural landscapes in Europe: Integrating approaches from ecological, socio-economic
and planning perspectives’ held at the European IALE conference 2009 in Salzburg, Austria. The symposium
addressed an extended and much debated subject of the landscape dynamics in Europe. The papers presented
during the symposium showcased a broad spectrum of cutting edge research questions and challenges faced by

To discriminate between the contributions of ecosystems and the human subsidies to agricultural systems,
we propose using an additional terminology to bring clarification into the controversial discussion about i)
ecosystems versus agrosystems and ii) ecosystem services versus agrosystem services. A literature review
revealed that with the exception of some very recent publications, this has not yet been sufficiently
reflected, neither within the scientific nor in the policy discussion. The question remains whether to spoil

There is a rapidly growing body of literature on the theory about the ecosystem service concept and the practical assessment of
ecosystem services in different contexts ranging from natural to urban environments. Yet, where does the concept reach its limits?
This paper critically reflects the application of the ecosystem service concept in urban environments illustrating the handling of
urban structures (incl. built-up areas) and the risk that the normative principle of the concept could be missed. It is shown that in

The Red Palm Weevil (RPW), after its accidental introduction in Italy in 2005, determined a progressive
disruption of Canary palms mostly in the central and southern regions. As it is difficult to undertake the
management of this pest, the possibility of substituting the killed/symptomatic palms with other ornamental
trees has been recently discussed. In this context, understanding the citizens’ needs about green areas can
improve the management of public parks and urban greening. Involving citizens on the natural resource

The principle of urban-rural gradients can reveal the spatial variations of ecosystem services and socioeconomic dimensions. The interrelations between ecosystem services and socioeconomics have scarcely been considered in the context of urban-rural areas. We investigated the spatial gradients and the mutual linkages of several ecosystem services and

The present chaotic transformation from the industrial to the global information society is accelerating the ecological,
social and economic unsustainability. The rapidly growing unsustainable, fossil energy powered urbanindustrial
technosphere and their detrimental impacts on nature and human well-being are threatening the solar
energy powered natural and seminatural biosphere landscapes and their vital ecosystem services. A sustainability
revolution is therefore urgently needed, requiring a shift from the „fossil age“ to the „solar age“ of a new world

Inadequacies in the indication of cultural ecosystem services (CES) are a hindrance in assessing their
comprehensive impacts on human wellbeing. Similarly, uncertainties about the quantity and quality of
CES, in real time and space, have hampered the ability of resource managers to precisely take responsive
management actions. The aim of the study is to demonstrate, how CES indicators can be identified and
qualified in order to link CES to human wellbeing, and to integrate them into the ‘ecosystem services cascade’

This paper presents an overview of progress in the area of nature conservation in the last decade in Kosovo.
Two very important laws were promulgated in 2012 about two national parks: Bjeshket e Nemuna and
Sharri National park. With this expansion, the protected area network that in 2003 was about 4.36 % of
the territory was increased to 10.9%, reaching a satisfactory degree of protected areas and increasing the
number of protected areas in a total of 116. While in terms of conservation of protected areas a significant