Article
Environmental Sciences
Cristina Quintas-Soriano, Mario Torralba, Maria Garcia-Martin, Tobias Plieninger
Summary: Rural abandonment in the Mediterranean region poses sustainability challenges for rural and urban areas. While studies on the ecological implications and impacts of land abandonment and rewilding exist, there is a lack of research on the socio-cultural dimension of abandonment from the local perspective. This study in Western Spain assesses the perceptions of local communities regarding land abandonment and its impact on nature's contributions to people and quality of life. The results show that local communities have a negative reaction towards rural abandonment and recognize the importance of traditional agriculture for maintaining nature's contributions to human well-being. The study also identifies four groups of narratives on rural abandonment, representing clusters of respondents with different motivations and interpretations. The findings underline the importance of understanding local perceptions, values, and motivations towards rural abandonment for landscape management.
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Julia Ellis Burnet, Daniela Ribeiro, Wei Liu
Summary: The research in Goricko Landscape Park in northeastern Slovenia studied slow environmental change through evolutionary processes associated with ordinary artefacts from Central European rural life. The study focused on abandoned rural buildings and residual artefacts, discussing their value in understanding local perceptions and utilization of landscape resources. The findings revealed that the abandoned buildings are now utilized as faunal habitats, reintegrated into the wider landscape, representing a return to nature after human activities retreated.
Article
Agronomy
Xiaopiao Yang, Yuluan Zhao, Jia Zhao, Chao Shi, Bailu Deng
Summary: This study examines tourists' perceptions and characteristics of terraced agro-cultural heritage landscapes based on online travel notes. It finds that tourists have positive perceptions of the diversity of terraced landscapes and give overall high evaluations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Paola Gullino, Luca Battisti, Silvia Novelli, Vito Frontuto, Alessandro Corsi, Marco Devecchi, Federica Larcher
Summary: The mitigation process of agricultural sheds in the landscape is crucial for aesthetics and architectural integrity. It is important to evaluate how residents perceive these elements and identify preferred solutions for landscape planning.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
M. Villodre, C. Arnaiz-Schmitz, M. F. Schmitz
Summary: This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Natural Park category in protecting and maintaining rural cultural landscapes. Using geoprocessing tools and multivariate analysis, the social-ecological changes in rural cultural landscapes after the establishment of a network of Protected Natural Areas (PAs) are examined. The findings show that current conservation efforts have neglected rural landscapes, leading to the abandonment and degradation of protected landscapes. Therefore, a holistic perspective is needed to promote the management and conservation of rural landscapes.
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Michael S. Corson, Aymeric Mondiere, Lois Morel, Hayo M. G. van der Werf
Summary: This review and case study aims to analyze the role of agricultural rewilding in biodiversity conservation and restoration, and identify research questions. The authors found that agricultural rewilding combines ecological restoration with agricultural production, primarily focusing on herbivores. The main actions to enhance rewilding include extensive grazing and habitat restoration.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Angela Alessandra Badami
Summary: The article discusses the debate over whether we are entering the Anthropocene Epoch and highlights the uneven consumption of Earth's resources and the damage to nature's regenerative abilities. By looking back in time to understand how the "Great Acceleration" hastened the Anthropocene, the article explores particular places that have survived the surge in resource consumption and preserved landscape features. It also introduces initiatives aimed at enhancing these living archives and discusses the importance of understanding historical landscapes in countering the unsustainable voracity of the Anthropocene and rediscovering a synergy between humankind and nature.
Article
Environmental Studies
Eleni Oikonomopoulou, Ekaterini T. Delegou, John Sayas, Anastasia Vythoulka, Antonia Moropoulou
Summary: This study investigates the correlation of tangible and intangible elements of a cultural landscape for sustainable development. The results demonstrate that integrated strategic planning can achieve the protection of natural and cultural wealth, as well as balanced economic development and social cohesion, leading to sustainable development.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Catherine M. J. Fayet, Peter H. Verburg
Summary: Farmland abandonment is a major driver of landscape change in European rural areas. Three management strategies - natural revegetation, active restoration with rewilding, and extensive re-farming - can be used in response to abandonment. The choice of management strategy depends on the context and can contribute to the goals of the European Green Deal.
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Mauro Agnoletti, Antonio Santoro
Summary: Agriculture, as one of the main human activities, has direct and indirect impacts on the environment. Sustainable agriculture is crucial for environmental preservation, and the GIAHS Programme aims to identify and protect traditional agricultural systems that provide ecosystem services and have cultural and social values.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Geography
Lisa Wyler, Marco Conedera, Matteo Tanadini, Patrik Krebs
Summary: This study uses the vineyard region of southern Switzerland as a case study to develop a methodology for assessing and mapping the specific workload involved in maintaining single vineyard plots. The study found a relationship between management difficulty and abandonment rates, with easier-to-work plots being preferred for new vineyard establishment.
JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Beatriz E. Murillo-Lopez, Antonio J. Castro, Alexander Feijoo-Martinez
Summary: Understanding the roots of a sense of place in farmlands is crucial for stopping rural exodus to urban areas. Farmers perceive farmlands as quiet and safe spaces that support family cohesion, and nonmaterial contributions from nature have the greatest impact on shaping their sense of place.
Article
Geography
Bernadett Csurgo, Melanie K. Smith
Summary: The academic interest in ecosystem services has been increasing over the past decade, with more research studies focusing on this complex field. However, Cultural Ecosystem Services have been under-researched, particularly in terms of their value to landscapes. This paper examines the value of Cultural Ecosystem Services in rural landscapes in Hungary, highlighting the importance of cultural heritage in comparison to other categories of CES, especially in terms of social and symbolic values.
JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Hugo Entradas Silva, Fernando M. A. Henriques
Summary: Cultural heritage serves as a crucial symbol of the past in modern societies, while cultural tourism plays a significant role in the economy but also poses risks to conservation and indoor air quality if not properly managed. The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down global tourism, providing an opportunity for reflection on the sustainability of mass tourism.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Jing Shen, Feng-Tzu Huang, Rung-Jiun Chou
Summary: The success of rural revitalization in Xiping is primarily attributed to the unique cultural heritage within the Anxi Tieguanyin Tea Culture System and the active participation of local residents, especially women. Through activities such as tea competitions, tea associations, and the Female Tea Master Training Institute, significant progress has been made in the preservation and development of agricultural cultural heritage.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Richard Schuster, Rachel Buxton, Jeffrey O. O. Hanson, Allison D. D. Binley, Jeremy Pittman, Vivitskaia Tulloch, Frank A. A. La Sorte, Patrick R. R. Roehrdanz, Peter H. H. Verburg, Amanda D. D. Rodewald, Scott Wilson, Hugh P. P. Possingham, Joseph R. R. Bennett
Summary: Protected areas face vulnerabilities due to weak governance, land-use intensification, and climate change. By applying a hierarchical optimization approach, this study identifies priority areas for expanding the global protected area system while considering these risks and maximizing conservation of terrestrial vertebrate species. The findings suggest a need for 1.6% expansion of the protected area system to reduce exposure to risks and achieve conservation targets.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Crelis F. Rammelt, Joyeeta Gupta, Diana Liverman, Joeri Scholtens, Daniel Ciobanu, Jesse F. Abrams, Xuemei Bai, Lauren Gifford, Christopher Gordon, Margot Hurlbert, Cristina Y. A. Inoue, Lisa Jacobson, Steven J. Lade, Timothy M. Lenton, David I. Armstrong McKay, Nebojsa Nakicenovic, Chukwumerije Okereke, Ilona M. Otto, Laura M. Pereira, Klaudia Prodani, Johan Rockstrom, Ben Stewart-Koster, Peter H. Verburg, Caroline Zimm
Summary: The Sustainable Development Goals aim to address various global issues such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. However, meeting the needs of the poorest can potentially have significant environmental impacts, which are currently the subject of debate. This study highlights the inequalities in resource consumption and ecological damage globally and discusses the potential consequences of achieving just access on the Earth's natural systems.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Perrine C. S. J. Laroche, Catharina J. E. Schulp, Thomas Kastner, Peter H. Verburg
Summary: Leisure travel within the European Union has a significant impact on the global tourism carbon footprint. This study examines the role of tourists' holiday preferences in shaping this impact and finds that visiting relatives, nature tourism, and sea, sun, and sand tourism contribute equally to the carbon footprint, but the latter has a higher carbon intensity per trip. Additionally, international travel within the EU is more carbon intensive than domestic travel. These insights suggest that leveraging tourists' holiday preferences can contribute to the sustainable development of leisure travel within the EU.
TOURISM MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katharina Schulze, Ziga Malek, Dmitry Schepaschenko, Myroslava Lesiv, Steffen Fritz, Peter H. Verburg
Summary: Short-rotation woody plantations (SRWPs) are important for climate change mitigation and adaptation due to their high yields and fast carbon storage. Their distribution and feasibility vary depending on location. We developed a systematic method to estimate the spatial distribution of SRWPs in (sub-)tropical biomes under current and future climate. Our results show that SRWP probabilities vary between regions and may not be feasible in many parts of (sub-)tropical biomes. Climate change also decreases SRWP probabilities, especially under higher emission scenarios, indicating a negative feedback. This has implications for global mitigation plans and wood resource availability.
MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES FOR GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Joyeeta Gupta, Diana Liverman, Klaudia Prodani, Paulina Aldunce, Xuemei Bai, Wendy Broadgate, Daniel Ciobanu, Lauren Gifford, Chris Gordon, Margot Hurlbert, Cristina Y. A. Inoue, Lisa Jacobson, Norichika Kanie, Steven J. J. Lade, Timothy M. M. Lenton, David Obura, Chukwumerije Okereke, Ilona M. M. Otto, Laura Pereira, Johan Rockstroem, Joeri Scholtens, Juan Rocha, Ben Stewart-Koster, J. David Tabara, Crelis Rammelt, Peter H. Verburg
Summary: Living within planetary limits requires attention to justice as biophysical boundaries are not inherently just. Through collaboration between natural and social scientists, the Earth Commission defines and operationalizes Earth system justice to ensure that boundaries reduce harm, increase well-being, and reflect substantive and procedural justice.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Floris Leijten, Uris Lantz C. Baldos, Justin A. Johnson, Sarah Sim, Peter H. Verburg
Summary: In the last three decades, global production of oil palm has increased significantly, leading to deforestation of tropical rainforests. However, many companies in the industry have pledged to eliminate deforestation through zero-deforestation commitments (ZDCs). If fully adopted and enforced, ZDCs could lead to a 40% reduction in global oil palm plantations by 2030 compared to a scenario with no compliance. This would result in the preservation of 96 million hectares of forests, 17% of which would have been converted by expanding oil palm plantations.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Catherine M. J. Fayet, Peter H. Verburg
Summary: Farmland abandonment is a major driver of landscape change in European rural areas. Three management strategies - natural revegetation, active restoration with rewilding, and extensive re-farming - can be used in response to abandonment. The choice of management strategy depends on the context and can contribute to the goals of the European Green Deal.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cristiana Alves, Bruno Marcos, Joao Goncalves, Peter Verburg, Loic Pellissier, Angela Lomba
Summary: Understanding the role of species within communities is crucial for their conservation and management in the face of biodiversity loss. This study presents an approach to rank the importance of plant species within a community based on their abundance and co-occurrence patterns. The newly proposed Co-occurrence Community Importance Index (CoCII) was used to assess the degree of influence that each dominant species had on subordinate species.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Onil Banerjee, Martin Cicowiez, ZIga Malek, Peter H. Verburg, Renato Vargas, Sean Goodwin, Kenneth J. Bagstad, Josue Avila Murillo
Summary: In post-conflict Colombia, the government puts emphasis on resettlement of displaced people by developing rural livelihoods and sustainable use of natural capital. This paper evaluates government proposals for expanding payment for ecosystem services (PES) and private-sector investment in habitat banking using an integrated model that considers economic, environmental, and social aspects. The results show that these programs have significant investment potential when considering non-market ecosystem services, and a portfolio investment approach combined with sustainable silvopastoral systems can lead to even higher returns. The study provides empirical evidence to inform policy decisions and maximize economic, environmental, and social outcomes.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
David O. Obura, Fabrice DeClerck, Peter H. Verburg, Joyeeta Gupta, Jesse F. Abrams, Xuemei Bai, Stuart Bunn, Kristie L. Ebi, Lauren Gifford, Chris Gordon, Lisa Jacobson, Timothy M. Lenton, Diana Liverman, Awaz Mohamed, Klaudia Prodani, Juan Carlos Rocha, Johan Rockstroem, Boris Sakschewski, Ben Stewart-Koster, Detlef van Vuuren, Ricarda Winkelmann, Caroline Zimm
Summary: Despite increasing investment in conservation, biodiversity decline has not been reversed, and there is a risk of repeating this outcome in the next three decades due to neglect of drivers of decline, unrealistic expectations of biodiversity recovery, and insufficient attention to justice. To address these failings, our Earth system justice approach suggests six sets of actions, including reducing drivers of decline, halting biodiversity loss, restoring biodiversity, improving wellbeing, eliminating over-consumption, and respecting the rights and responsibilities of all communities. Urgent upscaling of these actions is needed to deliver the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
Article
Environmental Studies
Lisa-Marie Hemerijckx, Gloria Nsangi Nakyagaba, Hakimu Sseviiri, Katarzyna Janusz, Michelle Eichinger, Shuaib Lwasa, Julian May, Peter H. Verburg, Anton Van Rompaey
Summary: Due to rapid urbanization, the food system in sub-Saharan African cities is facing increasing pressure. In this paper, we use the concept of foodshed to analyze the spatial extent of food provision for consumers of different socio-economic status in Kampala, Uganda. Based on surveys with households and food vendors, we map the foodshed by identifying where consumers obtain their food and its origin. The results show that 50% of the food consumed in the city comes from within a 120 km radius of Kampala, including 10% from within the city itself. At present, urban agriculture is twice as important as international imports for urban food supply. Higher-income urban dwellers have a more localized foodshed due to their involvement in urban agriculture, while lower-income newcomers heavily rely on retailers sourcing food from rural Uganda.
NPJ URBAN SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jacqueline T. M. Davis, Peter H. Verburg, Julian D. May
Summary: Successful management of complex food systems requires societal engagement. Participatory approaches can bridge the gap between scientific representations and practical perspectives of actors in the urban food system, allowing for joint learning and collaboration.
ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Franziska Mohr, Vasco Diogo, Julian Helfenstein, Niels Debonne, Thymios Dimopoulos, Wenche Dramstad, Maria Garcia-Martin, Jozef Hernik, Felix Herzog, Thanasis Kizos, Angela Lausch, Livia Lehmann, Christian Levers, Robert Pazur, Virginia Ruiz-Aragon, Rebecca Swart, Claudine Thenail, Hege Ulfeng, Peter H. Verburg, Tim Williams, Anita Zarina, Matthias Buergi
Summary: This study systematically analyzed the driving forces of agricultural change in Europe through 123 oral history interviews. The most prevalent driving forces were the introduction of new technologies, developments in agricultural markets, agricultural policies, and cultural aspects. However, there were variations in the specific influence of individual driving forces across different study sites, indicating the limited explanatory power of generic assumptions about European agricultural change drivers on a local scale.
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yue Dou, Cecilia Zagaria, Louise O'Connor, Wilfried Thuiller, Peter H. Verburg
Summary: This study uses a novel scenario approach to assess the various ways in which biodiversity targets can be achieved. The results show that meeting these targets will result in significant changes to Europe's land systems, with different impacts in different regions. These simulations go beyond existing methods and can facilitate constructive dialogue and consensus-building.
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tim G. Williams, Sibylle Bui, Costanza Conti, Niels Debonne, Christian Levers, Rebecca Swart, Peter H. Verburg
Summary: This study examines the roles of actors other than farmers in shaping agricultural behavior in European agri-food systems. The findings highlight the diversity of actors and network configurations, emphasizing the importance of considering the context-specific agency of farmers in agricultural governance. Additionally, the study identifies three types of networks associated with varying levels of farmer autonomy and underscores the potential complementary roles of different value chains and top-down and bottom-up support. Agri-food networks provide leverage points for sustainability transformation.
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS
(2023)