Fragmentation and cultural landscapes: tightening the relationship between human beings and the environment

Fragmentation is a research concept properly belonging to the biosciences and agriculture, yet it is one finding application in the planning and design fields. Cultural landscapes, on the other hand, is a concept uniquely rooted in landscape architecture and resource management. This paper links the two as a means of better grounding each in the decisions and processes affecting countryside planning and rural landuse, although both concepts have applications in urban settings, as well. However, in theory and in practice, both concepts are impacted by the man versus nature paradigm, in which planners and designers are challenged to consider whether human actions are “natural” actions, or whether they belong in a separate philosophical category. This position paper was developed as a keynote speech for the 2000 ISOMUL Conference at the Wageningen University and Research Center in The Netherlands.     

Impolite landscapes? The influence of local economic and cultural factors in garden history: a case study of tyne and wear

The study of garden history derives from roots planted firmly in art history. As it has matured as a subject it has gradually begun to look more broadly at what constitutes an historic landscape and make links with other disciplines of landscape study. This paper reports on a study of parks and gardens in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear. It argues that to understand the garden history of this area, traditionally unfashionable and essentially industrial, a restricted art historical approach is inadequate. An understanding of a complex web of economic and cultural factors is required. Issues which emerged in the research are explored through a series of themes based on site types.     

Usages of the “cultural landscape” concept in Norwegian and Nordic landscape administration

This paper summarizes the results of an analysis of differing usages of the concept of “cultural landscape” and related concepts in Norwegian and Nordic government policy and applied research documents. The analysis indicates how inconsistent or unclear use of concepts can hinder interdisciplinary and intersectorial communication. The role of rhetoric, the changing usage of concepts over time and different value loadings for similar concepts are exemplified. Confusion arises partly because previously separate academic discourses, based on separate but overlapping sets of values, have come together in a common discourse promoted by the application of research to government policy. The principal participants in this discourse are agricultural interests, nature conservation interests, cultural heritage interests and local planning interests.     

Woodlots in the rural landscape: landowner motivations and management attitudes in a Michigan (USA) case study

Woodlots provide important environmental benefits in the Midwestern (USA) landscape, where they are undergoing rapid change. An increasingly diverse farm and non-farm population owns these non-industrial private forests (NIPFs). It is essential to understand what motivates NIPF landowners to retain and manage their forests. We describe a study of NIPF owners in an agricultural watershed where forest cover is increasing. What motivations and management practices might be contributing to this increase? The results of a survey of 112 NIPF owners suggest that aesthetic appreciation is the strongest motivator for retaining woodlots, especially by non-farmers. Protecting the environment also seems to be important for both farmers and non-farmers, while economic motivations are significantly less important. Landowners indicated that they are primarily taking a “hands-off” approach to management. This study provides insights for those interested in understanding NIPF landowners’ motivations and for developing effective programs.     

Investments in project management are profitable: A case study-based analysis of the relationship between the costs and benefits of project management

Project management (PM) has progressed through several evolutionary stages and has become established as a well-known management method. Despite its increasingly widespread use in all industry sectors, a central question remains: what demonstrable economic benefit does PM provide? Because past research does not conclusively answer this question, we developed a model to determine the return on investment (ROI) of PM and to unite the costs and benefits of PM. As a case study, the necessary cost and benefit data were obtained from an insurance company over a nine-year period. The relationships between various aspects of costs and benefits were analyzed. The results show clear relationships both between the costs of and investments in PM as well as between the qualitative and quantitative benefits of PM.     

高等建筑教育与建筑文化遗产的保护——以天津大学与北京故宫博物院的文化遗产保护合作为例

天津大学与北京故宫博物院在建筑文化遗产保护方面的多次合作,是中国建筑遗产保护研究领域具有代表性的合作范例。文章系统回顾了天津大学与故宫博物院在建筑文化遗产保护方面的合作历史,揭示了高校在建筑文化遗产保护领域的优势,以及其在不同历史阶段文化遗产保护工作的特点,阐述了跨学科合作、培养复合型专业人才、建立共享平台的重要性,指出建筑教学科研融入文化遗产保护工作对建筑教育创新实践的必要性。     

Business Improvement Districts and the recession: Implications for public realm governance and management in England

BIDs were introduced in the UK in 2003/2004 and their widespread adoption is linked to their ability to raise funds to invest in the locality, through a mandatory supplementary levy on business rates, voluntary contributions, sponsorship and public sector grants. However, the economic downturn has already restricted those sources of funding, and public sector spending cuts are likely to restrict them even further. This paper discusses a case-study research on the impact that recession and spending cuts have had on the way BIDs operate, and identifies the threats and opportunities to them as stakeholder-led instruments for the management of town centres and commercial and industrial areas. The research shows that although the recession and spending cuts have had an impact on most BIDs, the model itself has not been put in question, and BIDs are becoming permanent features of the governance of town and city centres, and increasingly also of industrial areas. Their roles in public realm management have been varied, from a minor function in complementing local environmental services, to being active players in the transformation of public places into arenas for festivals and spectacle, to coordinators of surveillance, policing and occasionally exclusion. The implications for the public realm of the evolution and consolidation of BIDs will therefore be varied. Some BIDs are likely to play an increasing role in the delivery of public realm services and the shaping of public realm quality, and in those cases the existence of adequate mechanisms to harmonise the interests of levy payers with other local stakeholders will be of considerable importance. Others might have a sporadic impact on the public realm, with a more pronounced role of the local authority in mediating that impact. Understanding how BIDs operate, the aspirations they represent, their relationship to other aspirations and to broader policy objectives, and the role in that operation of fluctuations in the economy, will be increasingly important in thinking critically about the limits and potential of emerging forms of urban governance.     

Toward a sustainable land management of vernacular landscape in the highlands of south-western Saudi Arabia: indigenous and statutory experiences

The vernacular landscape of the highlands of south-western Saudi Arabia comprises three distinct elements: natural, agricultural and built. The highlands are currently facing land use planning problems which result in deforestation, despite significant attempts at afforestation by several governmental agencies (especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Water) and by municipal governments in the area. Intentions towards more sustainable forms of land management now characterize official documents. With regard to landscape issues, this is marked by a discourse of sustainable land management and the sponsorship of initiatives addressing the relationship between land management and the environment. This paper demonstrates that the approach to sustainable land management is technical, rational and scientific. A more balanced approach would combine scientific knowledge and practice with traditional expertise.     

Investigation of the relationship between place characteristics and child behavior in residential landscape spaces: a case study on the Century Sunshine Garden Residential Quarter in Hefei

This paper reviewed child behavior in Chinese residential landscapes. A field survey was used to investigate place characteristics, whereas fixed-point observation and visualization records were utilized to analyze child behavior. Children were then classified into two categories, namely, those with action capacity and those with little capacity. Based on the classification and comparative analysis of place characteristics, along with the quantitative and visualized analysis of child behavior, the relationship between these two aspects was determined, and the effect of spatial elements in the selected residential areas on such a relationship was clarified. Additionally, the designing of a comprehensive landscape space that satisfies children's needs was also discussed. The conclusions are as follows: (1) Waterside is the element that most significantly affects child behavior. Children who can act on their own prefer to play along the waterside. (2) Open spaces attract children with action capacity, whereas children with little capacity tend to choose more private spaces. (3) Despite the presence of facilities for various activities, an extremely open space or one that is separated by a road still affects child behavior. (4) A comprehensive space with a water landscape, fitness facilities, high accessibility, and a number of cultural events may significantly affect child behavior. Both types of children were found to enjoy a place with such characteristics. Therefore, the evaluation of residential landscape space should be integrated with landscape design.     

Does vertical integration facilitate coordination between infrastructure management and train operating units in the rail sector? Implications for Japanese railways

We investigate why vertical integration facilitates coordination between infrastructure management and train operating units in a railway system. An analysis of three Japanese rail companies shows that informal communication is significant for overall coordination, and mechanisms enhancing informal communication are observed mainly at the task group and individual levels. In contrast, mechanisms enhancing formal communication are observed mainly at the organisational level. Although these mechanisms mitigate coordination problems observed in vertical separation, their employment requires a transition to vertical integration, which can be an option in high-density areas where close coordination is required.