Mountain Meadows and Glades of the Carpathians—Type or Element of Landscape? The Problem of Delimitation and Typology of Mountain Pasture Landscapes

Michał Sobala
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Michał Sobala: Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Będzińska 60, 41200 Sosnowiec, Poland

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-18

Abstract: The typologies of landscapes of individual states that have ratified the European Landscape Convention do not include mountain pasture landscapes. Pasture landscapes in the Carpathians are preserved in a relatively good condition, although their spatial extent has considerably shrunk over the last few decades. The article demonstrates that mountain meadows and glades in the Carpathians meet all the conditions that allow them to be classified as a type of landscape, and thus they should be included in national typologies of landscapes. Firstly, they constitute a set of natural (non-forest vegetation) and anthropogenic (traditional shepherding buildings) objects. Secondly, they are a dynamic system in which natural, social and economic processes take place. They are also a source of stimuli, affecting different human senses and values and are a system that provides various real and potential services. The inclusion of mountain pasture landscapes in national typologies may provide a stronger basis for their protection.

Keywords: national typologies of landscape; pasture landscape; landscape conservation; mountain meadows; glades; the Carpathians; the Beskids (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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