Roadside Vegetation Functions, Woody Plant Values, and Ecosystem Services in Rural Streetscapes: A Qualitative Study on Rural Settlements in Western Slovakia

Gabriel Kuczman, Denis Bechera, Zdenka Rózová and Attila Tóth ()
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Gabriel Kuczman: Institute of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SPU Nitra), Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia
Denis Bechera: Institute of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SPU Nitra), Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia
Zdenka Rózová: Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Informatics, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (UKF Nitra), Tr. A. Hlinku 1, 949 74, Nitra, Slovakia
Attila Tóth: Institute of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SPU Nitra), Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-27

Abstract: Woody plants in roadside green spaces of rural settlements provide a wide range of ecosystem functions and services. The study presented in this paper was conducted in three rural settlements in Western Slovakia, representing three different rural landscape types—lowland, basin, and mountainous landscapes. The assessed woody vegetation is situated in diverse settlement structures, with various spatial patterns. A comprehensive woody plant assessment was conducted in selected central streetscapes of three model settlements, examining spatial, compositional, visual, aesthetic, and other values, as well as the characteristics of woody plants. These attributes were clustered according to five main functions and fourteen value parameters and the results were assigned to three quality categories, to objectivise a qualitative woody plant assessment in roadside vegetation structures in the countryside. The findings show the level of suitability of woody plants based on how they fulfil aesthetic, compositional, climate, safety, cultural, and historical functions.

Keywords: biodiversity; countryside; ecosystem services; landscape architecture; green infrastructure; green space; open space; rural landscape; trees; woody plants (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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