Effect of traffic noise on perceived visual impact of motorway traffic

Visual impact is one of the major environmental impacts of motorways and requires adequate assessment. This study investigated the effect of traffic noise on the perceived visual impact of motorway traffic by comparing impact with sound to impact without sound. Computer visualisation and edited audio recordings were used to simulate different traffic and landscape scenarios, varying in four traffic conditions, two types of landscape, and three viewing distances. Subjective visual judgments on the simulated scenes with and without sound were obtained in a laboratory experiment. The results show that motorway traffic induced significant visual impact. In both sound conditions, increases in traffic volume led to higher visual impact and changes in traffic composition changed the impact significantly when traffic flow was low. Visual impact was significantly higher in the natural landscape and the increment was largely constant and independent from the effect of traffic condition in both sound conditions. The effect of viewing distance was also significant and there was a rapid-to-gentle decrease of visual impact by distance both with and without sound, but the decrease with sound was less rapid and the decrease pattern less clear. Overall, introduction of traffic noise increased the visual impact by a largely constant level which did not show clear dependence with noise level, traffic condition, landscape type, or viewing distance, although there was a possible effect of viewing distance on the increase. It suggests that the additional impact caused by traffic noise should be considered in visual impact assessment of motorway projects

Development and Activity of the Institute of Geography, Kazimierz Wielki University in 1995-2016

The Institute of Geography of Kazimierz Wielki University, founded in 1996, initially as the Chair of Geography, is the youngest geography research and didactic unit in Poland. The Institute runs two-cycle studies in two fields: Geography as well as Tourism and Recreation (bachelor’s and complementary master’s studies), and two engineering courses: Inland Waterways Revitalization and Crisis Management in the Natural Environment. After twenty years of student education, graduates of the Institute of Geography have an impact on the natural environment management on a local and national scale, by taking positions at various levels, including managerial positions in local authorities’ units, institutions connected with environmental protection as well as private enterprises. The academic research of the Institute of Geography focuses on issues related to physical geography and socio-economic geography as well as tourism and recreation. Currently, the most important topics are: the impact of human activity on fluvial systems, problems related to revitalization of waterways and riverside areas, geodiversity of selected areas in Poland, contemporary socio-economic processes in Poland and other transition countries, tourism development and economics. The scientific research and expert activities of the Institute’s employees in the indicated fields include research works both worldwide, nationwide, as well as on a local scale – the Kujavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and the city of Bydgoszcz. The research is carried out within the framework of cooperation with Polish and foreign academic institutions, as well as in the scope of implementation works with local authorities’ units, landscape parks and private enterprises. Since 2013, the Institute of Geography has published the “Geography and Tourism” academic journal, which popularizes the results of theoretical and empirical research in the fields of geography and tourism

Perceived integrated impact of visual intrusion and noise of motorways: Influential factors and impact indicators

Motorways are often seen as intrusive to both landscape and soundscape, and recent studies on multisensory perception suggest that an integrated assessment of the environmental impacts is necessary. This paper investigates the effects of traffic condition, distance to road and background landscape on the perceived integrated impact of noise and visual intrusion of motorways, and explores if noise exposure can be a powerful indicator for the perceived integrated impact. Six traffic conditions, consisting of three levels of noise emission × two levels of heavy good vehicle percentage in traffic composition, two types of background landscape and three distances to road, were designed as experimental scenarios, and created using computer visualisation and edited audio recordings. A laboratory experiment was carried out to obtain ratings of perceived environmental quality of each experimental scenario. The results show that traffic volume as expressed by noise emission level strongly influenced the perceived integrated impact, whereas traffic composition did not make noticeable differences. Distance to road was the second most influential factor, followed by background landscape. A regression model using noise level at receiver position and type of background landscape as independent variables was developed and can explain about a quarter of the variation in the perceived integrated impact

Use of National Forest Inventories to Downscale European Forest Diversity Spatial Information in Five Test Areas, Covering Different Geo-Physical and Geo-Botanical Conditions

The project ¿Use of National Forest Inventories to downscale European forest diversity spatial information in five test areas, covering different geo-physical and geo-botanical conditions¿, referred also as ¿forest downscaling¿ (JRC contract 382340 F1SC) covers one of the seven topics that have been studied in the frame of the Regulation (EC) 2152/2003 on the monitoring of forest and environmental interactions, the so-called "Forest Focus" Regulation. This study was conducted by a European consortium coordinated by the Italian Academy of Forest Sciences (Italy) and included partners from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, the Institute of Forest Ecosystem Research of the Czech Republic, the German Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products, and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research. The overall supervision of the project and the processing of forest spatial pattern were done by the Joint Research Centre. This study addressed the link between field based forest biological diversity data and landscape-level forest pattern information. The former were made available from National Forest Inventories (NFIs) at plot level in five different countries; their harmonisation was implemented for the first time and benefited from outcomes of the COST Action-E43 on core biodiversity variables. For the latter, landscape level forest spatial pattern maps were automatically derived from available remote sensing based forest cover maps. The relation-ships between selected pattern and biodiversity variables available from the two different data sources were studied. Seven case studies for a total area of about 100,000 km2 were selected in five European ecological regions: one site in Germany (Atlantic zone), one in Sweden (Boreal zone), two in Czech Republic (Continental zone), one in Switzerland (Alpine zone) and two in Italy (Mediterranean zone).JRC.DDG.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

The Probe, Issue 205 – October 1999

Legislative News: Senate Kills Anti-Trapping Measure Washington Stalls Anti-Trap Bills Raccoon Roundworm Brochure Available NWRC Biologist George Matschke Retires Problem Mexican Gray Wolves Being Relocated Chipmunk Found Rabid Rock Star Scares Birds -- What the birds really hate is Tina Turner. Rat Travels Business Class What\u27s Killing Colorado Deer? Abstracts from the 2nd International Wildlife Management Congress, Hungary History and Present Status of the European Beaver (Castor fiber) in Poland, with Implications for Beaver Management Programs -- A. Czech, Institute of Environmental Biology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland Assessment of Elephant Damage and Mitigation Options in Amboseli Basin, Kenya -- E.E. Esikuri* and D.F. Stauffer, *Environment Department, The World Bank, Washington, B.C. Wolf Movements and Home Ranges in the Slovak Carpathians -- S. Findo*, P. Paquet, G. Bloch, R. Chovancova, and P. Krizan, *Forest Research Institute, Zvolen, Slovakia Identifying Individual Pumas from Tracks -- E.L. Fitzhugh*, R.C. Lewison, and S.P. Galentine, *Cooperative Extension, Wildlife Fish & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA Nuisance Wildlife Control Laws, Policies, and Practices -- J.M. Hodidian*. M.R. Childs, R.H. Schmidt, L. J. Simon, andA.W. Church, The Humane Society of the U.S., Washington, D.C. Of Large Carnivores and Men—Two Different Realities: Rural Societies and Tigers in the Sariska Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan, India); Rural Societies and Wolves in the Montesinho Natural Park (north-east Portugal). -- J . P. Galhano Alves, Laboratorire d\u27Ecologie Humaine et d\u27Anthropologie, Universite de Droit, d\u27Economie et des Sciences d\u27Aix-Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, France From the Return of Carcasses to Ecosystem Management: The Role of Trappers in Sustainable Forest Management -- M. Renault* andJ. Huot, *Faune et Pares, Quebec, Canada Predators in Switzerland: Reasons for Existence or Lack of Public Acceptance -- M. Hunziker, Swiss Federal Instil, of Forest, Snow,and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland Resolving Conflicts between Nile Crocodiles and Humans in Africa -- J. Hutton, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, U.K. Managing People-Wildlife Conflict in Tibet -- R. M. Jackson, International Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle, WA Human-wolf Conflict in India -- Y. Jhala andB. Jethva, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun, India Cheetahs as Problem Animals: Management of Cheetahs on Private Land in Namibia L. Marker andB. D. Schumann, Cheetah Conservation Fund, Otjiwarongo, Namibi

Strategic Management Plan Evaluation of a River Basin District

Purpose: In strategic planning and management of environmental resources, traditional multicriteria analysis are usually adopted for evaluating alternative development scenarios against a set of criteria. However, the modeling of the problem is often inadequate to represent the complexity which characterized the decision. For overcoming this problem, this paper suggests the application of an advanced version of the Analytic Hierarchy Process: the Analytic Network Process (ANP). Methodology: The ANP is the first mathematical approach that makes possible to systematically deal with all kinds of dependencies and feedback among elements. It requires the identification of a network of clusters and nodes, as well as pair-wise comparison to establish relations within the network elements. The number of comparisons is dependent upon the number of interrelations among the elements. Findings: The method is applied to the Strategic Management Plan of River Po Basin, in Italy. The result obtained is a surprising ranking which places major weight to the cultural heritage and landscape rather than to traditional environmental categories, such as land and water. This result reflects the recent River Po Basin Authority strategy to institute an integrated and coordinated policy action in the field. Originality/value. The proposed approach has improved the integration of the strategic evaluation in the decision making process within the management of territorial development policies, thanks to a better representation of the interrelations among issues within the decision mode

Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Full textThe mission of the Estonian University of Life Sciences is to guarantee sustainable use of natural resources and enhance rural development. The Estonian University of Life Sciences (IAES) is the only university in Estonia whose priorities in academic and research activities provide the sustainable development of natural resources necessary for the existence of Human Society as well as the preservation on of heritage and habitat. The Estonian University of Life Sciences undertakes internationally acknowledged science research, carries out innovative activities, provides science based academic education and promotes life-long learning. The Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the Estonian University of Life Sciences is responsible for research and development, and university level education in plant cultivation and plant biology, horticulture, plant health, soil science and agrochemistry, landscape ecology and management, landscape architecture, biological diversity and applied hydrobiology in Estonia. According to QS World University Rankings, EMU belongs in the top 100 universities in the world in the field of Agriculture and Forestry. Thomson Reuters Essential Science Indicators database places EMU in the top 1% most cited research facilities in the world in the field of plant and animal science as well as environment and ecology. In addition, three professors (Prof Ülo Niinemets, Prof Robert Bunce and Leading Researcher Peeter Nõges) belong to the top 1% of the most cited researchers list of ecology and environmental sciences

Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Full textWe care about Nature. We seek to promote a caring and sustainable approach to human activity in Nature. Our role is to recognize that cultural and natural values are often interrelated and they should be considered in an integrated manner to grant the quality of habitat and natural values. Aret Vooremäe, Director of IAESThe mission of the Estonian University of Life Sciences is to guarantee sustainable use of natural resources and enhance rural development.The Estonian University of Life Sciences (IAES) is the only university in Estonia whose priorities in academic and research activities provide the sustainable development of natural resources necessary for the existence of Human Society as well as the preservation of heritage and habitat. The Estonian University of Life Sciences undertakes internationally acknowledged science research, carries out innovative activities, provides science based academic education and promotes life-long learning. The Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the Estonian University of Life Sciences is responsible for research and development, and university level education in plant cultivation and plant biology, horticulture, plant health, soil science and agrochemistry, landscape ecology and management, landscape architecture, biological diversity and applied hydrobiology in Estonia

Water and wetlands in medieval estate management: Glastonbury Abbey, Meare and the Somerset Levels in South West England

Reproduced with permission of the publisher. Copyright © Institute of Archaeology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague 2005. Details of the definitive version are available at: http://www.arup.cas.cz/en/publikace_en/ruralia5_en.htmlConcern over climate change and rising sea level, coupled with recent extensive flooding across Europe, reminds us that wetlands, ranging from extensive coastal marshes to inland river floodplains, still dominate the landscape of many regions. In an era of intensive settlement and agriculture we often see water in such landscapes as a problem, and complex drainage and flood defence systems have been constructed to control their watertables. In the past, however, water was perceived more as a resource, and this paper is an attempt to demonstrate this for one medieval wetland landscape, that of Glastonbury Abbey's manor at Meare in the Somerset Levels (South West England). A strongly interdisciplinary approach is used, integrating remarkably rich documentary material with evidence locked within the historic landscape: the pattern of fields, roads, settlements and watercourses as represented on the earliest (early 19th century) cartographic sources, and in many cases still in use today. A series of distinctive 'landscape character areas' are identified which are derived from different approaches towards environmental management. That these wetlands were highly valued in different ways is reflected in a series of acrimonious disputes between Glastonbury and the Dean and Chapter of Wells Cathedral over their respective rights there, and the inclusion of Meare and a series of other islands in the special jurisdiction of the Glastonbury 'Twelve Hides'

Compost Program at Morris Arboretum

The importance of composting has been highlighted over the years, due to the large array of resulting benefits. Specific environmental conditions are essential to optimize microbial communities within the compost pile, which dictates overall compost health. The Morris Arboretum has been unable to maintain these conditions under the current composting system; therefore, producing a low quality product. In 2011, the Morris Arboretum received a University of Pennsylvania Green Fund Grant to implement a Sustainable Landscape Management program. Through this program, a compost tea initiative was started that relies on quality compost to produce maximum results. To help continue with this initiative, I have developed a small scale composting system at the Arboretum separate from the current system. The goal is to create small quantities of high quality compost specifically for use in the compost tea project. In order to evaluate the success of the project, Rodale Institute and Pennsylvania State University will be testing the compost. This includes the original compost being made, along with the subsequent batches produced after the new management plan is put into effect. The quality assessment is based on both the microbiology and the general characteristics of the compost