Soil Sequences Atlas IV, 262 s.

The significant spatial variability of the soil cover results from the differentaial impact of individual soil-forming factors. In this book the pedo-variability is presented in form of soil sequences which are characteristic for particular types of landscapes. The fourth part of Soil Sequences Atlas contains description of 75 pedons (with soil profile photo, description of morphology, laboratory data) grouped in 15 chapters representing different environmental settings specific for Central or East Europe and Caucasia. The Atlas begins with the presentation of a pedo-landscape dominated by alluvial and gleying processes (Vistula River delta in Poland). The next is a group of chapters devoted to mountainous regions with compilation of different soil-formin processes, e.g. podzoliztion (Karkonosze Mts., Poland) or accumulation of humus (Trialeti Range, Georgia). The second part of book is focused on issues related to slope processes in different landscapes - from karst sinkholes in the Pre-Ural forest-steppe (Russia), throughout loess plateaus (Hungary, Belarus) and glacial morainic plateaus (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland) to the areas with glacial curvilineations or covered by outwash plains (Poland). The collected data is intended as a useful educational tool in teaching soil science, supporting understanding of the reasons for the variability of soil cover, and also as a WRB classification guideline. It is intended to be useful not only for students but also by practitioners in agriculture, forestry, environmental protection and landscape planning. The Atlas was developed as part of the EU Erasmus+ FACES project (Freely Accessible Central European Soil)

North Macedonia as Food Tourism Destination – Trends and Perspectives

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the Balkan countries among tourists. These trends owe their popularity to, among others, favorable climatic conditions, interesting tourist attraction and folklore. One of the countries that attracts a large number of tourists is North Macedonia. The local population is increasingly taking actions to attract the attention of foreigners, also by means of promoting national cuisine. Macedonian dishes perfectly reflect the spirit of the Balkans and fresh fruit and vegetables testify to the high quality of food products. Data pertaining to the popularity of Macedonian cuisine among tourists and locals were collected using a survey. The group of respondents includes 130 visitors and 31 residents of North Macedonia. The results of the study showed that the local dishes are still identified with the entire Balkan area and their origin is often confused. Traditional Macedonian dishes, however, thanks to good promotion and advertising have the potential to become a strong factor attracting foreign tourists

Soil Sequences Atlas

To understand the soil-landscape relation it is necessary to study the spatial diversity of soil cover. This variability is partly predictable due to the substantial repeatability of soil units. Depending on dominant soil-forming factor affecting the repeated soil patterns, different types of soil sequences can be distinguished. The influence of relief on the repeated variability of soil cover was first noticed by Milne in 1935 in East Africa. He proposed the term ‘‘catena’’ to describe a transect of soils that are related to the topography. Sommer and Schlichting in 1997 distinguished several archetypes of catenas depending on the mobilization processes and hydrological regimes. The impact of climate on the variability of soil cover is described as climosequences. The diversity of soils due to the different time of development - chronosequences are a suitable tool for investigating rates and directions of soil and landscape evolution. This book provides an extensive database of soil sequences of various types from the following countries: Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The main objective of this study was to present a great diversity of soil-landscape/climate/hydrology relations and its effect on patterns in soil cover. Most recent edition of the World Reference Base classification system was used to classify presented soils (2014). Fourteen Reference Soil Groups are represented in this publication. The collected data will be a useful tool in soil-science teaching, helping to understand reasons of variability of soil cover and influence of various soil-forming factors on directions and degree of development of ‘Earth skin’. Presented data can also be used for comparison purposes

Soil Sequences Atlas III, 218 s.

Soil Sequences Atlas III is a continuation of two earlier volumes published in 2014 and 2018. As in the previous studies, the variability of soil cover is presented in the form of soil sequences characteristic of particular types of landscapes. Each of the chapters contains a general description of the environment (lithology, topography, land use, climate), a set of soil data (soil profile photo, description of morphology, laboratory data) and their interpretation in terms of the pedogenesis and systematic position according to the WRB (2015) system. The “catenary approach” (expressed in the form of individual figures) helps to better understand the relationships between individual components of the environment and soils. Chapters are arranged roughly according to the main soil-forming process in sequences and referring to the World Reference Base for Soil Resources except for Technosols, which as “unnatural” soils are placed at the end of the book. At the beginning of the book, two landscapes dominated by Gleysols and gleyic processes were described – tidal flats in Germany and the flood plain of the Vistula River in Poland. Next, the mountain areas with Andosols (Slovakia), Lithosols and Podzols (Poland) were presented. The issue of the environment with the dominant podsolization process was continued in the subsequent chapters from Lithuania and Russia. Chapters 8 and 9 are related to Hungarian and Ukrainian soils with a pronounced accumulation of humus in epipedons (Chernozems, Umbrisols, Phaeozems). The book ends with a section on issues related to clay-illuviated (Luvisols), coarse textured (Arenosols) and technogenic (Technosols) soils in Poland, Estonia and Czechia. Sixteen Reference Soil Groups are featured, and represented by 61 soil profiles in total. One of the objectives of the Soil Sequences Atlas is to explain the relationships (predictable to some extent) between the landscape and soil cover. The collected data are intended to be a useful educational tool in the teaching of soil science, supporting the understanding of the causes of soil cover variability, and also as a WRB classification guideline. They are intended to be useful not only to students but also practitioners in agriculture, forestry, environmental protection and landscape planning. The Atlas was developed as part of the EU Erasmus+ FACES project (Freely Accessible Central European Soil)

Enotourism in North Macedonia – current state and future prospects

North Macedonia, the country located in the middle of the Balkan Peninsula, is known for its wine-growing culture, and is divided into three wine regions with around 80 operating wineries. It is also surrounded by countries where vines have been grown and wine produced since the ancient times. The paper presents the history of North Macedonia as a wine-growing country, and provides an overview of its enotourism offer. An inventory of winery offers based on their official websites and Facebook profiles was performed, including the analysis of the surveys conducted among enotourists. Said surveys targeted participants of the Tikveški Grozdober festival in particular. It should also be mentioned that several of them were completed by Macedonian residents. The survey results outline a socio-demographic profile of the enotourists coming to this country and their enotouristic experience. The article sheds light on the history of winemaking and presents wine regions in North Macedonia

North Macedonia as Food Toursim Destination – Trends and Perspectives

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the Balkan countries among tourists. These trends owe their popularity to, among others, favorable climatic conditions, interesting tourist attraction and folklore. One of the countries that attracts a large number of tourists is North Macedonia. The local population is increasingly taking actions to attract the attention of foreigners, also by means of promoting national cuisine. Macedonian dishes perfectly reflect the spirit of the Balkans and fresh fruit and vegetables testify to the high quality of food products. Data pertaining to the popularity of Macedonian cuisine among tourists and locals were collected using a survey. The group of respondents includes 130 visitors and 31 residents of North Macedonia. The results of the study showed that the local dishes are still identified with the entire Balkan area and their origin is often confused. Traditional Macedonian dishes, however, thanks to good promotion and advertising have the potential to become a strong factor attracting foreign tourists

The Cultural Heritage and Its Sustainability in Europe

Books dealing with different aspects of cultural heritage (culinary heritage, global warming influence on CH) and teaching about it

Soil Sequences Atlas II, 248 s.

This is the second book in the series of Soil Sequence Atlases. The first volume was published in 2014. Main pedogeographic features are presented in the form of sequences to give a comprehensive picture of soils – their genesis and correlations with the environment in typical landscapes of Central Europe from Estonia furthest north, through Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary to the southernmost Slovenia. Soils of natural landscapes – loess and sand (continental dunes) – are presented, as well as those of plains of various origin, karst lands, low mountains, and anthropically modified soils. Each chapter presents soil profiles supplemented by landscape information and basic analytical data., Then genetic interpretations of soil properties related to soil forming agents as schematic catenas are given.. When one factor changes while the others are more or less stable, the soil sequence can be recognised. Depending on dominant soil-forming factor affecting the repeated soil patterns, different types can be distinguished. Chapters are arranged roughly in accordance with the main soil-forming process in sequences, and referring to the WRB key (peat formation, vertilisation, gleyic process, podzolisation, humus accumulation, clay illuviation), with one small exception – the Technosols have been placed at the end of book. The main objective of this book is to present the diversity of relations between soil and landscape, climate, hydrology and human relations, and to present interpretations reflecting the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (2015) classification with comments on the choice of qualifiers. Sixteen Reference Soil Groups represented by 67 profiles are featured. The secondary objective is pedological education. One of the aims of soil science education is to explain to students the relations between landscape and soil cover. The patterns of soil units within landscapes are to some extent predictable. The collected data is intended as a useful educational tool in teaching soil science, supporting understanding of the reasons for the variability of soil cover, and also as a WRB classification guideline. The Atlas was developed as part of the EU Erasmus+ FACES project (Freely Accessible Central European Soil)

Food events in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian voivodship – their recognizability and branding

Today, discussion on culinary events in the context of branded tourist products is gaining increasing momentum, and more attention is drawn to the concept of branding as such. Said concept allows for establishing and maintaining a positive image of a particular brand, as well as impacts the extent to which a given product is recognized. The article aims to shed light on event brands and analyse the recognizability of individual culinary experiences organized in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodship from the point of view of this region’s inhabitants. The analysis was based on data obtained via a diagnostic survey conducted among randomly encountered persons (N=660). 178 respondents (27.0%) declared they have taken part in culinary events. The respondents indicated a total of 19 events1, with Beergoszcz Beer Festival and Toruń Gingerbread Festival being most frequently mentioned (30%), followed by Kujawsko-Pomorski Goose Festival in Strzelce Dolne and Toruń Beer Festival, which were pointed out by 20% of respondents. Participation in the events was at considerably lower level. and its maximum was 7.5% with regard to Beergoszcz Beer Festival. The analysis of elements conductive to conscious brand development showed that not all events, including those with long-running tradition, employ basic marketing instruments. Nevertheless, some of them continue to attract large groups of visitors, which is indicative of their well-developed brand. Furthermore, the analysis showed that some local events, as much as they may explore original themes and have interesting programs, are in need of enhancing their brand