A critical assessment of a protected area conflict analysis based on secondary data in the age of datafication

Recently, a global trend towards a broader use of secondary data in social sciences has been reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic. This evoked doubts about the validity of the results unless restrictive assessment procedures are implemented. To address this need in the field of protected area (PA) conflict analysis, we propose a three-fold approach (theory-, method-, and cross-scale simulation-driven) to assess the usefulness of the utilized state register dataset and the indicator analysis methodology for the multi-level recognition of PA conflict determinants. With the ultimate aim to inform case study selection, we processed 187 relevant indicators from the official Statistics Poland register for a Lesser Poland region. We distinguished five types of PA conflict determinants in Lesser Poland (‘urbanity’, ‘agriculture’, ‘tourism’, ‘small-scale entrepreneurship’, and ‘sprawl’) and respective groups of 15 clusters comprising local-level units. For one cluster, we juxtaposed the obtained results with secondary data from another source (Internet content) and for a specific PA (Tatra National Park). Although the reported conflict issues corresponded to the indicator-derived descriptors of the cluster, in the theory-driven phase of the assessment, the state register failed to address the key prerequisites of PA conflicts. We have demonstrated that, in crisis conditions such as COVID-19, the proposed method can serve as a proxy for a multi-level recognition of PA conflict potentials, provided that it synthesises the results of different methodological approaches, followed by in-person interviews in the selected case studies

Environmental: choices vs. COVID-19 pandemic fear - plastic governance re-assesment

Alarming plastic production growth worldwide reinforces the public debate about the prevailing environmental crisis, whereby single-use-plastic (SUP) items are considered as by far the most harmful to the environment and public health. Accordingly, European environmental policy aims at eliminating SUP. Recently, we presented a model of plastic governance that derives from a circular economy approach identifying and taking into consideration perspectives of different actors in the plastic governance, such as producers, wholesalers, shop keepers, consumers, citizen scientists, and academia. Our results illustrate that the vast majority of stakeholders cared for the natural environment and understood the need to phase out SUP from the global economy. We proposed that a knowledge brokerage, undertaken by scientists via means of citizen science, as the most effective method to implement elimination policy, as it provides stakeholders with knowledge on why and how to handle SUP issues. However, at the time of the global COVID-19 pandemic, a plastic governance model required a re-assessment. The perceived role of SUP has changed, as it reflects the health emergency. Namely, due to the health safety reasons stakeholders and consumers are requesting even more SUP than previously. Following up on our data gathered prior to the pandemic, we suggest that under the new circumstances health concerns outweigh the environmental concerns being determined by a shift in the value hierarchization. The paper discusses preliminary results

Dlaczego bardziej chorzy rezygnują z szansy na wyzdrowienie? Paradoks podejmowania decyzji o udziale w rehabilitacji kardiologicznej

Introduction. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in industrialised countries. Cardiac rehabilitation allows improvement of functioning after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). It is important to identify the factors that have an impact upon treatment and rehabilitation decisions. We aimed to assess the impact of the clinical characteristics of ACS pts upon the decision to participate in an early inpatient cardiac rehabilitation programme (ICR). Material and methods. 137 patients after ACS (70% ST-elevation myocardial infarction) treated with primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty were enrolled in the study. Quality of life questionnaire (EuroQol-5D with Visual Analogue Scale) and depression score (Beck Depression Inventory) was collected at discharge from cardiology department (5 ± 2 days after ACS). All patients were asked to participate in a three-week-long ICR programme. Depending on approval or refusal, the patients were divided into two subgroups. Results. The group without ICR had lower median values of red blood count, haemoglobin and haematocrit compared to the rehabilitation group. The objectors had higher total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins cholesterol, and Gensini score (40 ± 22.6 vs. 35 ± 24.3, p = 0.02). There was a strong trend towards a lower median depression level in the ICR group compared to controls (8 ± 8.8 vs. 12 ± 8.5, p = 0.06). No other statistically significant differences were identified between the groups. Conclusions. Patients who refuse cardiac rehabilitation had a worse clinical profile compared to those who accepted ICR. A higher depression score was a borderline significant predictor of refusing ICR. Paradoxically, sicker patients are less willing to take part in rehabilitation and require more encouragement as part of their individualised treatment.Wstęp. Choroba niedokrwienna serca zajmuje w czołowe miejsce wśród przyczyn zgonu w krajach uprzemysłowionych. Rehabilitacja kardiologiczna jest jednym z oddziaływań poprawiających funkcjonowanie po przebytym ostrym zespole wieńcowym (ACS). Ważna pozostaje identyfikacja czynników warunkujących decyzję o podjęciu leczenia i udziale w rehabilitacji. Celem pracy była ocena wpływu cech klinicznych stanu zdrowia pacjentów po przebytym ACS na podejmowanie decyzji o udziale w programie stacjonarnej rehabilitacji kardiologicznej (ICR). Materiał i metody. Do badania włączono 137 pacjentów po przebytym ACS (70% zawałów serca z uniesieniem odcinka ST) leczonych metodą pierwotnej angioplastyki wieńcowej. Pacjenci byli proszeni o uzupełnienie i oddanie w dniu wypisania (5 ± 2 dni od wystąpienia zawału serca) kwestionariusza do oceny jakości życia (EuroQol EQ-5D z Wizualną Skalą Analogową) oraz poziomu depresji (Skala Depresji Becka). Wszystkim pacjentom zaproponowano udział w 3-tygodniowym programie ICR. Zależnie od wyrażenia zgody lub rezygnacji z udziału w rehabilitacji pacjentów podzielono na dwie podgrupy. Wyniki. Grupa II w porównaniu z poddaną rehabilitacji wykazała niższe mediany wartości hemoglobiny, liczby czerwonych krwinek oraz hematokrytu. Osoby z grupy kontrolnej cechowały również wyższe stężenia cholesterolu całkowitego i cholesterolu frakcji lipoprotein o małej gęstości oraz większe nasilenie miażdżycy tętnic wieńcowych obliczane za pomocą skali Gensiniego (40 ± 22,6 v. 35 ± 24,3; p = 0,02). Obserwowano także silny trend w kierunku niższego poziomu depresji w grupie poddanej rehabilitacji w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną (8 ± 8,8 v. 12 ± 8,5; p = 0,06). W zakresie innych parametrów nie stwierdzono istotnych statystycznie różnic między grupami. Wnioski. Pacjenci, którzy odmówili udziału w ICR, cechowali się gorszym stanem kliniczny niż ci, którzy się na nią zdecydowali. Wyższy poziom nasilenia objawów depresji był jedynie granicznie istotnym predyktorem odmowy udziału w rehabilitacji. Paradoksalnie bardziej chorzy okazali się mniej skłonni do udziału w rehabilitacji kardiologicznej

Sunrise as a tourist attraction in the context of tourist motivation theory : a case study of the peak of Babia Góra (Western Carpathians)

Tourist ascents of mountain peaks before sunrise are increasingly popular. Babia Góra (Western Carpathians) is a peak on the Polish-Slovak border frequently visited by a great number of tourists at sunrise. The main objective of our research, based on the case study of Babia Gora, was to answer a more general question whether the sunrise can be considered a tourist attraction. The research included the observation and description of every sunrise at summer holiday weekends during 2012 from the peak of Babia Góra as well as the collection of data on the number of tourists and weather conditions. Survey interviews, using questionnaire, with randomly selected hikers present on the peak of Babia Góra at sunrise (269) were conducted. The investigation showed that during summer holiday sunrises there were a maximum of 130 people on the summit of Babia Góra at the same time. Most of the surveyed people (84%) agreed that the opportunity to observe the sunrise was one of the pull factors for them. This confirms the hypothesis that sunrise constitutes a tourist attraction

The typology of natural ephemeral landscapes in the context of the preceding research

Autorzy podjęli problematykę krajobrazów efemerycznych pochodzenia naturalnego, które współtworzone są przez zjawiska przyrodnicze o dużej nieregularności i krótkotrwałości występowania. Celem opracowania było usystematyzowanie dotychczasowego stanu wiedzy w tym zakresie w oparciu o autorską typologię krajobrazów efemerycznych. z przeglądu literatury wynika, że stopień rozpoznania krajobrazów efemerycznych wciąż pozostaje niewystarczający. Skoncentrowanie badaczy na wybranych zjawiskach krótkotrwałych uniemożliwia kompleksowe spojrzenie na badany krajobraz. Tymczasem krajobrazy efemeryczne percypowane są całościowo i mogą stanowić ważną atrakcję turystyczną.Although the relations between landscape and certain human activities are well recognised in landscape ecology literature, main emphasis is put on stable landscape features. This article, by contrast, focuses on ephemeral landscapes which are defined as the ones consisted of phenomena and features of a changeable character (Brassley 1998). It can be assumed that the phenomena, even of same type, construct a different ephemeral landscape each time. However, despite their evanescence and irregular occurrence (Palang et al.2007), they still need to be investigated due to their significant role in perception of the whole landscape and its evaluation for different functions (Brassley 1998). The article also refers to substantial theoretical connotations of landscape ephemera and multi-sensory model of perception. The link can be easily recognised in tourism management because a complexity of several landscape ephemera’s features strongly influences visitor preferences of certain regions (Huang 2013). Due to stated selective and superficial recognition of the problem, authors’ main aim was to propose a novel typology of natural-caused landscape ephemera based on a detailed literature review. in the typology, the visually dominant genetic factor criterion was used. Therefore, there were distinguished landscape ephemera mainly connected with: (1) astronomical factors, (2) weather conditions, (3) endogenic, (4) geomorphologic, (5) hydrological processes, (6) biological and (7) joint ephemeral factors (tab. 1). The typology also reflects different economic and social roles of landscapes assigned to particular groups – e.g. astronomical phenomena, due to their relatively higher predictability, can constitute a core of specific tourist products, while endogenic ones are often perceived as a danger and disruption of a trip ( Yang et al. 2008). The authors confirmed considerable inequality in a recognition degree of landscape ephemera of different types. Symptomatically, there are only a few works which present an issue in a complex way. The stress is often put on the short-lasting phenomena itself while there are some durable processes (e.g. aeolian) which can also subconstruct certain landscape ephemera (e.g. ripplemarks). Undoubtedly, there are still many cognitive gaps connected with presented subject which are strongly needed to be filled because of its potential applied role. An influence of landscape ephemera on creating local identity and resident’s embeddedness is of an example