Leveraging the World Heritage Convention for conservation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

The Himalaya proper is commonly defined as the rugged arc between the Tibetan Plateau and the Ganges Plain stretching from the Indus River in the northwest to the great bend of the Brahmaputra River (Yarlung Tsangpo) in the east. The natural and cultural wealth of the HKH region is as overwhelming as its scenic beauty. The same holds true for the region’s enormous ecosystem services underpinning the livelihoods, food security and energy provision of a substantial part of the world’s human population in the region itself and downstream along the numerous major rivers originating in it. It is clear that such an exceptional region is of significant relevance to an intergovernmental agreement with the objective to identify and conserve the world’s most precious cultural and natural heritage, the World Heritage Convention. This assessment is strictly technical in nature; it aims at shedding light on the regional potential of the Convention from a nature conservation perspective based on a literature review and expert consultation.

GIS-Based Aesthetic Appraisal of Short-Range Viewsheds of Coastal Dune and Forest Landscapes

This paper demonstrates the possibilities of a Geographical Information System (GIS) for investigating and explicating the spatial variation of the short-range viewshed aesthetic appeal in a World Heritage coastal dune and forest area. The study pursues the following objectives: (1) develop and trial a GIS-based algorithm for computing the Aesthetic Appeal Index for a Short-Range Viewshed (ǣ); (2) deliver an output map showing the spatial variation of the computed ǣ values in the target territory and distribution of the zones with high scenic quality and potential aesthetic ecosystem services (PAES); and (3) assess management alternatives in zones with high PAES and high conservation value. This study combines two key innovative aspects. First, it integrates an objective digital map of habitats with subjective scenic preferences of coastal forest and dune landscapes based on psychophysical and cognitive perceptions of scenic beauty. Second, it applies a GIS-based algorithm to translate subjective scenic preferences to an output map of ǣ. The study’s main conclusion is that the combined aesthetic appraisal of the immediate and foreground viewshed of coastal forests and dunes, by applying a specially created GIS algorithm, allows an assessment of the scenic quality of this landscape reliably in statistical terms.

On the relation between visual quality and landscape characteristics: a case study application to the waterfront linear parks in Shenyang, China

In recent years, Chinese cities have begun to pay attention to their rivers, and a large number of waterfront linear parks have been built in the riverside areas, so that the public can easily enjoy their landscape and entertainment functions. In this study, the visual quality of the waterfront trails and the greenbelt trails in the Waterfront linear Park around the Hunhe river in Shenyang was evaluated the basis of the Scenic Beauty Estimation Method and Semantic Differential Method, and the principal components of the landscape characteristics were extracted and a regression model of the visual quality and the landscape characteristics was established. Results show that the natural feature and the formal feature have a positive influence on the visual quality in waterfront linear parks, and the man-made feature has a negative impact on the visual quality. The six landscape characteristics are Sense of seclusion, ecology, intactness, uniqueness, unity and vitality, which are the main factors which affect the visual quality. This study puts forward improvement measures for the waterfront trails and the greenbelt trails, and the results can be applied to the planning, construction, and management of waterfront linear parks.

Pemetaan Kualitas Visual Lanskap Pada Daya Tarik Wisata Di Kebun Raya Eka Karya Bedugul

The visual landscape quality mapping of tourist attraction in Eka Karya Bedugul Botanical Garden. Eka Karya Bedugul Botanical Garden is a national and international reference to the ex-situ conservation of tropical mountain plant and botanical aspect service, environmental education, horticulture, landscape and tourisms. In order to provide tourism services, actual activities such as conserving and improving the quality of view are needed. The beauty of landscape view is not only determined by enviromental characteristic and landscape wealth, but it also is determined through the assessment of people from their perception over a landscape. The research aimed to map the visual quality landscape in Eka Karya Bedugul Botanical Garden and determine the best criteria of visual quality on natural landscape. The research methods used were surverys and visual assesments which include data collecting step, beauty assesment with scenic beauty estimation (SBE), and descriptive analysis about the determinant factor of visual quality on natural landscape. The beauty of the visual quality over the natural landscape was shown through the harmonic combination of landscape form elements. The visual quality over the natural landscape used were the unity of resources, well maintained natural landscape, and giving a lively effect resulted through the use of combining landscape form elements and design. There were seven landscape points that fall under the best visual quality landscape category, which were landscape number 18,32,33,34,37,38, and 40. The visual landscape quality points in Eka Karya Bedugul Botanical Garden need a regular and persistence maintainence to extend the longevity and aesthetic quality of the natural landscape.

Penilaian Aspek Fungsi dan Estetika Tata Hijau Taman Wisata Iman Sitinjo Kabupaten Dairi Sumatera Utara

ELPINA VRIESEA FIDESIA HUTASOIT. Penilaian Aspek Fungsi dan Estetika Tata Hijau Taman Wisata Iman Sitinjo Kabupaten Dairi Sumatera Utara. Dibimbing oleh NIZAR NASRULLAH. Tanaman sebagai komponen paling dominan pada tata hijau Taman Wisata Iman Sitinjo menjadi indicator kondisi tata hijau taman. Tata hijau memiliki fungsi arsitektural, meningkatkan kualitas lingkungan, ameliorasi iklim dan pemberi nilai estetika.Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu menganalisis fungsi, estetika, persepsi dan preferensi masyarakat terhadap tata hijau Taman Wisata Iman Sitinjo dan menyusun rekomendasi untuk peningkatan kualitas tata hijau yang dapat diterapkan di lokasi penelitian. Penelitian ini dilakukan di empat taman, yaitu Taman Vihara, Taman Gereja, Taman Pura, dan Taman Miniatur Ka’bah dalam Taman Wisata Iman Sintinjo.Untuk menganalisis fungsi tata hijau digunakan metode skoring dari pencapaian kriteria dari tiap fungsi tanaman sebagai pembatas visual, kontrol kesilauan, peneduh dan penahan erosi.Metode yang diterapkan untuk menganalisis kualitas estetika lanskap adalah Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) dan skala likert untuk menganalisis persepsi dan preferensi responden terhadap fungsi tata hijau. Berdasarkan hasil identifikasi terdapat 41spesies tanaman dan memiliki nilai keragaman Shannon-Wiener rata-rata rendah dengan nilai 0,16. Nilai dominansi tanaman beragam di antara taman. Nilai dominansi pohon tertinggi (19.6%) ditemukan pada Taman Vihara. Hasil penilaian aspek fungsi menunjukkan kategori buruk dengan nilai rata-rata 57,56%. Berdasarkan penilaian, Taman Gereja, Taman Pura, dan Taman Miniatur Ka’bah termasuk kategori buruk sehingga diperlukan perbaikan dan peningkatan pada aspek fungsi.Penilaian aspek estetika menunjukkan kualitas estetika tinggi pada Taman Vihara dengan nilai 88. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa persepsi pengunjung terhadap kualitas taman secara keseluruhan cukup puas dengan nilai rata-rata sebesar 3,92. Preferensi pengunjung menunjukkan lebih baik ditambahkan tanaman peneduh dan tanaman produktif pada taman.

The dynamics of host participation in tourism for effectively offsetting agrarian crisis in Wayanad

Wayanad, the green paradise of Kerala, is located in the Southern most part of the Deccan Plateau. Wayanad, where , majority of the population completely depend on agriculture for their livelihood, has been facing a high magnitude agrarian crisis in the last few years. This district has witnessed a number of farmer suicides and as a result of this; farmers are forced ato look our for some additional source of livelihood along with agriculture. Having a remarkable image of a beautiful tourist destination, the government of Kerala has identified Wayanad as a Tourism District and tourism is an emerging sector here. The scenic beauty, exotic landscape and rich heritage sites of Waynad offer several opportunities for a 360 degree tourism expansion in the district. Considering the district wise foreign tourist arrivals, Wayanad shows the highest variation among other districts of Kerala in the last few years. In a fast urbanising country like Kerala, places such as Wayanad is one of the few Indian districts which still retain its charm as a rural district. It is not swept by mindless urbanization like many other regions of India. Of course, this unique characteristic gives enourmous tourism potential to the place. Keeping in view the distinctive features of Wayanad, especially the natural attractions and the indigenous culture, a sustainable tourism model can be an effective alternative to offset the agrarian crisis of the district. The present scenario of host community participation in th various facets of tourism in Wayanad is intensively studied in this paper. It aims at proposing concrete ways in which the benefits from tourism can be channelized productively to uplift the affected sections of society facing agrarian crisis in Wayanad.

Ecotourism Potential Zone Mapping by Using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Weighted Linear Algorithm: A Study on West Bengal, India

This study was designed to demarcate the Ecotourism Potential Zones (ETPZs) of West Bengal using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and weighted linear algorithm by considering three sustainable tourism parameters and sixteen indicators. Those three parameters are 1) physical (P), 2) social (S), and 3) availability of scenic beauty and infrastructures (ASI). Overall, 5 parameters are merged under physical (P), 2 parameters are integrated under social (S), and 9 parameters are incorporated under availability of scenic beauty and infrastructures (ASI). A 4-step procedure has been adopted for this study: 1) a simple hierarchical structure has been outlined, 2) pair-wise comparison matrices are formed, 3) weighted linear algorithm technique is utilized to get the ecotourism potentiality zone, and 4) ecotourism potentiality map is classified into high, moderate and low categories based on the principle of Dominant and Distinctive Function (DDF). As a result, about 61.65% area is identified with high ecotourism potential zone, 17.86% area is observed under the moderate ecotourism potential zone, and 20.48% area is recognized as the low ecotourism potential zone. Thus, the study considers an exceptional methodological framework that is applicable in any region of the world.

Can Residential Greenspace Exposure Improve Pain Experience? A Comparison between Physical Visit and Image Viewing

Reducing the burden of pain via greenspace exposure is a rising research topic. However, insufficient evidence has been found in relation to the environmental effect itself. Residential greenspace, as a convenient but limited natural environment for urban dwellers, has benefits and services yet to be discovered. Therefore, the current study recruited 24 young adults to evaluate the effects of physical visit to, or image viewing of, residential greenspace on pain perception and related psychophysiological outcomes, via simulated pain. Pain threshold and tolerance were recorded via the level of pain stimuli, and pain intensity was evaluated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The state scale of the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) and two adjective pairs were employed to measure the state anxiety and subjective stress, respectively. Meanwhile, heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and blood pressure (BP) were measured to investigate physiological responses. Besides, Scenic Beauty Estimation (SBE) was also employed to assess participants’ preference regarding the experimental environments. The results revealed that visiting the greenspace significantly increased the pain threshold and tolerance, while no significant effect was observed for image viewing. On the other hand, no significant difference was observed in pain-related psychophysiological indices between the experimental settings, but significantly negative associations were found between the scores of SBE and subjective stress and state anxiety. In conclusion, the current study brings experimental evidence of improving pain experience via residential greenspace exposure, while the related psychophysiological benefits require further investigation.

Linking Geoheritage and Traditional Architecture for Mitigating Depopulation in Rural Areas: the Palaeozoic Villages Route (Courel Mountains UNESCO Global Geopark, Spain)

The use of stone in traditional architecture represents one of the most relevant links between geological and cultural heritage. As a topic of general interest and easily understandable to all public, this link is a guiding thread for touristic routes mitigating the depopulation trend that affects large inland rural areas, including many areas in UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp). In the northwest of Spain, the Courel Mountains UGGp created the Palaeozoic Villages Route for touristic purposes in 2018, highlighting the relevance of local stones in traditional architecture as a key feature for sustainable development. For the design and creation of this route, seven villages were selected along six criteria: (1) the representativeness of the building stone with the bedrock of the UGGp, (2) the preserved traditional architecture, (3) their link with geoheritage, (4) the scenic beauty of their surroundings, (5) the potential combination with other touristic activities, and (6) the presence of local services. The Palaeozoic Villages Route exhibits four rock types/sections/structures spanning four Palaeozoic periods, as well as different uses for walling and roofing depending on the rock feature. Since 2018, the route experienced an increased revenue of 19% in the touristic sector to the traditional villages, while visitors used up to 61% of the local services of the UGGp for one or more days. In addition, the route reinforces the awareness of depopulation and abandonment of rural villages, fostering the purchase and/or restoration of dwellings as second regular residences in tranquil and scenic environments. In the short to medium term, these actions are expected to reverse or, at least, minimise the loss of population in the UGGp.