2011-2013 Grant National Science Centre N 305 175240
Agata Cieszewska – supervisor
Title: Spatial and functional green belt models in metropolitan areas shaping
The aim of the project was to evaluate the usefulness of the green belts concept in planning the sustainable development of metropolitan areas and the possibility of their use in Poland. The assessment of the structure, function and application of the concept was based on the analysis of three groups : ( 1 ) green belt literature concerned on structure, functions and application approach ( 2 ) detailed analysis of the structure and function of the selected existing (10) green belts, ( 3 ) analysis to implement the concept in Poland based on 9 biggest cities and their peri-urban areas. Results:
(1 ) Based on the review of the literature in the field of development of open space in metropolitan areas I made a database of 45 areas worldwide for which the occurrence of planning instruments that limit urban sprawl is documented. The database includes features as: types of structures used as green belt or the like instrument, objectives for which they were designated, land use and natural features, area, population, year of establishment, rules for the implementation, management methods. There are six types of spatial structures used in metropolitan areas to reduce urban sprawl: green belts, green wedges, green hearts, urban growth boundary, the system of open spaces protection, ecological network of the metropolitan area. These concepts are ambiguous and require a discussion of terminology. It also specifies six major groups of green functions of the green belts: structural, environmental, feeding, recreational, ecological and landscape (visual). It has been observed that the functions of green belts are not related to specific types of spatial structures, as a function of a declarative nature, does not always reflect the functions that are implemented within the greenbelts. These functions are also considered in the context of mapping ecosystem services. The greatest variation in the structure and its functions were observed among European examples.
( 2) For the 10 European green belts has been determined the structure of land use and an analysis of the potential to perform key functions. There were metropolitan areas of: Berlin, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Copenhagen, Manchester, the Randstad (green heart of the Netherlands), Rome, Stockholm, and Vienna. Comparative studies were carried out not in the green belts itself but within the buffer zone with a radius of 20 km around the densely built urban core. The basis of the study were the following data: land use and land cover Corine Land Cover ( 2006 ) and the Urban Atlas , terrain – Model altitude ( SRTM – Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) , a category of nature conservation unify for whole the EU – the Natura 2000 Sites. They were complementary by the analysis of the spatial structure of these landscapes as well as mapped of ecosystem services in group of: provisioning, regulating, habitat and cultural.
Detailed results will be presented in the articles soon
2010-2011 Grant of Ministry of Environment
Agata Cieszewska – supervisor
Title:Tourist infrastructure development concept for Forest Promotional Complexes, FPC in Warsaw case study
There is an increasing demand for the use of forested areas for recreation and tourism, which tends to be concentrated in metropolitan areas. Well maintained and accessible recreation areas are attracting visitors. As the population grows, recreational space will become even more pressing. In result existing tourist infrastructure require ongoing upkeep and improvements to handle the pressure of intensive use. The first step of the project was to prepare an inventory of current tourism infrastructure. It must be stressed that it was first consistent standardized and comprehensive inventory and mapping of tourist infrastructure within Warsaw surroundings. In the next stage we focused on visitors monitoring in selected forests, problems of tourist infrastructure analysis and the method to work out the strategy concept for future tourist infrastructure development. In the last part we define the rules to identify tourist management zones and the instruction how to develop intensive and extensive zones of forest recreation.
2000-2001 Grant National Science Centre – PhD grant of Agata Cieszewska
Prof Andrzej Richling – supervisor
Title: Landscape structure models in spatial planning
Holistic approach of the natural environment in spatial planning has been related to the sustainable development principle as a new base of activities in the landscape. The crucial role in this approach is the space division, determinate by landscape structure. Landscape structure is presented as a model of the natural environment system and treated as an instrument for better understanding of existing landscape. There are different methods of landscape structure identification that inclined the author to undertake the comparative studies to find relations between them. Thesis concern about two main approaches of landscape structure. The author presents theoretical assumptions as well as case study – the application of the two different methods on the proving ground in Przedborski Landscape Park. The aim of the Conservation Plan of Landscape Parks is closed in the Act on Environment Protection in 1991, it clearly emphasises the significance of the natural environment function as a basis for strategy of landscape conservation and shaping. The review of landscape parks planning studies has been undertaken. From 123 landscape parks in Poland only 52 have already prepared this special type of plan – Conservation Plan. Among these 52 parks landscape structure is considered mostly on the level of analyses – as a natural studies for the plan. On the operational level – for plan provisions – the ecological network, reflecting landscape
1998-1999 Grant National Science Centre
Title: Comprisable landscape structure study in Przedborski Regional Park
Agata Cieszewska – supervisor
The optimum land use arrangement is the main subject of spatial planning. Landscape ecology gives theoretical and empirical base to understanding different spatial systems in structural and functional aspects of the landscape. The term of structure has been considered by landscape ecologist in two ways: spatial land units (geocomplexes) based mostly on abiotic features has been dominated in Central Europe; patch-corridor-matrix model supported on distribution of matter, energy and spices has been evolved in US. Practical applications of landscape structure analysis use principles from both of the methods. The dissertation presents methods of landscape structure identification and its potential application to land use planning for Przedborski Landscape Park case study.