Ecocycles (E-Journal - European Ecocycles Society)
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Mapping the ‘presency’ of women in cities
Full text linkThis paper explores how innovative ways of mapping both the presence and the agency of contemporary women in cities may support the emergence of emancipatory placemaking perspectives and previously unrecorded narratives. It starts by proposing ‘presency’ as a new concept, merging the meaning of presence, as a mindful way of paying attention to life; and agency, as critical awareness of the context and capacity to act. It examines the pace of urbanisation of the world and the revisited role of women in their mediation of space and making of place including efforts to forge a new framework of regenerative urban development. It proposes different mapping approaches to capture a mosaic of regenerative practices led by women addressing how cities of present and future can be green and inclusive. It concludes by suggesting that the act of mapping spatially and ‘from within’ the way women experience and act in the city may unleash women’s emancipatory place-making skills, moving cities systems up to higher orders of integrated expression
Cherry growing in Germany, science and education - a field trip summary
Full text linkSustainable land use needs basic and applied research as well as new teaching methods. In order to connect the different demands collaboration with leading research institutes was combined with a field trip to practical land users. The cherry orchard “Obsthof Schwitzky” in Germany was visited including cherry testing in order to inform students about the most advanced production opportunities and research gaps as a case study of the SUMCULA project (Sustainable Management of Cultural Landscapes). The article reports collected information by the student participants about local production specifics and development opportunities. A literature search of two databases completes the summary of practical cherry cultivation with current relevant research questions. The area cultivated with cherries decreased from 1992 to less than 8,000ha in Germany. Still, researchers conduct experiments on cherry growing in Germany, but the United States publish most studies. The amount of articles concerning cherries increases since 2004/2005 and can be subdivided into the main topics growth, yield and rootstock. The field trip revealed a high interest of students on local fruit production, their innovative cultivation methods, weed and pest control as well as its opportunities to support wild fauna and flora
Sustainable and commercial development of aquaponics through the certification in Europe
Full text linkAquaponics is nowadays a sustainable practice of producing food with a short supply chain and with a very interesting need for development towards the sustainable production of foods. The main aim of this paper is to analyses the present situation of aquaponics in terms of commercial development and to define the main strategies to be overcome in order to promote its development. The methodology used is a systematic literature review based on the recent indexed references. The main results outline confirm besides aquaponics presents many benefits in terms of social, economic and environmental, therefore, so, its development must involve all the stakeholders from research to public decision-makers and consumers
Evolution of water quality of Lake Balaton
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Lake Balaton, a large shallow lake with some 600 km2 surface area, with its 3.5 m average depth, is among the shallowest lakes in the World and one of the most important lakes in Europe in terms of ecological, economic and cultural aspects. Intervention in the natural environment of lakes, especially shallow ones of high vulnerability and low resilience may result in detrimental and often irreversible changes. In case of Lake Balaton, irreversible changes include the reduction of lake level and subsequent construction directly on the lakeshore as well as introduction of foreign species such as eel and silver carp. Reasons for the negative results/impacts of the introduced interventions are: insufficient level of technical or scientific knowledge at the time of planning and implementation; poor decision support systems and mechanisms; insufficient consultation with local people and experts of other fields; lack of integrated approach, both in terms of territorial and interdisciplinary aspects; and pursuing of short term economic or political benefits. Compared to the situation one and a half centuries ago, many of the reasons leading to adverse effects can be eliminated because technical and scientific knowledge is increasing with high speed and huge amount of monitoring, etc. data are becoming available; decision support systems and mechanisms are getting faster and are improving in complexity; consultation with, participation, and empowerment of local people, stakeholders and a diverse choice of experts are becoming basic requirements in environmental and spatial development policy; integrated approaches both in terms of territorial and interdisciplinary aspects are gathering momentum. It would be of great importance to stop pursuing short term economic gains and political benefits when significant interventions into lake environments are considered
A review of the book 'Aquaponics Food Production Systems' (Editors S. Goddek, A. Joyce, B. Kotzen, G. M. Burnell)
Full text linkThis paper summarizes the views of the author on the new book 'Aquaponics Food Production Systems' (editors S. Goddek, A. Joyce, B. Kotzen, G. M. Burnell)
The sustainability of woody biomass feedstock production and landscape management: land use, phytoremediation, biodiversity, and wildlife habitats
Full text linkWoody biomass feedstock is suitable for direct combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, ethanol or methanol production yielding heat, charcoal, pyrolysis oil, green electricity and bio-propellants. There are several issues concerning the environmental, socio-cultural and economic sustainability of woody biomass production connected to land use, protection and/or creation of wildlife habitats, conservation and remediation of wastelands and derelict cultural landscapes. Establishing energy plantations on arable lands or on grasslands is against nature conservation, while setting up them in depleted agricultural lands of inferior quality, polluted areas or wastelands could be advantageous for land reclamation and wildlife, because of
- root filtration, phytoremediation, less chemicals and improved soils;
- possibilities to establish organic production by combining irrigation with biologically cleaned, pathogen-free wastewater, - application of biosolids for fertilization connected to short rotation forestry (SRF) or short rotation coppicing (SRC), agroforestry (AF) or polycyclic arboriculture;
- more permanent cover that provides shelter and biomass for feeding, which is especially important in winter;
- higher architectural complexity of vegetation provides more place for nesting and feeding;
- forbs in the undergrowth and young shots could provide better quality food for wildlife than the intensive monocultures.
Biomass production is very complex and includes a vast variety of feedstocks suitable for a range of energy production technologies and many other products depending on the species and the conditions of cultivation. Therefore, the solution is a complex management system, including land use, phytoremediation, solid waste and wastewater management and ecosystem-based planning combined with other renewable energy sources such as geothermal energy, solar cells, wind turbines, hydroelectric power plants and non-polluting high-tech waste incinerators in one dynamic system
Veterinary use of thermal water and mud from Lake Hévíz for equestrian injury prevention and rehabilitation
Full text linkBeneficial effects of thermal mud treatment in the human medical field have been known for many years. However, such treatments have never been studied and used in veterinary science. The aim of our study was to investigate how a mud treatment from Héviz Spa Lake affects the movement quality and flexibility of certain joints in horses. Wet sludge was applied on the knee, hock, elbow, shoulder, back, stifle, front and hind cannons and fetlock joints for a period of eight weeks. Our results show, that the mud treatment from Lake Héviz may have beneficial effects on the joints, and play an important role in the locomotion of horses
