Rural landscapes (agricultural, livestock, etc.) stand out for their ecological and cultural value. When ensuring the conservation and enrichment of these landscapes, we must assume that they will constantly transform (modify their structure and functioning) as land use evolves and changes, and as a result of their own natural dynamics. The productive diversity and spatial heterogeneity of rural landscapes give them a multifunctional character, both as population fixers that prevent rural depopulation (the social function), producers of agri-foods of recognized quality (the economic function), efficient in the energy balance, and integrated and adapted to local biophysical conditions (the environmental and territorial function). This wide range of externalities, or ecosystem services, of rural landscapes, are very helpful for decision-makers to qualify and reassess their multifunctional value, incorporating these values for sustainable spatial planning and rural development design.
Rural landscapes are complex adaptive socio-ecological systems, where local populations are able to develop a rural culture that is based on traditional ecological knowledge, and a sense of belonging and identity with the territory. However, these traditional landscapes are being threatened by different forces of pressure such as the decline of the rural population which is leading to the abandonment of large areas of land previously used for rural activities (agriculture and livestock), the intensification of these activities in remaining areas, the uncontrolled expansion of the urban and agricultural frontier, the volatility of local product prices, export-oriented industrial agriculture, new standards and the globalization of markets, poor planning, operation and completion of mining projects, land tenure conflicts, architectural standardization, poor organization of tourism and outdoor recreation, and the development of road structures and large hydraulic works, among others. This situation leads to a socio-economic and environmental deterioration of the rural world which is expected to continue. It, therefore, requires a response from competent administrations, decision-makers, managers, and farmers themselves to design a new outline for the appropriate management of rural areas in order to reverse (and, ultimately, improve) this situation.
The planning, management, and development of rural areas must be framed in a context of sustainable development as a process that includes economic, socio-cultural, and environmental dimensions, and be the central principle to legitimate greater social support for rural policy. Through this development, opportunities must be generated for local populations to improve their economic income and mitigate the socio-ecological problems arising from rural abandonment and agricultural intensification, maximizing their welfare and promoting the territorial sustainable development.
Traditional rural landscapes are generally associated with the production of high-quality food, but also with the provision of other services, which are increasingly appreciated by society, such as leisure and recreation (e.g. oil and wine tourism), CO2 capture and storage, improvement of air and water quality, and multiple other services. Focusing on a diverse range of rural landscapes (dehesas, montados, olive groves, vineyards, mountain livestock, e.g. Alpeggio-, lowland and wetland -as flooded plains- livestock, agroforestry systems -e.g. coltura promiscua- streuobst, bocage landscapes, slash and burn forestry, local agro-food systems, etc.) we encourage authors whose studies are related to these socio-ecological systems to contribute to this collection with their Original Research papers, different types of Reviews and Perspective papers to improve the knowledge and appreciation of traditional rural landscapes and their multidimensional contribution to society.
We are particularly interested in the following themes for papers addressing agricultural, livestock, forestry, etc. in rural landscapes:
- Biocultural and traditional/local knowledge for landscape management and planning.
- Ecological and cultural value of rural landscapes and multifunctional potential.
- Dynamic interaction between natural and cultural forces and landscape transformation.
- Diversity and identity of cultural landscapes for regional livelihood and viabilities.
- Dynamic models and social-ecological scenario planning of rural landscapes.
- Landscape changes, social-ecological and spatial resilience of landscapes.
- Traditional landscape and ecosystem services provision and assessment.
- Traditional landscape preservation and new tools for their economic viability and sustainability.
- Spatial heterogeneity of cultural landscape for production and biodiversity conservation.
- Strategies for modernization and territorial innovation applied to traditional working landscapes.
- Regional landscapes and their potential for waste management and circularity.
- Quantified sustainability models of the traditional agriculture and livestock considering the relationship of socioeconomic-landscape-provision of ecosystem services.
Rural landscapes (agricultural, livestock, etc.) stand out for their ecological and cultural value. When ensuring the conservation and enrichment of these landscapes, we must assume that they will constantly transform (modify their structure and functioning) as land use evolves and changes, and as a result of their own natural dynamics. The productive diversity and spatial heterogeneity of rural landscapes give them a multifunctional character, both as population fixers that prevent rural depopulation (the social function), producers of agri-foods of recognized quality (the economic function), efficient in the energy balance, and integrated and adapted to local biophysical conditions (the environmental and territorial function). This wide range of externalities, or ecosystem services, of rural landscapes, are very helpful for decision-makers to qualify and reassess their multifunctional value, incorporating these values for sustainable spatial planning and rural development design.
Rural landscapes are complex adaptive socio-ecological systems, where local populations are able to develop a rural culture that is based on traditional ecological knowledge, and a sense of belonging and identity with the territory. However, these traditional landscapes are being threatened by different forces of pressure such as the decline of the rural population which is leading to the abandonment of large areas of land previously used for rural activities (agriculture and livestock), the intensification of these activities in remaining areas, the uncontrolled expansion of the urban and agricultural frontier, the volatility of local product prices, export-oriented industrial agriculture, new standards and the globalization of markets, poor planning, operation and completion of mining projects, land tenure conflicts, architectural standardization, poor organization of tourism and outdoor recreation, and the development of road structures and large hydraulic works, among others. This situation leads to a socio-economic and environmental deterioration of the rural world which is expected to continue. It, therefore, requires a response from competent administrations, decision-makers, managers, and farmers themselves to design a new outline for the appropriate management of rural areas in order to reverse (and, ultimately, improve) this situation.
The planning, management, and development of rural areas must be framed in a context of sustainable development as a process that includes economic, socio-cultural, and environmental dimensions, and be the central principle to legitimate greater social support for rural policy. Through this development, opportunities must be generated for local populations to improve their economic income and mitigate the socio-ecological problems arising from rural abandonment and agricultural intensification, maximizing their welfare and promoting the territorial sustainable development.
Traditional rural landscapes are generally associated with the production of high-quality food, but also with the provision of other services, which are increasingly appreciated by society, such as leisure and recreation (e.g. oil and wine tourism), CO2 capture and storage, improvement of air and water quality, and multiple other services. Focusing on a diverse range of rural landscapes (dehesas, montados, olive groves, vineyards, mountain livestock, e.g. Alpeggio-, lowland and wetland -as flooded plains- livestock, agroforestry systems -e.g. coltura promiscua- streuobst, bocage landscapes, slash and burn forestry, local agro-food systems, etc.) we encourage authors whose studies are related to these socio-ecological systems to contribute to this collection with their Original Research papers, different types of Reviews and Perspective papers to improve the knowledge and appreciation of traditional rural landscapes and their multidimensional contribution to society.
We are particularly interested in the following themes for papers addressing agricultural, livestock, forestry, etc. in rural landscapes:
- Biocultural and traditional/local knowledge for landscape management and planning.
- Ecological and cultural value of rural landscapes and multifunctional potential.
- Dynamic interaction between natural and cultural forces and landscape transformation.
- Diversity and identity of cultural landscapes for regional livelihood and viabilities.
- Dynamic models and social-ecological scenario planning of rural landscapes.
- Landscape changes, social-ecological and spatial resilience of landscapes.
- Traditional landscape and ecosystem services provision and assessment.
- Traditional landscape preservation and new tools for their economic viability and sustainability.
- Spatial heterogeneity of cultural landscape for production and biodiversity conservation.
- Strategies for modernization and territorial innovation applied to traditional working landscapes.
- Regional landscapes and their potential for waste management and circularity.
- Quantified sustainability models of the traditional agriculture and livestock considering the relationship of socioeconomic-landscape-provision of ecosystem services.