Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Agricultural and forestry development as well as the erection of buildings and other structures against steep mountain slopes is currently a substantial problem in the Boland. Such developments can be detrimental because of aesthetic considerations and the environmental damage that can arise therefrom. In this regard, environmental damage specifically includes the destruction of fynbos and soil erosion, the latter also having a negative impact on agriculture. This study has attempted to identify areas sensitive to development, and from the resulting findings to develop a set of guidelines for possible future development along the mountain slopes of the Boland. The study area includes only a part of the Boland mountains, namely the Stellenbosch and Hottentotsholland mountains, but can serve as a pilot area for other regions in the Boland possibly plagued by the same problems. Analyses were primarily undertaken by means of GIS software such as inter alia Unix Arc/Info and ArcView 3.1. Various remote sensing techniques were also used to interpret and analyse Landsat TM satellite imagery. For these analyses the image processing program Idrisi for Windows was mainly used. Because the study concentrates on agricultural development, certain criteria such as the erodibility of soil types and the gradient had to be taken into account in the identification of sensitive areas. With regard to gradient data, the use of a "Digital elevation model" (OEM) was of cardinal importance. Other types of development (buildings and structures, as well as forestry) were also analysed to establish firstly where these developments occur; and secondly whether they occur in sensitive areas as far as the height and gradient of slopes are concerned. Because of the subjectivity that exists with regard to the visual impact of these developments, it is difficult to determine what developments on high mountain slopes are aesthetically acceptable and what are not. According to the Act on Agriculture no. 9238 of 1984, slopes with a greater than 20% gradient may not be ploughed without special permission. Against this background the most important result of the analyses undertaken in this study, was the identification of agricultural areas sensitive to erosion. Finally, guidelines are suggested that can be applied to possible future developments on the mountain slopes of the Boland. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Landbou- en bosbou-ontwikkeling sowel as die oprigting van geboue en ander strukture teen steil berghellings is tans 'n wesenlike probleem in die Boland. Sulke ontwikkelings kan nadelig wees weens estetiese oorwegings en omgewingskade wat hieruit kan voortspruit. In hierdie verband verwys omgewingskade spesifiek na fynbosvernietiging en gronderosie. Gronderosie het natuurlik ook 'n negatiewe impak op die landbou. Daar is in hierdie studie gepoog om ontwikkelingsensitiewe areas te identifiseer, en vanuit bevindinge 'n stel riglyne te ontwikkel vir moontlike toekomstige ontwikkeling teen die berghellings in die Boland. Die studiegebied sluit slegs 'n gedeelte van die Bolandse berge in, naamlik die Stellenbosch- en Hottentotshollandberge, maar kan dien as loodsgebied vir ander streke in die Boland wat moontlik dieselfde probleme ondervind. Analises is hoofsaaklik gedoen deur middel van geografiese inligtingstelsels- (GIS-) programmatuur soos onder andere Unix Arc/Info en ArcView 3.1. Afstandswaarnemingstegnieke is ook aangewend om Landsat TM- satellietbeelde te interpreteer en te analiseer. Vir hierdie analises is hoofsaaklik van die beeldverwerkingsprogram Idrisi for Windows gebruik gemaak. Omdat die studie op landbou-ontwikkeling konsentreer, moes sekere kriteria soos die erodeerbaarheid van grondtipes en gradiënt in ag geneem word in die identifisering van sensitiewe areas. Wat gradiëntdata betref, was die gebruik van 'n "Digital elevation model" (OEM) van kardinale belang. Ander tipes ontwikkelings (geboue en strukture, asook bosbou) is ook ontleed om eerstens te bepaal waar hierdie ontwikkelings voorkom; en tweedens of hierdie ontwikkelings in sensitiewe areas wat hoogte en gradiënt betref, voorkom. Weens die subjektiwiteit wat rondom die visuele impak van hierdie ontwikkelings bestaan, is dit moeilik om te bepaal watter ontwikkelings teen hoë berghellings esteties aanvaarbaar is en watter nie. Volgens die Wet op Landbou no. 9238 van 1984 mag hellings met 'n gradiënt steiler as 20% nie sonder spesiale toestemming geploeg word nie. Teen die agtergrond hiervan is die belangrikste resultaat van analises in hierdie studie, die identifisering van erosiesensitiewe landbou-areas. Riglyne wat toegepas kan word op moontlike toekomstige ontwikkelings teen die berghellings in die Boland, word laastens voorgestel.

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

This thesis is a research project that aims to build, in the first instance, a historical, theoretical, and methodological frame of reference and protection of cultural property, and more precisely of the territorial cultural heritage. The starting point is the analysis of the concepts of culture, heritage, landscape and territory, in addition to others such as management, tourism, social heritagization and development, all this through a detailed study starting from the perspective of the human sciences and culture, with the aim to approach to the positions on these ideas that are being debated today. The ultimate objective is the design of an instrument that serves to make readings of landscapes and in the same way, as a platform to design strategies in favour of the enhancement, protection, conservation, interpretation and management of the landscape as an asset of the territorial culture heritage. / Esta tesis es un trabajo de investigación que tiene como objetivo construir, en primera instancia, un marco de referencia histórica, teórica, metodológica y de tutela de los bienes culturales, y más precisamente del patrimonio cultural territorial. El punto de partida es el análisis de los conceptos de cultura, patrimonio, paisaje y territorio; además de otros como gestión, turismo, patrimonialización social y desarrollo, todo ello a través un estudio pormenorizado desde la perspectiva de las ciencias humanos y de la cultura,con la intención de acercarse a las posiciones que sobre estas ideas se debaten hoy. Se trata de establecer un instrumento que sirva para realizar lecturas de los paisajes y de la misma manera,el diseño estrategias a favor de la puesta en valor, la protección, la conservación, la interpretación y el manejo del paisaje como un bien del patrimonio cultura territorial.

The thesis deals with the processing of exploratory work according to valid methodology in the cadastral area of Přídolí. It provides a list of all the information that is needed for further processing of land consolidation. In addition to the basic characteristics of natural and economic conditions in the area, major emphasis is put on the data acquisition and processing in the field of transport system, soil degradation, locations and state of all elements for control of soil erosion and territorial system of ecological stability, water supply conditions and landscape value. The processing of the obtained documents, field survey and territory analysis should be used to optimize the land consolidation process, especially common facilities planning.

This diploma thesis presents a plan proposal for the common facilities in a complex land consolidation carried out in the locality of Loučky u Jihlavy in the Vysočina region. The first, theoretical part is a literature research of land treatment and the plan for common facilities including the scope of exploration work necessary for its preparation. The practical part comprises field work, its assessment and description of the cadastral area. The thesis provides a complete list of information and findings of the fieldwork with focus on measures leading to accessibility of the land parcels, anti-erosion measures, water management measures and measures to ensure climate protection. The findings are listed in both a textual and graphic form.

The thesis titled "The Municipality and Protection of the Environment from the Viewpoint of Law" is divided into six chapters. The first chapter is the introduction, which is devoted to the constitutional foundations of protection of the environment. The second chapter deals with various kinds of instruments in environmental protection. The third chapter deals with the position of a municipality in the public administration system. The fourth chapter forms the core of the work. This chapter assesses the role of municipalities in the protection of individual components of the environment and focuses on the analysing of individual component laws. The fifth and sixth chapters are devoted to the relationship of the municipalities to the territorial planning institute and an examination of the regulations issued in a municipality that functions on its own. The conclusion focuses on the summary of the relevant issues in individual areas. In terms of environmental protection, the municipality plays an essential role, particularly thanks to its position and powers that are entrusted to the municipal authorities.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / In the past, development was allowed in agricultural areas which would not be acceptable under current planning policy. There is a growing need to develop and maintain highly productive and ecologically stable agricultural systems. One approach to encourage better land management and utilisation is the international certification of a farm’s production practices.

Forest and woodland ecosystems provide a variety of natural resources such as fuelwood, brushwood and kraal posts to local communities, as well as possess important cultural and spiritual value. However, many forests and woodlands worldwide have been unsustainably used and managed. Thus, under pressure from the international conservation community to recognise the importance of people's relationships with their surrounding natural environment, particularly for the natural resources it can provide, and given a move away from the management of forests and woodlands for sustained yields, and according to simple cause and effect models, in favour of systems approaches, South Africa has developed some of the most progressive natural resource management policies in the world. Nevertheless, for these policies to be sensitive to local contexts, there remains a need for a better understanding of how local people in different contexts, determine forest and woodland ecosystems to be of use to them, and what 'usefulness' means to different groups of resources users. This is a case study, which examines the role of fuelwood, brushwood and kraal posts in the rural livelihoods of the people of Machibi village, located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, through people's preferences for particular landscapes and species, accessed for these purposes, and the trade-offs people make between resource availability and resource accessibility. Key objectives of the study are to 1) determine the preferred landscapes and species for fuelwood, brushwood and kraal posts at Machibi, 2) determine the landscapes and species actually used for fuelwood, brushwood and kraal posts, and 3) with the help of a conceptual model, and using iterative modelling as a tool, determine the factors that influence people's harvesting strategies in terms of the costs and benefits associated with the different landscape and species options. On the basis of this knowledge, the study provides some guiding principles for the better use and management of these landscapes and species for fuelwood, brushwood and kraal posts. An innovative research approach and methodology that integrates social and ecological systems, works across disciplines, and draws on different types of knowledge is used to develop and test a conceptual model of the harvesting strategies of fuelwood and kraalwood users at Machibi. Participatory methods such as workshops, participatory resource mapping, ranking exercises and trend-lines were used to tap into local knowledge while plotless vegetation sampling and GIS maps were used to capture the scientific information. Results showed that people did not always use the landscapes and species they preferred. However, the local people did behave in a rational manner by weighing up the returns from harvesting and accessibility costs associated with the respective options available to them, before selecting the option(s) associated with the greatest net benefits. At the landscape level, people made trade-offs between the returns from harvesting and the accessibility costs of using particular landscapes in addition to costs associated with the physical work of harvesting fuelwood, brushwood or kraal posts from these landscapes. At the species level, people made trade-offs between the returns from harvesting and the accessibility costs of harvesting particular species for fuelwood, brushwood and kraal posts, or the costs of commercial alternatives. Costbenefit factors that influenced people's resource use patterns also differed across landscapes and species for fuelwood, brushwood and kraal posts, respectively. Consequently, a range of diverse and flexible management options and strategies is recommended for the wise use and management of these landscapes and species, focused on short, medium and long term goals. These strategies examine the use of cost - benefit incentives to influence people’s landscape and species use patterns.

Durch vegetationsökologische Feldstudien wurde das Biotop- und Arteninventar verschiedener Festungsanlagen des 19. Jahrhunderts in Deutschland, Polen und Litauen untersucht. Ein Ziel der Untersuchung war die Bewertung der Standorte für eine Einbindung in den FFH Biotop-Verbund, ergänzt durch Auswertungen historischer Luftbilder sowie Sentinel2-Fernerkundungsdaten. Die Festungsanlagen neigten in den letzten Jahrzehnten zu einer Wiederbewaldung durch ausbleibende Nutzung und Pflege der Offenlandbereiche. Innerhalb weniger Jahrzehnte sind vor Ort vor allem stadtwaldähnliche Standorte entstanden. Eine Entwicklung hin zu standorttypischen Ausprägung einer HPNV oder anderer Gesellschaften, die als Biotoptypen nach Anhang I FFH-RL ausweisbar wären, ist an den untersuchten Standorten nicht beobachtet worden. Hohe Biotopqualitäten in Offenland-Standorten sowie anderen Biotoptypen sind nicht beobachtet worden. Festungen und deren Biotope sind als Novel Ecosystems ausweisbar und wären nur als solche in das Biotopverbundsystem integrierbar. Satellitenbasierte Auswertungen bilden die Kleinräumigkeit der örtlichen Biotopstrukturen –und deren Vielfalt nur bedingt ab. Fehlende Pflege und Nutzung von Festungen sowie aufkommende Waldbestände verursachen eine sukzessive Degradation und Schädigung der Bausubstanz. Eine naturschutzfachliche Begründung für das grundsätzliche Ausbleiben von Sanierung und Bausubstanzerhalt existiert nicht, auch wenn diese Standorte oftmals Habitate für Arten des Anhang IV der FFH-RL aufweisen. Im Gegensatz, die Pflege und der Erhalt des Kulturerbes „Festungsanlagen“ wird von der europäischen Naturschutz- und vor allem Kulturagenda sogar gefordert, da diese neben noch unspezifiziertem Natur- und Erholungswert auch einen intrinsischen gesamteuropäischen Kulturwert haben. Das muss bei der lokalen Raum- und Naturschutzfachplanung sowie in der regionalen Landespflege berücksichtigt werden. / The biotope and species inventory of various fortifications of the 19th century in Germany, Poland and Lithuania was examined through vegetation-ecological field studies. One aim of the study was to evaluate the locations for integration into the FFH biotope network, supplemented by evaluations of historical aerial photos and Sentinel2 remote sensing data. Investigated fortifications tended to reforest in recent decades due to the lack of use and maintenance of the open land areas. Within a few decades, urban forest-like sites have developed here at the investigated sites. A development towards site-typical expressions of PNV or other communities, which could be designated as FFH biotopes according to Annex I of the Habitats Directive, has not been observed. High biotope qualities in open land biotopes and other types were not observed Fortresses and their biotopes can be designated as Novel Ecosystems and should only be integrated as such into the biotope network. Satellite based evaluations only provide a limited picture of the small-scale nature and diversity of local biotope structures. The lack of maintenance and use of fortresses as well as emerging forest stands cause successive degradation and damage to the building fabric. There is no nature conservation justification for the fundamental lack of remediation and preservation of building fabric, even though these sites often have habitats for species listed in Annex IV of the Habitats Directive. In contrast, the care and preservation of the cultural heritage "fortifications" is even demanded by the European nature conservation and cultural agenda, as they have an intrinsic pan-European cultural value in addition to still unspecified nature and recreational value. This is even reflected by the aim of the Habitats Directive. This must be taken into account in local spatial and nature conservation planning and in regional land management.