Wetlands within South Africa are an important source of water and nutrients necessary for biological productivity and often the survival of the local people. In a country where the rural communities depend on wetlands for their day to day provision of water, food and materials it has become necessary to understand the functions within wetland systems, so that proper conservation measures can be applied in order to protect and ensure the sustainable use of wetlands. Due to the fact that South Africa has a semi arid climate, thereby affecting the availability of water it is sensible that studies are under-taken in which, more is explored about the water resources, the protection as well as the sustainable use of the wetlands within the region. Despite the fact that the total area which wetlands cover in South Africa is relatively small, the functions which they provide is of fundamental magnitude not only to wildlife but also as an essential part of the human life support system. Wetlands have the ability to regulate regional flow regimes and are often situated in areas of impeded drainage, which may contribute to the regulation of water. It is thus plausible that if headwater/palustrine wetlands are destroyed, many of the streams and rivers which under normal circumstance are perennial, would not only become non- perennial but the consequence of a drought would be far more severe, as well as increasing the risk in flood damage further down the river. In Giants Castle Game Reserve, situated in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg, several palustrine wetlands where studied to identify the geomorphic attributes which contribute to the origin and maintenance of these wetlands. An added motive for the study was the fact that, according to Ramsar, one of the reasons for conserving the Drakensberg wetlands is to ensure the maintenance and production of water quality to KwaZulu-Natal. Seven wetlands within the Boesmans river upper catchment were identified and studied. Soil investigations were undertaken in an effort to determine the driving forces behind the origin and maintenance, as well as to improve the understanding relating to the functioning of the wetlands. The geomorphic attributes which were identified as being important to the genesis and maintenance of wetlands were found to be the following: low relief, soil piping within wetlands, sediment trapping ability of wetlands, the surface roughness of wetlands, channeling within wetlands, organic matter accumulation as well as geological barriers within wetland system. The adaptability of Longmore’s (2001) Hydro-Geomorphic classification to different catchment areas was also tested and was found suitable for these wetlands, although the influence of piping on wetlands evidently requires further investigation and incorporation into classifications. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MA / Unrestricted

This study examines how the archaeological finds from the medieval fortress Aranæs in Västergötland can confirm, change, add to, or contradict written sources regarding Aranæs and medieval fortresses in general. The study will focus on comparing medieval archaeological finds from Aranæs with written sources concerning medieval fortresses and Aranæs in order to find similarities or differences in the materials. The purpose of this essay is primarily to find out how archaeological finds can be linked to written sources to confirm potential events that may have taken place at Aranæs. This study also focuses on the role of archaeology in relation to written sources in order to study the everyday lives of our previous generations at medieval fortresses through the field of Medieval Archaeology. The primary historical written sources regarding Aranæs are the chronicle of Duke Erik and History of the Nordic peoples by Olaus Magnus which will be compared to three available archaeological reports concerning Aranæs. The various finds from Aranæs can together with written sources contribute with knowledge regarding a potential fire, military functions, care of animals, diet, religion, trade and economy, as well as remains of a previous fortress on the site.

No description available.

The geology of the Castle Rock area aids in the understanding of Cenozoic volcanic stratigraphy and structures in an area where these volcanic rocks thin near the margins of the pre-Tertiary basement rocks and structural trends are overlapping. The Castle Rock area is unique in several aspects and is important in understanding and interpreting the geology in adjacent regions which have all been studied, at least on a regional basis. Intrusive ash-flow bodies of the Dinner Creek Ash-Flow Tuff, well-exposed sections of complexly interstratified volcanic rocks and well-exposed faults, and of high amount of erosional relief are features which make this area a unique and important addition to the understanding of the stratigraphy of eastern Oregon.

The task of this thesis is the concept of restoration of the castle Zdislavice and its new use as a literary hotel, focusing on the personality of a prominent Austrian writer Marie Ebner-Eschenbach, née Dubská. My goal was to find use, which could be revived and could thus be preserved for future generations. Thanks to the personality of the writer, I decided to create site devoted to literature. I designed hotel for literary enthusiasts, linguists, copywriters and professionals. But also for visitors who are interested in the person of Marie Ebner-Eschenbach. There is also a restaurant, a literary cafe with an associated museum of the writer, chapel, banquet halls with potential uses for conference and library (three libraries). Part of the area is used as a park. It is designed as an English park, but part of the area closest to the castle is designed as a French garden. The tomb of Marie Ebner-Eschenbach is near the castle and is accessible via a staircase. Connection between tomb and castle is shown in the situration plan.

The content of the thesis is a study of the new use of brownfield, which was created by the termination of the UP Závody furniture company in Bučovice. The subject of the study is the urban design of a new residential area, with additional, required and related functions. The design of the site, including the newly subsumed buildings, is only created at the urban level. In the form of an architectural study, one selected (reference) residential block of an urban complex is then solved. An important aspect is the reaction to the nearby presence of the renaissance castle by observing the preconditions for the monument care.

This diploma thesis deals with the urban-architectural study of a new residential location on the place of the former area of the artistic-industrial enterprises in Bučovice. It is a brownfields near the Bučovice castle in the historic central zone of the town. The proposal focuses on the urban-architectural solution of the whole area including the conceptual consideration which responds to the possibilities and limits of the development of the industrial complex with a focus on the new building and architectural neoplasm in the historical surroundings.

The aim of this thesis is the revitalization of the small castle and the surrounding area which is located in the center of the village with a connection to the associated buildings of the brewery and the mill which were part of the former farmyard in Velké Němčice. The vision for this work is to help further the development of the municipality improve the quality of public spaces and give them a new life. Due to the current state of the center and the castle, the aim was to complete the reconstruction of the building with a connection to the surroundings and to create a quality public space in the city center. The thesis proposes ideas for possible interventions and changes that will result in the castle and its surroundings becoming the new living center of the village and new functions will be inserted into it which will restore this historical building to its original importance. Based on previous analyses consultation with city representatives and other experts in transport greenery and heritage care a proposal was created with indoor and outdoor modifications of the manor house and adjacent area.

Im Juli 2022 startet auf der Burg Mildenstein das Escape-Game »Der Schatz des Einäugigen«. Mittels einer analog-digitalen Schnitzeljagd durchrätseln Museumbesucher*innen die Burg, um sich dann final dem Escape-Room zu stellen. Der Beitrag gibt Einblick in die Projektarbeit, das Konzept und die zugrunde liegende Story des Spiels und hebt die Vorteile des Escape-Games als Vermittlungsformat im Bildungsbereich hervor. / Since July 2022 visitors to Mildenstein Castle are able to enjoy taking part in the Escape Game: »The Treasure of the One-Eyed Prince«. The game is a part-analogue, part-digital treasure hunt by means of which visitors can gain entry to the Escape Room itself. The following text gives an insight into the work of the project, the concept and to the story that lies behind it. It also highlights the value of the Escape Game format as an effective educational medium.

Urbanistic and architectural study of future development of castle area in Znojmo. Main focus will be on creation of sustainable and vital part of the city with connections to landscape, townscape, castle, old brewery and romanesque rotunda of st. Catherine. Adaptation of historic buildings of castle and brewery for cultural and social center of town. Reconstruction and conversion will be based on theoretical work from previous semester. Urbanistic goal is creation and redefinition of public spaces of castle garden, rotunda hill and Hradni street and its integration with historic town center of Znojmo and valley of river Dyje.