Does Increasing Farm Plot Size Influence the Visual Quality of Everyday Agricultural Landscapes?

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F62156489%3A43510%2F23%3A43922737" target="_blank" >RIV/62156489:43510/23:43922737 - isvavai.cz</a>

Nalezeny alternativní kódy

RIV/60460709:41330/22:N0000089

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010687" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010687</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010687" target="_blank" >10.3390/ijerph20010687</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Does Increasing Farm Plot Size Influence the Visual Quality of Everyday Agricultural Landscapes?

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

The increase in farm plot size is one of the most apparent and significant trends that have influenced central and eastern European agricultural landscapes since the 1950s. In many countries where the average plot size in traditional land-use systems did not exceed several hectares, present-day plots reach the size of 200 ha or more. In recent times, efforts have been made to reverse this trend to restore important ecosystem functions and to re-establish the aesthetic values of everyday landscapes. Visual landscape quality is becoming a major driving force in the development of agricultural landscapes with known effects on people&apos;s well-being and health, and this quality plays an increasingly important role in agricultural policies. However, no comprehensive research has been carried out to establish the links between perceived visual landscape quality and the scale of the farm plot pattern. The current study was therefore designed to determine whether greater farmland pattern heterogeneity, i.e., smaller farm plot sizes, is consistent with higher visual preferences. The results showed that people preferred a small-scale plot pattern in landscapes characterized by a flat relief and a low proportion of woody vegetation. These homogeneous landscapes were also overall considered significantly less beautiful than more diverse landscapes. However, even a moderate decrease in plot size notably improved these low beauty scores. These preferences were displayed consistently by all respondents, and most strongly by older respondents, respondents with a higher level of education, and those professionally engaged in landscape design or conservation. The high level of consensus among respondents in rejecting further land consolidation in homogeneous landscapes, which form a large proportion of European farmland, underlines that the results of this study provide a valid argument for discussing sustainable agricultural plot sizes as part of agricultural policy-making.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Does Increasing Farm Plot Size Influence the Visual Quality of Everyday Agricultural Landscapes?

Popis výsledku anglicky

The increase in farm plot size is one of the most apparent and significant trends that have influenced central and eastern European agricultural landscapes since the 1950s. In many countries where the average plot size in traditional land-use systems did not exceed several hectares, present-day plots reach the size of 200 ha or more. In recent times, efforts have been made to reverse this trend to restore important ecosystem functions and to re-establish the aesthetic values of everyday landscapes. Visual landscape quality is becoming a major driving force in the development of agricultural landscapes with known effects on people&apos;s well-being and health, and this quality plays an increasingly important role in agricultural policies. However, no comprehensive research has been carried out to establish the links between perceived visual landscape quality and the scale of the farm plot pattern. The current study was therefore designed to determine whether greater farmland pattern heterogeneity, i.e., smaller farm plot sizes, is consistent with higher visual preferences. The results showed that people preferred a small-scale plot pattern in landscapes characterized by a flat relief and a low proportion of woody vegetation. These homogeneous landscapes were also overall considered significantly less beautiful than more diverse landscapes. However, even a moderate decrease in plot size notably improved these low beauty scores. These preferences were displayed consistently by all respondents, and most strongly by older respondents, respondents with a higher level of education, and those professionally engaged in landscape design or conservation. The high level of consensus among respondents in rejecting further land consolidation in homogeneous landscapes, which form a large proportion of European farmland, underlines that the results of this study provide a valid argument for discussing sustainable agricultural plot sizes as part of agricultural policy-making.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

60401 - Arts, Art history

Projekt

<a href="/cs/project/DG18P02OVV060" target="_blank" >DG18P02OVV060: Identifikace a ochrana dochovaných pozůstatků historických plužin</a><br>

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2023

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

ISSN

1660-4601

e-ISSN

1660-4601

Svazek periodika

20

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

1

Stát vydavatele periodika

CH - Švýcarská konfederace

Počet stran výsledku

16

Strana od-do

687

Kód UT WoS článku

000908793400001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-85145874871