INTERACT - Integrated Landscape Assessment for Sustainable Resource Management

Major societal, political and economic changes in Central and East Europe as well as Southeast Europe (CEE-SEE) impacted largely the key land use sectors agriculture, forestry and industry and they led thus to significant changes in the landscape pattern, from abandonment trends in the rural areas to highly increasing urbanization and compaction. Particularly economic drivers, but also ethnic conflicts, political settings and changes in lifestyles continue to shape our landscapes. Applying integrated spatial planning in CEE-SEE countries is thus needed and is forced to take better into account cross-border approaches by intercultural methods and new communication technologies. INTERact addresses the question how to implement the theory of social-ecological systems for a sustainable development of neighbouring regions. For this purpose, the project addresses the following challenges:

1. How do cultural, political and societal changes affect the landscape pattern?
2. How to develop strategies in spatial planning for a sustainable resource management
3. How to involve different research institutes and regional stakeholders for an integrated analysis?

Due to the partnership between INTERact and the European Land-Use Institute (www.eli-web.com), already existing cooperation in CEE-SEE countries was used as a starting point and is intended to be extended subsequently. The project is split into two phases, of which the first one is intended to set up the core group and the second one to apply for further funding in bilateral, EU and international funding schemes.

Core partners:

Prof. Dr. Ileana Stupariu
University of Bucharest, Department of Regional Geography and Environment, Transdisciplinary Research Centre Landscape - Territory - Information Systems, RO

Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Grodzińska-Jurczak
Jagiellonian University Krakow, Institute of Environmental Sciences, PL

Prof. Dr. Piotr Tryjanowski
Institute of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, PL

Prof. Dr. Ülo Mander
University of Tartu, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, EE

Prof. Dr. Urmas Peterson
Tartu Observatory & Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Forestry and Rural En-gineering, EE

Prof. Dr. Kalev Sepp
Estonian University of Life Sciences, Department of Landscape Management and Nature Conservation, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonia

Associated:

Dr. Michael Manfredo
Colorado State University, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department, Warner College of Natural Resources, USA

Technology and Transfer:

Dr. Stefan Marzelli
IFUPLAN - Institut für Umweltplanung und Raumentwicklung, DE