Domů

2/2011

Analysis of Expenditure on Environmental Protection and Management of Protected Natural Areas

Petra Hlaváčková

Abstract

Public spending can be seen as one of the economic instruments of environmental protection. The costs of environmental protection can be classified as non-investment and investment expenditures. The most significant portion of these expenditures is funded from public budgets. The environmental components include nature and landscape protection, which incorporates the regional protection ensured by the administrations of specially protected areas. Currently, agencies managing protected areas are either state allowance organisations or state government departments that are public non-profit organisations founded for the purpose of securing public goods. When deciding on a particular method of provision of public goods, it is necessary to consider the cost-effectiveness of spending of funds from the respective public budget as well as citizen benefits. The cost-effectiveness of the public sector is often seen as the result of the relationship between the size of the output from the public sector and that of inputs to the public sector. The reality is that any considerable public spending tends to be ineffective, because the amount of that public spending is not controlled or reduced downwards by the market. This paper focuses on the analysis of expenditure on environmental protection and that spent on the management of protected natural areas.

Keywords: Economic analysis, economics, environment, specially protected areas, state administration


original scientific work

 

Impact Assessment of civil engineering research: Context and state of the art

Martina Zeleňáková, Lenka Zvijáková

Abstract

Today we can find a great number of tools for environmental assessment of the built environment, focusing on energy use in buildings, the sick building syndrome, indoor climate, building materials containing hazardous substances, and/or many other aspects in fragmented or integrated manners. It should be noted that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is included as a set of tools which comprise a particular set of processes for assessing sustainability. EIA focuses on the construction and operation of large development projects, for instance airports and industrial developments. It focuses on their environmental impacts, although the definition of ‘environment’ also encompasses social aspects affected by the environment, for instance human health and ‘material assets’. EIA is well-developed worldwide, and is legally required for large development projects in the Slovakia.

With an increasing understanding of cities and the built environment as systems metabolising matter and energy, the use of quantitative tools are expected to increase, making it relevant to ask for their status of development. Aiming to give an overview of the present status of tools, as a basis for further research and development, this paper reviews the state of the art in impact assessment of buildings. Challenges for the future include the need to strengthen its methodological bases, particularly those concerning the process of impact prediction, and the need to promote its progressive incorporation into decision-making processes, either independently or integrated within other impact assessment tools.

Keywords: building, civil engineering, impact assessment (IA), sustainable development,


original scientific work

 

Using ranking method and geographical information system for evaluation flood

vulnerable areas in eastern Slovakia

Martina Zeleňáková, Lenka Gaňová, Žofia Kuzevičová

Abstract

Flood disaster has very special place in natural hazards and is considered as a major natural hazard due to its devastating effects on the affected area. Its effected area is not bounded; it is an unusual event of river basin. Flood related problems and many other applications proved that these problems could be solved through planning studies and detailed projects about flood prone areas.

The main objective of this paper is to assess flood risk in river basins in the eastern Slovakia for the purposes of flood risk management. Multicriteria analysis specifically ranking method and geographical information system are used for evaluation flood vulnerable areas. In this paper we describe and test approaches which combine MCA and GIS. GIS with their ability to handle spatial data are an appropriate tool for processing spatial data on flood risk.

Keywords: causative factor, flood risk, geographical information system, ranking method


original scientific work

 

Strategy of selecting methodological approaches to valuating non-productive functions of forest

Jan Sebera

Abstract

New procedures have been developed to valuate non-productive functions of forest, that however are often faced with imperfect information on the interactions of the economy and the environment, with the major problem being their cost and time demand as well as confusion as to assignment of monetary values to intangible goods and services or goods and services that cannot be applied within the market and reflect the diversity of perceptions of interest groups. Yet we can say that a monetary valuation of those functions is a pre-requisite for implementing forest ecosystems, as elements bearing all-society functions of forests, into economic and decision-making systems. The methodology of indicators can be used within systematising the available methodologies mapping the country's forest ecosystem valuation alternatives, one that might lead to answering the fundamental question about the appropriateness of approaches used. When developing a core set of indicators, compatibility with international indicator sets will be appropriate as part of standardising and comparing internationally. In this context, "CSI EEA - Basic set of indicators of the European Environment Agency" can be particularly recommended for the CR. Addressing the appropriateness of individual methodological approaches using a set of indicators needs to be linked to expert assessment.

Keywords: expert evaluation, forest ecosystems, non-productive functions of forests, valuation,


original scientific work

 

Floodplain Lakes, River Regulation and Restoration Strategies - what do we know?

Monika Michalková, Viktor Šulc

Abstract

This study aims to link the relevant theoretical frameworks and concepts of fluvial geomorphology and civil engineering. This paper presents an overview of the historical evolution of scientific reasoning in river management and has an aim to show a floodplain lake as an irreplaceable part of a fluvial hydrosystem. In the 20th century, a concept of regulation has been used. The stream regulation had been guided by idea that each unmodified channel is inconvenient. The main idea was to maintain the water in channel. Many negative effects of river regulation, which had been known since the begin of their application, were not reflected and the regulations had been applied. Restorations have been developed since 70s of the 20th century in western countries. Their goal is a renewal of channel segmentation and increase of retention capacity of channel-floodplain zone. The communication between managers and researchers has been translated to concrete elements of fluvial management and field work studies. Important progress has been realised in terms of management with the effort to revitalise the connections between floodplain lakes and fluvial systems. This experience is fundamental for subsequent actions of floodplain lake management.

Keywords: floodplain lake, historical overview, river managment, river regulation, river restoration


original scientific work

 

Impact of landscape and water management in Slovak part of the Medzibodrožie region on groundwater level regime

Andrej Šoltész, Dana Baroková

Abstract

Presented contribution deals with impact issues of proposed water management arrangements in the upper part of the Medzibodrožie region on groundwater level regime. One of the alternatives for solution of the Tice River watering involves the weir construction on the Latorica River near the Leles bridge with consequential surface water level increase on the whole Slovak reach of the Latorica River up to the Ukrainian border. Our task was by means of FEM numerical modelling to determine the impact of such an intervention on groundwater level regime. For groundwater level simulation the TRIWACO software package has been used

Keywords groundwater level regime; field site; finite element modelling, Medzibodrožie; steady-state; water management


original scientific work

 

Opening up the stand interior and damage effects to skid trails

Petr Hrůza, Pavla Kotásková

Abstract

Opening up of the stand interior is provided by a network of roads and skid trails. These are often damaged during extraction and transport, especially by rill erosion and sheet erosion. The aim of the study was to find out whether and to what extent this damage is affected by the slope, width and type of the surface of skid roads and to establish criteria for their capacity improvement and damage minimization. Based on the prepared classification of the evaluation of skid road and skid trail damage, we can conclude that the effect of their slope on damage is constant and increases in proportion to the increasing slope. The results have not confirmed any critical slope angle causing a substantial increase in the damage. The width of skid roads and trails was not found to have any effect on their damage. The type of the surface layer does not have an essential impact, although the results show that skid trails with a humus layer are more frequently damaged than those with a grass cover. Brushwood mats are recommended as a capacity improvement and damage minimization measure.

Keywords: damage, skid trail, transport,


original scientific work

 

The methods and forms of communication with visitors to the forest

Jitka Fialová

Abstract

The environment and forest are life-giving and the specialists have to get people closer to the problematic of environment, natural patterns, processes and linkings, to show them how important is to maximaly protect the environment which is all around us.

There are many ways to meet the people with environmental protection. Some are traditional, but there are new technologies, usable for recreational purposes and tourism as well.

Keywords: beetagging, geocaching, internactive trails, nature trail

short communication

 

Investments in the Development of Education

Miloslav Šlezingr, Jitka Fialová, Sylva Dvořáková, Monika Hamanová, Jaroslava Vavrouchová

At the beginning of this year, Mendel University in Brno started a new project called Prospects of Landscape Management – Innovation of Landscape Disciplines. The project aims to innovate lessons considerably thanks to professionals from the practice, enable students to gain professional practice and offer academic staff possible further education and broadening of horizons. The partners of the project are: ARVITA P spol. s r.o., Brno University of Technology and the T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute, public research institution. The project is co-financed by the European Social Fund and from the state budget of the Czech Republic.

The aims of the project are to achieve a considerable increase in the quality of the skills of the academic staff and the quality of the preparation of students – the future landscape, forest and water management engineers – concerning the issues arising from the increasing frequency of dangerous natural phenomena. We are unable to affect most of these substantially, however, to a degree we are able to predict them and minimize their negative consequences by meaningful interferences in the landscape. Only a well-prepared graduate, familiar with both the theoretical and practical aspects, is capable of a flexible approach, fast and right decisions and a realistic solution. The innovation of the study will concentrate on a creation of widely accessible e-learning study supports and changes in the stereotypical procedure of lectures by including lectures by professionals from the practice reflecting vital issues of landscape, forest and water management engineering, with focus on better stability and retention capacity of the landscape. Further, short-term intensive study stays at partnering universities in the EU states and the CR will be available to students.

short communication