Landscape Research and Education About Nature Based on the Example of the National Park Skole Beskids (Ukraine)
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7 GEOGRAPHY AND TOURISM, Vol. 6, No. 2 (2018), 59-70, Semi-Annual Journal eISSN 2449-9706, ISSN 2353-4524, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.2143652 © Copyright by Kazimierz Wielki University Press, 2018. All Rights Reserved. http://geography.and.tourism.ukw.edu.pl Anatoliy Melnyk1, Mariia Lavruk2, Olesia Burianyk2 1 Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, 2 Ivan Franko National University of Lviv e-mail: [email protected] Landscape research and education about nature based on the example of the National Park Skole Beskids (Ukraine) Abstract: The present article shows the importance of landscape studies, and in particular, landscape mapping for edu- cation about nature. It also discusses the relevance of developing landscape educational trails in national parks. The functions of educational paths and their educational roles are outlined. The design and characterization of the landscape trail through the National Park “Skole Beskids” in order to show the diversity of the landscapes both in the Park, and in the general area of the Skole Beskids. Keywords: landscape research, education on nature, natural territorial complex (NTC), landscape micro-district, educa- tional landscape trail 1. Introduction Science-based knowledge of the nature of the parks. For this purpose, special trails and routes Earth’s surface is very important for its rational that are called ecological or educational trails use and protection, and for solving resource-re- are developed, arranged and described in the lated and environmental problems of human- areas of national parks both in Ukraine (http:// kind. This idea is reflected in the strategy of nnph.if.ua/, http://skole.org.ua/skole-majdan. sustainable development (http://www.un-doc- html) and in Poland (http://www.magurskipn. uments.net/ares64-236) and the European pl/index.php). The objects studied on such Landscape Convention (http://www.coe.int/en/ trails are, as a rule, components of nature – cer- web/landscape/home). At the same time, it is tain species of plants, less often their groupings no less important for the education of students (ecosystems), geomorphological, geological and the general public. In accordance with the and hydrological objects, so-called monuments scientific disciplines that study the nature of of animate and inanimate nature. Unfortu- the Earth’s surface, it is necessary to distinguish nately, there is a paucity of information on the between geological, biological (botanical, zoo- natural, territorial, or landscape complexes logical, ecological), geographic (geomorpho- developed by national parks on environmental logical, hydrological, meteorological and cli- paths. Therefore, in practice, exploration is lim- matic) soil-science and complex landscaping, ited to the study of natural components (rocks, and landscape-ecological, education. Different bodies of water, types of plants and soils and types of natural trails can be developed: botan- their properties – relief, climate, etc.), while ical, ecological, geological, geomorphological, complex natural landscapes remain unnoticed. hydrological, landscape-oriented and others. The purposes of this work include showing In our opinion, the most complete and com- the value of landscape research in education, prehensive exploration can be realized using revealing the significance of landscape educa- landscape-oriented routes and paths. tional trails, outlining their functions and tasks, Education about nature is one of the import- proposing a method for creating and editing a ant functions of protected areas, such as national landscape map, and designing (creating a car- 60 Anatoliy Melnyk, Mariia Lavruk, Olesia Burianyk tographic basis and description) of the land- National Park “Skole Beskids” in the Ukrainian scape-educational trail on Mount Parashka (the Carpathians). 2. Methodology and methods. Literature review Landscape trails are means of forming holis- – a means of enhancing complex perception tic complex perceptions of nature in students. of the environment, promoting the study of Unlike the protected areas of the European landscape as the basis of rational and nature Union, where emphasis is put on objects of management and conservation – i.e. the basis living and inanimate nature that are typical of of sustainable development. a particular territory (components of natural The following tasks can be implemented on territorial complexes), landscape trails focus on landscape paths in national parks: familiarizing separate components (rocks, vegetation, soils the visitors with natural territorial complexes and others), as well as natural territorial com- and their structural components – natural com- plexes of different hierarchical levels – land- ponents, physical and geographical processes scapes, streams, tracts and facies. and phenomena, economic use of landscape The diagnostic features for selection and complexes and their current state; conducting mapping of natural territorial complexes (NTC) classes and field studies at points of interest; are limited to certain forms of relief. According familiarization with the available objects on to Miller (1974) landscape facies are natural the route which are subject to protection (types territorial complexes, which maintain uniform of plants and animals, geological, hydrological relief, surface rocks of the same lithology, the and other natural monuments); familiarization same moisture mode, climate, soil and biotic with the natural potential of natural territorial community. In a landscape tract, the NTC is complexes (their resources, recreation oppor- composed of naturally combined facies and is tunities, aesthetics, ecology); promotion of associated with terrain mezoforms; in a land- environmental protection measures. scape stretch – the NTC consists of a number A necessary prerequisite for developing and of lithologically homogeneous tracts within a improving a landscape trail is the creation of single high altitude. An altitude area is a com- a large-scale (1:25 000) landscape map show- bination of genetically related tracts within a ing the natural territorial complexes of various high-rise complex mezoform relief developing ranges – landscape tracts, strata and terrain. under the influence of one of the leading factors We conducted landscape mapping for the nat- of morphogenesis with some local hydrocli- ural sciences within the NPP “Skole Beskids” matic regime, soil, and vegetation. A mountain according to the method of Miller (1996). landscape neighborhood – is clearly isolated The initial cartographic basis was provided by in the geological foundation and terrain of a topographic maps on the scale of 1: 25 000. In mountainous area with numerous natural terri- compiling the landscape map, satellite images torial macrocomplexes, positive or negative in with resolutions of 5*5 and 20*20 m were used, form, consisting of a number of high-altitude geological, geomorphological maps and maps areas (Miller, 1974). of the Quaternary sediments (Fondovi materi- A landscape trail should be a marked route, aly…, 1960), as well as forest plantations (Plan which passes through the natural and territo- lisonasadzhen…, 2003). Field studies were car- rial complexes typical of and unique to a given ried out by means of route surveys and work landscape area. Its main purpose is conducting at the points of integrated facies research. The educational work with students and the general processing of materials and the preparation of public. A landscape trail as an educational tool a landscape map was carried out using ArcGIS for students ensures conditions for the forma- software. tion of key subject competences in geography. Landscape research for the purpose of edu- For students of geographic specializations, a cation about nature in Ukraine is at an early landscape trail is a means of forming profes- stage of development. Here we can note the sional competences, and for the general public experience of the scientists of the Faculty of Landscape research and education about nature… 61 Geography of the Ivan Franko National Uni- National Nature Park within the landscape versity of Lviv, who developed several land- area of Chornogora (High-mountain-Polonian scape routes in the western region of Ukraine region of the Carpathian Physical Geographi- for purposes of regional studies, recreation cal Country), which are used during the edu- and tourism, representing the natural ter- cational practices of geography students from ritorial complexes of different physical and different universities of Ukraine and Poland, geographical regions. In particular, several and during educational trips for students of landscape routes have been developed which secondary schools (Melnyk, 2009). pass through the territory of the national park An important prerequisite for the develop- “Dermansko-Ostrozky” within the East Euro- ment of the landscape educational trail on the pean Physical Geographic country through the territory of the NPP “Skole Beskids” was con- landscape areas of the Rivne Plateau (physical ducting landscape research and preparation of and geographical area of the Volyn Upland), a landscape map, as well as maps of the physical the Ostroh Passage Valley (the Maly Region and geographical zoning of the Skole Beskids Polissya), the Kremenets Mountains (the area landscape area (the Middle-Skibov region of the Western Podilia) (Lavruk et. al., 2013). of the Carpathian Physical and Geographic In addition, several landscape and tourist Region) (Burianyk and Melnyk, 2015, 2016) routes have been