Eva Novakova

The seventh chapter focuses on an illustrative demonstration of the application of tactical urbanism and tactical mapping on the example of the city of Brno. Here we used six related tactics. First, in cooperation with the Advisory Board for a Barrier-Free Brno, we identify the types of spaces of priority interest. Then (also in cooperation with the Brno City Advisory Board for Accessibility) we prioritize places and institutions that are key for people with disability. In the third tactic, we identify the spatial concentrations of these priority places (in order to identify priority areas). We then identify barriers in the prioritized areas through field research and categorize these into several classes. We then subject each barrier to an assessment of how challenging it is to remove - either in terms of the nature of the barrier or through the lens of ownership/management of the barrier. In the final sixth tactic, we design comprehensive barrier-free routes connecting priority institutions and focusing on removing precisely those barriers that would provide the greatest "benefit" (i.e., most help to make the route more accessible) in the spirit of tactical urbanism. The design of the tactical mapping process is not one-size-fits-all and openly deals with dead ends. For example, it has been shown that it is not necessary to use sophisticated instruments to successfully describe the nature of barriers (but a common smart phone will suffice) or that barriers cannot be narrowed down to point objects, but we must also work with linear barriers (such as missing guide lines, warning strips, etc.). It is also important to have a broader interdisciplinary team involved in tactical mapping - in addition to social geographers and cartographers, this includes barrier specialists (so that barriers in space can be clearly identified) and public administration representatives who are in charge of accessibility. However, it should be taken into account that this is an illustrative example working in a specific city. Although we expect that the transferability can be high (especially to similarly sized cities), it is important to utilize the methodology for the realities and needs of a particular settlement. The purpose of anchoring our methodological approach in Brno is to provide guidance on where to start and how to approach the mapping. The resulting implementation is then always personalized for the specific city.

Clanek ukazuje na konkretnich připadech z praxe řesicich problematiku výstavby větrných parků možnosti aplikace vybraných kartografických metod a GIS v prostorovem planovani. Tyto metody zahrnuji mentalni mapovani, analýzu viditelnosti a 3D vizualizace.

Postindustrialni krajina je dědictvim průmyslove epochy trvajici přes dvě stoleti ve vyspělých průmyslových zemich světa. Průmyslove dědictvi, ať již objekty a plochy přimo formovane průmyslem, nebo arealy doprovodných sidelnich, dopravnich, zemědělských, militarnich a dalsich aktivit, jsou zakořeněny v soucasne kulturni krajině, zpravidla beze sve původni funkce. Jejich koncentrace davaji krajině konkretni raz a davaji ji oznaceni postindustrialni krajina. Ackoliv ve světě tento pojem již nejmeně jedno desetileti neni novinkou, teprve v ramci projektu „Osud ceske postindustrialni krajiny“ cislo IAA 300860903 podporovaneho Grantovou agenturou Akademie věd Ceske republiky byly rozpracovany definicni znaky tohoto typu krajiny, navržena a použita metodika jejich identifikace, vymezeni, mapovani a typologie, a to na zakladě obecně dostupných dat. Podobna jsou k dispozici v rozhodujici větsině zemi EU a průmysloveho zamoři, takže je možne provest srovnatelne výzkumy i mimo uzemi CR. Výsledky projektu jsou s podporou GA AV CR publikovany v teto monografii. Ta představuje jak terminologickou a metodologickou přirucku, tak katalog jednotlivých identifikovaných postindustrialnich krajin na uzemi Ceska s přislusnou textovou, mapovou a obrazovou dokumentaci. Publikace může dobře sloužit jak zainteresovane uzemni administrativě, tak rozhodovacim organům na vsech urovnich, vcetně instituci Evropske unie. Je urcena rovněž pro sirokou odbornou i laickou veřejnost.

Kniha se zabýva různými projevy lidskeho chovani v case a prostoru se specifickým zaměřenim na každodenni aktivity a mobilitu v urbannim prostředi, ktere jsou zkoumany z perspektivy geografie casu. Vedle teoretických konceptů a metod využivaných ve výzkumu prostoroveho chovani jsou představeny specificke aplikace na konkretni temata ilustrovane empirickými výzkumy. Spektrum řesených problemů se pohybuje od každodennich aktivit, přes sferu maloobchodu a nakupni chovani až po dopravni chovani a prostorovou mobilitu. Kniha se zaměřuje take na specificke skupiny ohrožene socialni izolaci (senioři, matky na mateřske dovolene) ci na osoby pohybově postižene.

The Czech Republic belongs to the countries with huge appearance of the brownfields, which are especially associated with long-term industrial tradition of the country. The majority of the current renewable energy projects are being developed in the Czech Republic on the greenfields and this kind of the development is a threat for agricultural and forested lands.The contribution is focused on the issue of the renewable energy potential on brownfields sites in the South-Moravian Region (NUTS 3 – hierarchical level) in the south-eastern part of the Czech Republic.

Cilem přispěvku (projekt GA AV CR c. KJB 700860801) je prezentovani aplikace vlastniho metodickeho aparatu použitelneho při hodnoceni miry vhodnosti lokality k výstavbě větrných elektraren, ověřeneho v GIS na modelovem uzemi Jihomoravskeho kraje. V průběhu rozhodovaciho procesu lokalizace větrných elektraren v krajině je pracovano s prostorovou percepci potencialnich konfliktů tak, aby nasledna realizace projektu byla akceptovatelným řesenim vsech uzemnich akterů. Do naseho navrhu na lokalizaci větrných elektraren v krajině se snažime zahrnout pojeti vlivu na životni prostředi v nejsirsim slova smyslu, tj. realně spojit zakonne limity uzemi s abstraktnějsim vnimanim krajinneho razu, socialni akceptaci, definovanim přirodnich (topografických), kulturnich krajinných dominant a krajinně-estetických prvků (v hierarchicke struktuře a kategorizaci na bodove, liniove a plosne prvky), atd.

Kniha se snaži přinest relativně komplexni a souhrnne zhodnoceni castých otazek spojených s rozvojem větrne energetiky na uzemi Ceske republiky. Toto hodnoceni vychazi z analýzy prostorových vztahů, environmentalnich aspektů a socialnich a ekonomických souvislosti dane problematiky, přicemž důraz je kladen na provazanost zahranicnich zkusenosti s vlastnimi poznatky a zavěry empirických výzkumů. Zakladem je interdisciplinarni přistup, který zahrnuje a systematicky hodnoti siroke spektrum vzajemně souvisejicich aspektů fyzicko-geografických, environmentalně-ekologických, humanně-geografických a sociologických, ale i aspekty legislativni, ekonomicke, otazky vlivu na zdravi obyvatelstva, kvalitu života atd. Za zastřesujici disciplinu lze považovat geografii, jejiž hlavni výhodou je v tomto ohledu siroký tematický zaběr a předevsim schopnost syntezy, ktera je nutna pro spravne celkove zhodnoceni uzemniho potencialu.

The book Geography of Barriers: Examples of Good Barrier-free Practice offers a collection of texts that are interested in making space, services, and information accessible. Thus, the collection is primarily about barriers, their nature, localization, and possible effects. Under barriers, most people imagine material barriers for wheelchair users in the form of steps or sidewalk curbs. Only a few would think that barriers can be represented by loosely placed rugs, unfit lighting, large glass surface, a doorbell without visual output, unwanted attention, frequent asking and offering help, lack of language knowledge, pity, etc. Thus, the book broadens awareness of what can be considered a barrier. The texts are divided into three parts – theoretical, methodic, and empirical – and their arrangement follows the logic of thematic focusing from the most general to the most concrete types of barriers. While the theoretical part places the policies of accessibility into the wider context o...

Terminologie spojena s regionalnim rozvojem je pojenana uvodem monografie. Na přikladu dvou referencnich uzemi: města Brna a Jihomoravskeho kraje je demonstrovan přehled datových vrstev uložených v přistupných databazich a soucasně vhodných pro podporu regionalniho rozvoje. Prace vyusťuje v koncepci digitalni atlasove tvorby cileně zaměřene na podporu regionalniho rozvoje v uzemi typu urbanizovane metropolitni oblasti a rozsahleho regionu typu administrativniho kraje.

The geography of ageing is addressed in this article by providing new empirical evidence about the significant role of daily activities on the perceptions of isolation and loneliness. The developed model of socio-spatial isolation is based on data from time-space diaries and questionnaires completed by older adults living in three cities in the Czech Republic. The study suggests that socio-spatial isolation is a multicomponent (consisting of passivity, isolation and loneliness components), place-dependent and gendered issue. The passivity is significantly associated with the income and leisure sport activities. The isolation can be well predicted by the age, gender and education, and the frequency of work and specific leisure activities, which are constrained by health conditions, financial opportunities and spatial mobility. Particularly trips to nature, sport activities, cultural events, get together with friends, and visits to restaurants have a positive effect on reducing isolat...

Citizen science is a relatively new phenomenon in the Czech Republic and currently a general overview of existing citizen science projects is not available. This presents the challenge to uncover the ‘hidden’ citizen science landscapes. The main objective of this paper is to explore the (public) representation of citizen science (CS) projects and to describe their heterogeneity. The study aims to answer the question of what type of projects in the Czech Republic meet the definition of citizen science. Based on a specific methodological data-base search approach, we compiled a set of CS projects (N = 73). During the classification process, two general citizen science categories were identified. The first group (N = 46) consists of “pure” CS projects with a prevalence towards the natural sciences, principally ornithology, and thus corresponding to general European trends. Citizens usually participate in such research in the form of data collection and basic interpretation, and a high ...

The relation between local government and the post-industrial landscape is discussed in this article for a case study area in the Czech Republic, the Tanvald region (area with the spatial concentration of glass and textile industries before 1989). The situation significantly changed with the return of the market economy, when many industries were closed and it was necessary to find new modes of development for them. This research is based not only on the results of semi-structured interviews with representatives of local government (mayors) in the study area, but also uses selected statistical data and information collected during field research. The article concludes with a new typology of roles played by local government in the redevelopment process and with recommendations on how to improve decision-making processes associated with brownfield redevelopment.

Social aspects of the environment (together with factors of the natural and artificial environment) can be subdued to the assessment from viewpoints of various criteria (life standard, health, population density, dwelling standard, religiosity, social pathology, etc.). Only some of these factors are sufficiently covered with data with sufficient territorial resolution. It is especially important within towns and cities and makes their territorial division from social aspects possible. Population census provides researchers with certain opportunities because it is based on more detail censal units much smaller than settlements themselves. A certain “umbrella” importance for the assessment of social environmental aspects is played both by the territorial presence of very educated population and by the dwelling quality given by home living area per person. In the paper, also the comparison between the Brno city areas with certain social environment level (using above mentioned aspects)...

Social aspects of the environment (together with factors of the natural and artificial environment) can be subdued to the assessment from viewpoints of various criteria (life standard, health, population density, dwelling standard, religiosity, social pathology, etc.). Only some of these factors are sufficiently covered with data with sufficient territorial resolution. It is especially important within towns and cities and makes their territorial division from social aspects possible. Population census provides researchers with certain opportunities because it is based on more detail censal units much smaller than settlements themselves. A certain "umbrella" importance for the assessment of social environmental aspects is played both by the territorial presence of very educated population and by the dwelling quality given by home living area per person. In the paper, also the comparison between the Brno city areas with certain social environment level (using above mentione...

The paper analyses the position of small towns in the Czech settlement system. It deals with the definition of small towns, their geographical positions, demographic characteristics and functions in the national settlement system. A typology of small towns aimed at individual pillars of their sustainability is one of the results of the paper. The article discusses the position of small towns as part of the urban world and their position as a part of the countryside. It concludes that small towns are functionally important as rural centres. However, differences between urban and rural seem to be less important than differences among individual types of the Czech countryside (suburban, intermediate, inner periphery, borderland).

Focusing on coal energy from a geographical perspective, the unintended regional consequences of coal mining and combustion in the Czech Republic are discussed and analysed in terms of the environmental injustice and resource curse theories. The explorative case study attempts to identify significant associations between the spatially uneven distribution of coal power plants and the environmental and socioeconomic characteristics and development trends of affected areas. The findings indicate that the coal industries have contributed to slightly above average incomes and pensions, and have provided households with some technical services such as district heating. However, these positive effects have come at high environmental and health costs paid by the local populations. Above average rates of unemployment, homelessness and crime indicate that the benefits have been unevenly distributed economically. A higher proportion of uneducated people and ethnic minorities

Allotment gardens have played a significant role in Czech and Slovak society for decades, building upon a rich history of gardening. This article elaborates on Czech and Slovak allotments in the European context and identifies their core functions, services, and benefits. We provide a thorough historical review of allotments in this region, reaching back to the eighteenth century to trace significant periods and historic events that shaped society in general and urban gardening in particular. We analyze the development of allotments until and after 1989 and illustrate key aspects of their present situation using case studies and examples. The article provides a complex historical narrative as a good basis for discussions on contemporary trends, challenges, and visions for the future of urban allotment gardening in both countries.

The article deals with the issue of spatial differentiation of livestock breeding in the Czech Republic after 1989. These activities are studied from the geographical point of view in relation to the transition from the centrally planned economy towards market economy with regard to development after country´s accession to the EU. The first part concerns the changes having taken place during the period 1990-2001, with districts treated as basic units. In this part, special attention is to changes in districts with predominantly mountain and sub-mountain natural conditions. In the second part, dealing with the period 2001-2005, regions are used as basic spatial units. The last part analyses the changes of spatial distribution of livestock during the whole period under consideration. Future development of livestock breeding development are further discussed.

Focusing on coal energy from a geographical perspective, the unintended regional consequences of coal mining and combustion in the Czech Republic are discussed and analysed in terms of the environmental injustice and resource curse theories. The explorative case study attempts to identify significant associations between the spatially uneven distribution of coal power plants and the environmental and socioeconomic characteristics and development trends of affected areas. The findings indicate that the coal industries have contributed to slightly above average incomes and pensions, and have provided households with some technical services such as district heating. However, these positive effects have come at high environmental and health costs paid by the local populations. Above average rates of unemployment, homelessness and crime indicate that the benefits have been unevenly distributed economically. A higher proportion of uneducated people and ethnic minorities in affected distri...

In this paper the authors attempt to answer the question of which location and site-specific factors have a decisive influence on the successful regeneration of brownfields. Using data from the South Moravian Region (Czech Republic), we analyze the spatial and functional distribution of brownfields, and test the correlation between the development potential of municipalities and the distribution of the brownfields that have already been regenerated. We then compare the structure and characteristics of existing and regenerated brownfields to identify significant drivers and barriers in the regeneration process. The findings indicate that regenerated brownfields are more likely located in municipalities with a higher local development potential (represented by the rate of local business activities, spatial peripherality - proximity to the regional centre and the main road network, and the quality of local infrastructure). It is also demonstrated that the large size of brownfields, the...

Wind energy research is dominated by studies of local acceptance (or not) of wind farms and comparative studies at a national level. Research on the spatial differentiation of wind energy developments at the regional level is still insufficient, however. This study provides new empirical evidence for the extent to which regional differences in the deployment of wind energy are related to specific environmental and socioeconomic factors, by a statistical analysis of data for districts in the Czech Republic. Unlike previous studies, we found that the installed capacity of wind energy cannot be well predicted by wind potential, land area and population density in an area. In the Czech Republic, wind farms more likely have been implemented in more urbanised, environmentally deprived coal-mining areas that are affected by economic depression. It seems that in environmentally deprived areas, wind energy is more positively accepted as an alternative source to coal, and the economic motivat...