4. Results

The landscape-ecological importance of landscape utilization (LEI) is based on the biological-ecological processes in ecosystems. It is represented by the elements of landscape utilization (by land cover classes in this case). They are being assigned degrees of naturalness (originality) that is determined by the degree of vegetation hemeroby based on the studies of [34, 35]. The opinions of scientists vary when assessing what can be considered natural, original and not touched by humankind and to what extent anthropic actions suppress the naturalness and where the limits of natural and fabricated (anthropogenic) phenomena are, since man is also a natural species of biosphere. But there are still certain pragmatic, conventionally established limits. A general agreement is that if original phenomena are only those which are uninfluenced by humans at all, then original ecosystems do not actually exist nowadays as the whole biosphere is directly or at least indirectly influenced by anthropogenic changes of the atmosphere. Moreover, global water circulation is influenced by human actions as well. But if anthropic impact is not seen in such a fundamental way, we can talk about the remains of original ecosystems in such regions, which were never a part of an ecumene in the past—they were not directly influenced by humans (not even by an extensive use).

As a criterion of such naturalness, the preservation of basic functional ecosystem relations can be applied. These relations guarantee a spontaneous regeneration of an ecosystem after anthropic pressure. The quality of such natural ecosystems is drawing nearer to the quality of natural ecosystems from which they are derived. They can be also labeled as "almost natural" or "natural," but not "original" [36].

The assessment of the landscape-ecological importance of land cover classes in Devin is depicted in Picture 4.

The landscape-ecological importance was determined based on:


Assessment of Selected Cultural Ecosystem Services: Benefits of Land Cover Ecosystems for Ecological Models… http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71869 199

National natural monument—Devinska hradna skala was announced in the regulation of the Municipal Executive Board of Bratislava in 1990 and in the regulation of the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic in 1996. The subject of protection is a significant geological, botanical and zoological area which covers 0.70 ha. The natural monument Devínska lesostep was announced by the decision of the Environment Agency of Bratislava in 1992 and by the regulation of the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic in 1996. The subjects of protection are critically endangered species of important plant associations. The area extends over 5.09 ha (Statistical Yearbook of Bratislava, the capital city of the Slovak Republic,

The landscape-ecological importance of landscape utilization (LEI) is based on the biological-ecological processes in ecosystems. It is represented by the elements of landscape utilization (by land cover classes in this case). They are being assigned degrees of naturalness (originality) that is determined by the degree of vegetation hemeroby based on the studies of [34, 35]. The opinions of scientists vary when assessing what can be considered natural, original and not touched by humankind and to what extent anthropic actions suppress the naturalness and where the limits of natural and fabricated (anthropogenic) phenomena are, since man is also a natural species of biosphere. But there are still certain pragmatic, conventionally established limits. A general agreement is that if original phenomena are only those which are uninfluenced by humans at all, then original ecosystems do not actually exist nowadays as the whole biosphere is directly or at least indirectly influenced by anthropogenic changes of the atmosphere. Moreover, global water circulation is influenced by human actions as well. But if anthropic impact is not seen in such a fundamental way, we can talk about the remains of original ecosystems in such regions, which were never a part of an ecumene in

the past—they were not directly influenced by humans (not even by an extensive use).

As a criterion of such naturalness, the preservation of basic functional ecosystem relations can be applied. These relations guarantee a spontaneous regeneration of an ecosystem after anthropic pressure. The quality of such natural ecosystems is drawing nearer to the quality of natural ecosystems from which they are derived. They can be also labeled as "almost natural"

The assessment of the landscape-ecological importance of land cover classes in Devin is

1. The character of landscape from the point of view of its anthropogenic origin (fabricated land cover classes without natural parts were assessed as negative; natural, almost natural

2. The percentage of classes based on their originality, naturalness or importance for nature protection (a natural forest with original species gets a better assessment than a modified forest or a forest that is not original based on the given conditions; natural meadows are

2015). It has a very high degree of LEI.

198 Mobilities, Tourism and Travel Behavior - Contexts and Boundaries

or "natural," but not "original" [36].

The landscape-ecological importance was determined based on:

and original were assessed as positive)

assessed better than reclaimed meadows)

depicted in Picture 4.

4. Results

Picture 4. The landscape ecological importance of land cover classes. Legend: 1—very low, 2—low, 3—medium, 4—high, 5—very high.



Land cover class ID LEI Tourism

Highway 117 Roads (mainly asphalt)—road of class I, II, and III, local road 2 1 7 Bridge—road 3 1 7 Railway 417 Bridge—railway 5 1 7 Paved areas—car park, concrete areas 6 1 7

Individual housing 10 1 — Cottages 11 1 10 Public housing 12 1 — Cultural sights—tower house, castle, museum, watermill 13 2 2 Objects of services (restaurant, shop, market) 130 1 9 Objects of administration (office building, municipality, government building) 131 1 9 Objects of education and science (observatory, meteorological station, library) 132 1 9 Cemetery, crematorium 133 3 9 Healthcare services (retirement home, hospital, children's home) 134 1 9 Religious buildings—church, chapel, morgue 135 1 9 military objects 136 1 — Cultural buildings—museum, cinema, theater, gallery, library 137 1 4 Aviation objects 138 1 — Railway objects, railway station, bus station, bus stop 7 1 7 Industrial objects and warehouses 8 1 — Agricultural buildings 9 1 — Sewage treatment plant 110 1 7 Waste dumps, material repository 111 1 7 dunghill 112 1 7 Small technical objects (shared garages, boiler house, gas regulating station) 113 1 7 Others—gamekeeper's lodge, wine cellar 139 1 7

Playgrounds—grassy 100 2 3 Playgrounds—concrete, asphalt 101 1 3 Clay tennis courts 102 1 3 Sports buildings (grandstand, swimming pool, hall, ice hockey arena) 103 1 3 Shooting range 104 1 3 Playground—children 105 2 3

Roads, train routes and bridges

200 Mobilities, Tourism and Travel Behavior - Contexts and Boundaries

Built-up areas

Sports and culture



ID—identification number of a land cover class in map; LEI—degree of landscape-ecological importance; and Tourism suggested types of ecological forms and infrastructure of tourism.

Table 2. The overview of land cover classes, the degree of LEI and a suggestion of ecological forms of usage and infrastructure of tourism.

Table 2 and Picture 5 represent the overview of land cover classes, the degree of LEI and a suggestion of ecological forms of usage and infrastructure of tourism.

Based on the analyses, the Bratislava district of Devin has a high potential to develop cultural ecosystem services such as recreation, ecotourism and geotourism (ecosystems as places for spending free time and recovery.

From the point of view of assessing the landscape-ecological importance of land cover classes, the development of cultural tourism is the most promising option when focused on visiting natural and cultural-historical attractions and relaxation-sports tourism. The first one has the Assessment of Selected Cultural Ecosystem Services: Benefits of Land Cover Ecosystems for Ecological Models… http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71869 203

Picture 5. Design of diversified ecological forms of tourism for the high landscape cultural and natural value. 1 recreational tourism, 2—cultural tourism, visiting cultural-historical objects, 3—sports tourism, 4—social tourism, 5 cultural tourism – visiting natural attractions, 6—relaxation and sports tourism, 7—technical infrastructure, 8—green infrastructure, 9—civic amenities, 10—individual relaxation-social tourism, ()—not rated.

Table 2 and Picture 5 represent the overview of land cover classes, the degree of LEI and a

Table 2. The overview of land cover classes, the degree of LEI and a suggestion of ecological forms of usage and infrastruc-

ID—identification number of a land cover class in map; LEI—degree of landscape-ecological importance; and Tourism—

Quarry 150 2 — Wall of quarry 151 2 — Extraction area—brickyard 152 2 — Wall of an extraction area 153 2 — Remains of vegetation in a quarry 154 3 8

Land cover class ID LEI Tourism

Waterside vegetation—unoriginal (fruit) trees 48 4 Waterside vegetation—natural woods or grasslands 49 5 8 Alluvial forests—soft wood 50 5 6 Poplar-ash forests—hard wood 51 5 6 alder forests 52 5 6 Monocultures—mainly poplar trees 53 4 6 beech forests 54 5 6 Oak-hornbeam forests 55 5 6 Xerothermic oak forests 56 5 6 Pine forests 57 4 6 Spruce forests 57 3 6 Locust forests 58 3 6 Young unspecified forests 59 3 6 Cut-down forests 60 3 6 Nonforest vegetation—solitary trees, small groups of woody plants 61 3 8 Nonforest vegetation—linear vegetation, tree lines 62 3 8 Nonforest vegetation—surface, variety of species 63 4 8 Nonforest vegetation—woody plants on banks and cut-down areas 64 4 8

Based on the analyses, the Bratislava district of Devin has a high potential to develop cultural ecosystem services such as recreation, ecotourism and geotourism (ecosystems as places for

From the point of view of assessing the landscape-ecological importance of land cover classes, the development of cultural tourism is the most promising option when focused on visiting natural and cultural-historical attractions and relaxation-sports tourism. The first one has the

suggestion of ecological forms of usage and infrastructure of tourism.

suggested types of ecological forms and infrastructure of tourism.

spending free time and recovery.

Forest and nonwoody vegetation

202 Mobilities, Tourism and Travel Behavior - Contexts and Boundaries

Extraction areas

ture of tourism.

ideal conditions in protected areas as there are attractive undivided and extensive forests, submontane and mountain plants, wetlands, forest-steppe vegetation, protected plants and wood plants, almost extinct mammals and rare birds. Devín also offers some relaxation-sports activities such as beautiful views, interesting cycle and tourist paths and the nearby Little Carpathians Protected Landscape Area. Devin is considered one of the most beautiful parts of Bratislava. Devin Castle is also a tourist attraction and belongs to the favorite places for short walks in the capital city. One can not only visit the castle, but also have a walk on the Danube riverbank underneath the castle rock, along the Morava river and in the adjoining streets of the district of Devin. As tourists visit this place very often, the offer of restaurant services (directly at the car park next to the site entrance as well as at the riverbank) is appropriately adapted as well.
