Serge Schmitz

Agricultural ponds are often narrowly reduced to water storage units, purification systems, or biodiversity reservoirs, reflecting a dominant yet incomplete perspective that overlooks their role in rural landscapes. By moving beyond that, this study argues that they should be understood as multifunctional socio-ecological infrastructures embedded within rural territorial dynamics. Their functions extend beyond hydrological and ecological processes to include productive, social, cultural, and landscape-related dimensions. Both utilitarian and aesthetic, agricultural ponds contribute to territorial organisation, support agricultural productivity, sustain rural livelihoods, and shape local socio-ecological interactions. Based on a review of Scopus-indexed literature, this study proposes a reconceptualisation of agricultural ponds through a socio-ecological and landscape perspective. The analysis identifies the main research themes, their evolution, associated functions, and persistent knowledge gaps. Results reveal a fragmented literature, strongly dominated by biophysical approaches that focus on water quality, nutrient cycles, microbial dynamics, and ecosystem processes. Despite increasing methodological sophistication, social and territorial dimensions such as local perceptions, governance systems, practices, and spatial organisation remain marginal. Drawing on empirical illustrations from exploratory investigations of rural villages in Belgium and Poland, the study further highlights the role of agricultural ponds in shaping territorial organisation, identity, and community interactions. These examples demonstrate that pond-related systems are inherently multidimensional and have historically played an underappreciated role in shaping rural landscapes and mediating socio-ecological relationships across scales.

To address the growing challenges faced by near-future cities—such as floods, water shortages, and heat islands—urbanism and ways of dwelling must adapt. Currently, two main approaches are favoured: technological solutions and nature-based solutions. To adopt the second option, a good understanding of green infrastructure is essential. This research aims to analyse the ecological network of Maribor, with particular emphasis on ecological corridors. For this analysis, we investigated both the actual ecological network and people's perception of ecosystem services through spatial analysis using GIS tools and a survey. Most respondents expressed satisfaction with the availability and accessibility of green spaces. However, the maps indicate that, although Maribor is surrounded by many green areas, including several Natura 2000 sites, some central districts need improvement. It is recommended to establish green corridors in these areas to create both an ecological network and to enhance ecosystem services.

Ecological continuity cannot be limited to spatial surfaces and corridors without consideration of the day–night cycle. This integration is achieved through the implementation of dark infrastructure, a field that remains comparatively understudied. The present article proposes a methodological approach for implementing dark infrastructure within an urban forest near Liège (Belgium), where the ecological network has recently been characterised, but nocturnal landscape-specificities are not included. Several sources of information were combined, including satellite imagery, a point-light map and the existing ecological network. The research seeks to illustrate conflicts between ecological requirements and human activities, with particular emphasis on public, and private lighting. In the discussion, the paper identifies methodological limitations, characterises the nature of light pollution, and lists planning issues for the cohabitation of human activities and nocturnal species’ habitats.

Landslides are among the most hazardous natural phenomena affecting Greater Abidjan, causing significant economic and social damage. Strategic planning supported by geographic information systems (GIS) can help mitigate potential losses and enhance disaster resilience. This study evaluates landslide susceptibility using logistic regression and frequency ratio models. The analysis is based on a dataset comprising 54 mapped landslide scarps collected from June 2015 to July 2023, along with 16 thematic predictor variables, including altitude, slope, aspect, profile curvature, plan curvature, drainage area, distance to the drainage network, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and an urban-related layer. A high-resolution (5-m) digital elevation model (DEM), derived from multiple data sources, supports the spatial analysis. The landslide inventory was randomly divided into two subsets: 80% for model calibration and 20% for validation. After optimization and statistical testing, the selected thematic layers were integrated to produce a susceptibility map. The results indicate that 6.3% (0.7 km²) of the study area is classified as very highly susceptible. The proportion of the sample (61.2%) in this class had a frequency ratio estimated to be 20.2. Among the predictive indicators, altitude, slope, SE, S, NW, and NDVI were found to have a positive impact on landslide occurrence. Model performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), demonstrating strong predictive capability. These findings can support informed land-use planning and risk reduction strategies in urban areas. Furthermore, the prediction model should be communicated to and understood by local authorities to facilitate disaster management. The cost function was adopted as a novel approach to delineate hazardous zones. Considering the landslide inventory period, the increasing hazard due to climate change, and the intensification of human activities, a reasoned choice of sample size was made. This informed decision enabled the production of an updated prediction map. Optimal thresholds were then derived to classify areas into high- and low-susceptibility categories. The prediction map will be useful to planners in helping them make decisions and implement protective measures.

L’hôtellerie est un secteur clé susceptible de générer un effet d’entraînement sur la demande touristique. En se focalisant sur Conakry, principale porte d’entrée du pays et espace doté de potentialités balnéaires, cet article examine la relation entre le développement hôtelier et la demande touristique de loisirs en Guinée. Au cours des 15 dernières années, le paysage hôtelier de Conakry a connu des changements importants, notamment en raison de plusieurs investissements étrangers dans le segment haut de gamme. Une enquête menée auprès de sept hôtels haut de gamme, ainsi qu’une analyse de la littérature scientifique, révèlent un déséquilibre structurel entre l’offre hôtelière et la demande touristique. Il ressort de l’analyse que la majorité de la demande hôtelière provient de clients professionnels, particulièrement des investisseurs, des employés d’entreprise et des participants à des événements professionnels, tandis que la demande touristique de loisirs reste faible. Les résultats indiquent que la croissance de l’offre hôtelière haut de gamme n’a pas eu d’effet d’entraînement sur la dynamique touristique nationale. Par conséquent, l’article souligne l’importance de coordonner efficacement le développement hôtelier avec la stratégie touristique globale. Cette coordination devrait passer par l’intégration des infrastructures hôtelières et des politiques qui favorisent les ressources locales.

Re-considering the interactions between society and natural resources is fundamental in pursuing sustainability and adaptation to climate change in cities. The representation in urban planning instruments reveals an inadequate consideration of valley hillslopes as interface systems or as ‘places’ with possible multiple roles and meanings for populations. Beyond landslide and flooding considerations, valley hillslopes are scarcely identified as distinct entities from the valley and the plateau, investigated as sites of diverse possible uses, and analysed in terms of which variables related to the relief’s forms influence their use. Confronting urban planning instruments that reduce slopes to building spaces, this contribution advocates for a specific representation of valley hillslopes, highlighting the environment’s variety within which the system interacts, the diversity of uses, and the interrelationships between form and land cover. By combining GIS mapping and statistical analysis, this research proposes a multi-scalar approach based on identifying valley hillslopes delineated through minimum units (geochore), integrated with land cover clustering and an analysis of the potential relations between land cover and six explanatory variables. The research points out the singularity and complexity of valley hillslopes, which should be incorporated into urban planning policy as potential cultural, ecological, or recreational resources for populations.

Research on ecosystem services (ES) has become central to landscape planning, framing the relationship between people and nature. In Sub-Saharan regions, local communities rely heavily on wetlands for various ES. For the first time, we assessed perceptions of ES provided by these wetlands, focusing on marshes, peatlands, swamps, and inland valleys/floodplains in eastern DR Congo. Fieldwork combined with a survey of 510 households, using both open-ended and 35 direct questions, evaluated perceptions of wetland ecosystem services (WESs). The most frequently reported WES were provisioning (38%) and regulating (24%), while supporting (22%) and cultural (16%) were less mentioned. These perceptions varied across wetland types and among communities based on gender, religion, seniority in wetland use, land tenure, and educational level. Rural communities had a deep relationship with nature, shaped by cultural, economic, and geographical factors. Wetlands are viewed positively as sources of goods but also negatively as sources of diseases. A structural equation model (SEM) helped in identifying four latent variables—livelihood, knowledge, personal, and geographical factors—driving WES perceptions. These findings are relevant for developing wetland management policies and suggest including community engagement and collaboration in wetland restoration and regulatory frameworks.