Sylvie Lardon

Towards a conceptual data model for the analysis of spatio-temporal processes: the example of the search for optimal grazing strategies

This paper addresses a number of conceptual and practical problems of integrating space and time within a GIS environment encountered in an ongoing study of the strategies adopted by a shepherd in managing a flock of sheep at different scales of space and time on an alpine pasture in the southern French Alps. The aim of the study, which is based on the analysis of the timetables used to exploit the vegetatative resource within a set of time-space constraints, is to understand the way that the shepherd partitions space into compartments and the way these are used at different times.The pertinent conceptual issues are reviewed, the problems of formalising this type of problem for analysis are discussed, and alternative ways of structuring the data for GIS application are proposed.By way of conclusion, a preliminary attempt is made to summarise critical issues emerging from the study in the handling of time in spatial analysis and comments are briefly made on directions for future spatio-temoral research into grazing strategies.

Peri-urban agro-ecosystems in the Mediterranean: diversity, dynamics, and drivers

To address sustainability challenges of agro-ecosystems located in Mediterranean urban regions, this paper focuses on the multidisciplinary subject of urban agricultural systems. To better understand the diversity and dynamics of peri-urban agro-ecosystems and the main drivers of their sustainability, we compare six case studies located in Southern Europe (Montpellier, France; Pisa, Italy; Lisbon, Portugal; Athens, Greece) and the Maghreb (Constantine, Algeria; Meknes, Morocco). The research is based on fieldwork in each urban region (qualitative analysis) and literature analysis aimed to position each case study in its national and Mediterranean contexts. The comparison between local contexts indicates large discrepancies in the integration of environmental focus among the respective urban planning objectives. Generally, urbanization tends to accentuate agricultural diversity. The different forms of peri-urban agriculture evolve despite their persistent decline, and they also show a capacity to resist and even new growth in response to urban demand.

An environmental governance support tool: community-based forest management contracts (Madagascar)

This article reports on the implementation of community-based forest management contracts in Madagascar as part of a national environmental action plan designed to strike a balance between rural development and conservation of natural resources. The article highlights how these systems offer an outstanding opportunity to observe the negotiation processes and shifts in relationships between the actors involved, and thus to learn more on the conditions governing sustainable management of conservation and development. A single, specific management system like community-based management cannot be expected to resolve every single issue, but analysing the interplays between different management systems provides insight into the specific features of target cases. They would appear to be promising decision support tools for environmental governance issues as they promote social and territorial reforms and generate new flexibilities for all the stakeholders involved.

Assessing the Potential of Farming Regions to Fulfill Agro-Environmental Functions: A Case Study in Tuscany (Italy)

The increasing interest in agro-environmental management entails having tools to assess, monitor and map agro-environmental functions (AEFs) in different regional contexts. In Europe, decision-making in agro-environmental policies generally targets single functions instead of multiple ones and rarely considers the regional variability of agricultural or geo-physical conditions that may influence the fulfillment of functions. We propose and test a method to assess the potential of farming regions to fulfill a set of AEFs. The method was applied in the “Collina interna grossetana” farming region (Italy) and concerned three functions: protection of surface water from nitrates, protection of soil from erosion, and conservation of landscape diversity. These functions were qualified and mapped using various geo-physical and land cover descriptors from common geographical datasets. All of the descriptors were combined using geographical cluster analysis to identify their contribution to the three functions, and thus to assess the potential of the farming region to fulfill these functions. Three levels of potential were calculated, according to the more or less favorable fulfillment of soil and water functions. No totally favorable contribution to the functions was identified in the studied area. Moreover, we mapped the spatial patterns obtained for the different levels of potential. The landscape diversity function was found to be the least variable in the study area, while different patterns were identified for the other functions. In fact, the northern and central sections of the study region were organized more in the form of large core areas of different levels of potential, whereas the southern section presented more boundary areas, small core areas and isolated pixels. The method may help to establish local priorities in agro-environmental management pointing out where the set of functions is completely or partially fulfilled, as well as where and how it is more or less necessary to focus support measures afforded by environmental policies. Such information could help to palliate the current poor consideration of the spatial variability of functions in regional policies.

Interpretation of remote sensing imagery to assess the sustainability of agricultural systems

The province of Misiones (Argentina) is currently being spontaneously colonized by a high inflow of farmers with few resources who are settling on state-owned lands covered by primeval rain forest. We are developing a tool using SPOT images to monitor this extremely dynamic process and to locate and assess problems of sustainability. Indicators extracted from SPOT images were constructed for 50 farms on a settlement site, for the recognition is a diagnosis based on equilibration theory. Successful classification of the farms was obtained in 70 to 80 per cent of cases by applying multivariate statistical methods to these indicators. On this research site, the overall sustainability diagnosis using SPOT data was found to be satisfactory [...]

A First Framework for Mutually Enhancing Chorem and Spatial OLAP Systems

Spatial OLAP systems aim to interactively analyze huge volumes of geo-referenced data. They allow decision-makers to on-line explore and visualize warehoused spatial using pivot tables, graphical displays and interactive maps. On the other hand, it has been recently shown that chorem maps represent an excellent geovisualzation technique to summarize spatial phenomena. Therefore, in this paper we introduce a framework being capable to merge the interactive analysis capability of SOLAP systems and the potentiality of a chorem-based visual notation in terms of visual summary. We also propose a general architecture based on standards to automatically extract and visualize chorems from SDWs according to our framework.

Ateliers participatifs de mise en œuvre du Scot du Grand Clermont

La démarche de partenariat, menée entre l’Agence d’ Urbanisme de Clermont métropole et AgroParisTech, dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre du SCoT du Grand Clermont s’inscrit dans la durée. Elle mobilise plusieurs formes d’interven tio s de la recherche dans l’action.Elle est analysée au prisme de la grille de suivi des projet s élaboré au sein du groupe PSDR PARME. Les différentes séquences de la collaboration mette nt en évidence plusieurs bifurcations et frictions et renvoient tant à une réflexion sur la formation des élèves ingénieurs qu’à une analyse des effets de la participation des acteurs él s et autres professionnels.

Editorial: governance – institutional and learning plans facilitating the appropriation of sustainable development

This editorial introduces the special issue which aims to clarify, from a theoretical as well as applied point of view, and above all based on a multi-discipline approach (economics, geography, management science, political science, information sciences, psychology and geomatics), the partnerships existing between governance and sustainable development so as to understand the interest and dimensions of territorial governance.