Processes in Cultural Landscapes

Cultural landscapes result from the long-term coexistence of people and the natural environment – an intertwining of tradition, land use, and social change. In Europe, where diverse and distinctive cultural landscapes predominate, these spatial forms are crucial for identity, quality of life and sustainable development.
Our group is looking into how cultural landscapes are changing – under the influence of urbanisation, land use changes, demographic trends, and climate challenges. We're paying special attention to the relationships between urban and rural areas, settlement patterns and the development potential of space. Using contemporary geographical approaches, we pose new questions about the future of European cultural landscapes.
 

List of notable achievements in the last three years:

• Ribeiro, D., Gabrovec, M. Transformation of cultural landscapes: Case studies from Slovenia. V: Bański, J. Agricultural land use: Structural transformations, environmental challenges, planning and policy. Routledge, 2025

• Logar, E. Place branding as an approach to the development of rural areas: a systematic analysis of web of science ‘geography’ literature. GeoJournal 2025, 90.

• Ribeiro, D., Simčič, M. Examples of Human Disturbances in the Dinaric Karst Landscape Since the Early Twentieth Century: A Case Study of Bela Krajina. V: Fuerst-Bjeliš, B., Mrgić, J., Petrić, H., Zorn, M., Zwitter, Ž. Environmental Histories of the Dinaric Karst. Environmental History, vol 17. Springer, 2024.

• Nared, J., Repolusk, P., Zavodnik Lamovšek, A., Foški, M., Mrak, G. Demografska analiza in projekcije za podeželska in urbana območja v Sloveniji. Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, 2023.

• Šmid Hribar, M., Urbanc, M., Zorn, M. Commons and their contribution to sustaining Slovenian cultural landscapes. Acta geographica Slovenica, 2023, 63 (3).

List of research projects in the last three years:

• Geography of Slovenia - national research programme (2022-2027, leader: dr. Blaž Komac).
• Sustainable landscape management: From science to action (postdoctoral project, 2019-2023, leader: dr. Daniela Ribeiro).

• Geographical Indications and Sustainable Rural Development: A Comparative Analysis of Three Case Studies in Slovenia (postdoctoral research project, 2025–2026, led by Dr. Erik Logar)

• The impact of quality schemes "Protected Designation of Origin" (PDO) and "Protected Geographical Indication" (PGI) on cooperation and organization of producers in Slovenia (targeted research project, 2024–2026, leader: Dr. Erik Logar)

• Towards a Mediterranean model of Regenerative Tourism as Climate Change adaptation and risk prevention (Regenera4MED) (Interreg EURO-MED; 2025-2027, leader: Dr. Erik Logar)

Gallery:

Figure 1: The importance of landscape management for fire prevention and control near the village of Osp, where extensive areas burned in summer 2022 (Ribeiro, 2023).

Figure 2: A cultural doline in the karst landscape of Bela Krajina (Ribeiro, 2019).

Figure 3: Analysis of land use changes over the past 200 years in Adlešiči, Slovenia.

Figure 4: Cultural landscape in Zgornje Jezersko with characteristic ash tree boundaries (Mateja Šmid Hribar, 2019)