Conflict of Interest as a Significant Aspect in Tree Planting to Support Green Infrastructure in Cultural Landscape

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present landscape ecological research on green infrastructure in the cultural landscape of Slovakia. Part of the methodological procedure is a proposal for greening the landscape with non-forest woody vegetation. The function of non-forest woody vegetation is determined based on the value of ecological stability and specified conflicts of interest. We differentiated the territory of Slovakia according to variations in ecological stability of the cadastral territories of urban and rural settlements of the Slovak Republic (i) and the identified conflicts of interest between positive and negative socio-economic phenomena (ii). We proposed such functions of non-forest woody vegetation in the specified regions so that the heritage features are restored to the greatest extent possible and the traditional character of the territory with a high-quality living environment and a rich diversity of plant and animal species is preserved (iii). The proposed functions of non-forest woody vegetation in areas of real conflicts of interest will mitigate the negative impacts of stress factors on humans, soil, water, forest and biotic resources and contribute to increasing ecological stability and improving the overall ecological state of ecosystems in the given regions.