Pag Island

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Area	Pag Island
Place	Novalja
Country	Croatia
Topics	Tourism / Heritage
Author(s)	Vedran Vuković

Rationale

• Why do you think this case is relevant? What is your hypothesis considering the landscape challenges?
• Format: 3-4 sentences

The rapid touristic boom, of the so called ˝party˝ tourism, over the recent decades, has exerted a lot of stress on the island landscape. Such pressures have caused a drastic change in the urban and rural patterns of the area, as well as the lifestyle of its population. This case has high significance not only on the local scale, but it is also a prime representative of a problem occurring all across the Adriatic, as well as other regions of the Mediterranean sea.

Location and scope

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A Landscape System Analysis

A.1 Landscape layers and their system context

Geomorphology, landscape units and coastal typology

• Description of evolution, status quo and driving forces, is the coastal typology changing? Why is that? (approx 200 signs)
• add 1-2 graphical representations to the image gallery, you can add more if you like

Pag island consists out of a karst landscape with a lush and prosperous southern side, rich with biodiversity and human settlements, and a harsh and rocky northern side towards the land, which has often been compared to the surface of the moon. This is due to the frequent ˝Bura˝ winds that blow from the north-east and cause extreme erosion on the northern side of the island.

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  Lush south region

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  Eroded north region

Land use

• settlements, infrastructure, agriculture, resource extraction, natural areas, energy production...
• description of evolution, status quo and driving forces, is the land use likely to change? Why is that? (approx 200 signs)
• add 1-2 graphical representations to the image gallery, you can add more if you like

The surface of Pag island has always been predominantly covered by pastures mostly for sheep grazing, which it is famous for, also there are some agricultural areas closer to larger settlements. Due to the shift of the economy towards tourism these pastures and fields get more and more neglected and abandoned. There are dozens of smaller villages and two larger towns, which are going through a rapid urban expansion at the cost of their surrounding rural landscape. Lastly, a windfarm area exists on the highest peak off the island.

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  Example of urban extension in Novalja

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  Example of Pag pastures

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  Novalja agricultural field

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  Windfarm on the island

Green/blue infrastructure

• What are the major potential elements of a green/blue infrastructure network? Are these likely to change/disappear? Why is that?
• You find my background material on green infrastructure in our reading list
• add 1-2 graphical representations to the image gallery, you can add more if you like

The predominant feature of the green infrastructure on the island are its pastures, which are being overgrown by invasive species due to abandonment and neglect. Also, there are numerous forest patches of the Aleppo pine scattered across and the two largest ones are situated near to Novalja and the Zrće beach. Furthermore, there are four wetland areas on the island and the most important one is the ˝Kolan mud˝, proclaimed as an ornithological reserve and is under protection as part of the Natura 2000 bird and habitat protection areas, it is 240ha in size and shown by the thickest blue line on the map.

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  Wetlands and largest forest patches

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  Kolan mud

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  Aleppo pine forest

Actors and stakeholders

• Who is driving changes in this landscape? Who is affected by those changes?
• Draw a stakeholder and/or power map: Who is affected highly but with low power? Who has high power but is not affected?

The largest change has happened due to the efforts of the foreign investors with the end goal of promoting rapid tourism growth for financial gain. They have either purchased the land from local owners or got it under concession with the consent of the government and local authorities, to build various types of touristic infrastructure. Although the local population is the most affected party In the region, they have the least power in the decision-making process, while the tourists visiting are barely affected and hold almost no power.

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  Power map

Sacred spaces and heritage

• Which places/elements hold cultural value and to whom?
• You may add a map and some images, please also explain in your caption why these elements are valuable

• Your case sacredspace1.jpg

  add a caption

• Your case sacredspace2.jpg

  add a caption

• Your case sacredspace3.jpg

  add a caption

Visual appearance and landscape narrative

• Which elements are essential for the landscape character?
• Has the landscape been painted or otherwise depicted, when and whom? Which elements are essential?
• Which narratives exist? Who has written about this landscape or depicted it in some way?
• You can add text and images

The painting made over 40 years ago by a local resident named Borović shows the Zrće beach as calm and tranquil place know only to the local residents, while the image from nowadays shows Zrće as something completely different, an oasis for the modern party tourism. The comparison can be read as a story of absolute change in the landscape and its usage from not so long ago to today.

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  Painting of Zrće beach by Borović, 1976

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  Zrće beach nowadays

A.2 Summary of you landscape system analysis and your development Targets

• You can summarize your findings with an DPSI(R) Model or a Spider Diagram
• Link back to the Sustainable Development Goals: Which goals are at risk?
• What is your hypothesis for this landscape?
• Visualise your hypothesis with one graphic/pict
• Are there any existing initiatives taking action in this landscape? Do you have a critical perspective on that?
• Add text and visuals

The most endangered Sustainable Development Goals with the current development of the situation would be the goal number 8 ˝Decent work and economic growth˝, as with the development of tourism the job opportunities in other branches is declining, and the goal number 11 ˝Sustainable cities and communities˝ because this type of uncontrolled development is in no way sustainable in the long run.

The provided map shows the are of the old town in Novalja with the full white colour, followed by an area of the initial expansion of mixed housing with some apartments as a response to the steady development a slight increase in the more family-oriented tourism at the time. The biggest area shows the recent rapid expansion of solely apartment complexes with complete disregard to the surrounding landscape and the traditional coastal building style.

If the situation continues to develop at the current rate the settlements are going to expand in such an unplanned way further, swallowing the rural landscape. The economy is going to completely shift towards tourism causing the disappearance of other economic branches and population number on the island will continue to diminish further due to the decrease of quality of life and job opportunities with the mentioned economic change.

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  DPSIR analysis of the current situation with some possible responses to the issues

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  Current rapid expansion of Novalja

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  Development of touristic facilities and apartment complexes, and the abandonment of other touristic branches typical for the Pag island

A.3 Theory reflection

• Reflect on at least three international policy documents in relation to their local landscape case
• choose one international, one European and one national document
• You can choose references from our reading list
• Scope: 250 words

A.4 References

• give a full list of the references you have used for this section

Phase B: Landscape Evaluation and Assessment

B.1 Assessment Strategy

• Based on the hypothesis derived from your previous landscape systems analysis you are now asked to define the goals for assessing the landscape. Your assessment is the basis for evaluating the landscape status.
• Which elements and phenomena need to be mapped, why and how?
• This a text contribution, max 250 words

B.2 Mapping

• As defined by your assessment strategy you conduct the mapping and present your findings here
• As a minimum, at least three different themes need to be mapped, you may choose more if needed

• Your case your assessment mapping themel.jpg

  briefly explain the findings of your mapping

• Your case your assessment mapping theme2.jpg

  briefly explain the findings of your mapping

• Your case your assessment mapping theme3.jpg

  briefly explain the findings of your mapping

B.3 Problem definition and priority setting

• Give a summary of the major findings of your mapping process, what are the problems/potentials identified?
• Draw a problems/potentials map
• Set priorities for the most relevant issues

• Your case problems potentials map.jpg

  add caption here

B.4 Theory reflection

• Please reflect the assessment and evaluation methods used based on at least three readings
• Did you encounter limitations'
• 200 words test contribution

B.5 References

• give a full list of the references you have used for this section

Phase C – Strategy and Master Plan

C.1 Goal Setting

• Define strategic planning objectives based on the evaluation findings
• Link back to your original targets from section one and the Development Goals
• 150 words text contribution

C.2 Spatial Strategy and Transect

• translate your strategic goals into a vision
• develop a spatial translation of your vision
• exemplify your vision in the form of a transect with concrete interventions
• add map(s) and visualizations

• Your case spatial translaton vision.jpg

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• Your case transect.jpg

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• Your case transect detail1.jpg

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• Your case transect detail2.jpg

  add caption here

C.3 From Theory of Change to Implementation

• For implementing your vision: Which partnerships are needed? Which governance model is required?
• Who needs to act and how? Draw and explain a change/process model/timeline
• Which resources are needed? On which assets can you build?
• add 150 words text and visuals

• Your case spatial your governance model.jpg

  add caption here

• Your case spatial your process model.jpg

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C.4 References

• give a full list of the references you have used for this section

D. Process Reflection

• Reflect in your intercultural and interdisciplinary team on the outcomes of your study
• Which limitations were you facing?
• What have you learnt from each other?
• What would you do differently next time?
• You can also use diagrams/visuals
• 250 words text

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