Applying the Cultural Values Model to assess biocultural change in Eastern European wood-pastures

Traditional biocultural systems emerge from centuries-long coevolution between people and nature, in which the structure, function and identity of ecosystems and landscapes are closely interwoven with human livelihoods and cultural practices (Barthel et al., 2013; Merçon et al., 2019). These systems typically encompass distinctive ecological knowledge, land stewardship traditions and symbolic associations. Through sustained interaction, these systems shape cultural landscapes in which biodiversity, land-use structures and symbolic meanings are co-produced. The resulting landscapes and ecosystems are often mixtures of ecologically valuable elements (such as species-rich grasslands, old trees or patchy mosaics) and built features, customary practices and place-based identities (Gavin et al., 2015; Hanspach et al., 2020).

Alexandru Sabin Bădărău, Mihai Pop, Imola Püsök, Dacinia Crina Petrescu, Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag, Cristian Maloș, Kinga-Olga Réti, László Csákány, László Rákosy, Till Wagener, Noémi Antal, Viorel Arghiuș, Mihaela Spac, Andreea Nita, Frank Wagener, Laura Bouriaud, Tibor Hartel