The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the creative-cultural and leisure-entertainment industries in Riga, Latvia. Socialising of individuals is one of the main factors in the success of these industries, and therefore, epidemiological restrictions posed a threat to their further operation. The study was conducted using a qualitative research methodology, namely, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with representatives of creative quarters in Riga. The findings suggest that restrictions imposing social distancing affected the whole industry, yet individual experiences were neither completely different nor identical: the preconditions and characteristics of certain venues were key factors in their successful operation during the pandemic, e.g., establishments with vast outdoor premises were able to adapt to ever-changing requirements easier than venues with limited outdoor space or which were mainly indoors. Likewise, it was found that introducing new services amongst the usual cultural consumption during the pandemic paved the way for developing new, multifunctional quarters in Riga.
{"title":"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cultural and leisure industries: evidence from Riga, Latvia","authors":"Margarita Feizaka","doi":"10.22364/fg.19.4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22364/fg.19.4","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the creative-cultural and leisure-entertainment industries in Riga, Latvia. Socialising of individuals is one of the main factors in the success of these industries, and therefore, epidemiological restrictions posed a threat to their further operation. The study was conducted using a qualitative research methodology, namely, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with representatives of creative quarters in Riga. The findings suggest that restrictions imposing social distancing affected the whole industry, yet individual experiences were neither completely different nor identical: the preconditions and characteristics of certain venues were key factors in their successful operation during the pandemic, e.g., establishments with vast outdoor premises were able to adapt to ever-changing requirements easier than venues with limited outdoor space or which were mainly indoors. Likewise, it was found that introducing new services amongst the usual cultural consumption during the pandemic paved the way for developing new, multifunctional quarters in Riga.","PeriodicalId":41656,"journal":{"name":"Folia Geographica","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81227419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Visual pollution caused by insufficiently considered usage of outdoor signage in urban areas can negatively influence the visual quality of public outdoor space. Like other urban areas, Riga is exposed to the risk of this type of visual pollution. As Old Riga is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, it is important to keep it clean from such contamination. So far, no in-depth research on visual pollution in Old Riga has been carried out. Therefore, the aim of our study was to explore and assess the occurrence and impact of outdoor signage in the main shopping streetscapes of Old Riga. The study was based on spatial preference and observation, street colour photomontages, on sociological investigation methods and on analysis of regulatory and planning documents. The studies showed that the existing outdoor signage on the facades of the buildings of Old Riga causes visual pollution, which, in its turn, negatively affects the appearance of historical monuments and buildings and lowers the visual quality of public outdoor space. The development of appropriate design guidelines or a design code containing specifications for outdoor signage, windows, facades and their elements and design would promote the development of aesthetically consistent, expressive and high-quality urban space.
{"title":"The impact of outdoor signage on the streetscapes of Old Riga","authors":"Alisa Kuceruka, Z. Penēze","doi":"10.22364/fg.19.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22364/fg.19.10","url":null,"abstract":"Visual pollution caused by insufficiently considered usage of outdoor signage in urban areas can negatively influence the visual quality of public outdoor space. Like other urban areas, Riga is exposed to the risk of this type of visual pollution. As Old Riga is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, it is important to keep it clean from such contamination. So far, no in-depth research on visual pollution in Old Riga has been carried out. Therefore, the aim of our study was to explore and assess the occurrence and impact of outdoor signage in the main shopping streetscapes of Old Riga. The study was based on spatial preference and observation, street colour photomontages, on sociological investigation methods and on analysis of regulatory and planning documents. The studies showed that the existing outdoor signage on the facades of the buildings of Old Riga causes visual pollution, which, in its turn, negatively affects the appearance of historical monuments and buildings and lowers the visual quality of public outdoor space. The development of appropriate design guidelines or a design code containing specifications for outdoor signage, windows, facades and their elements and design would promote the development of aesthetically consistent, expressive and high-quality urban space.","PeriodicalId":41656,"journal":{"name":"Folia Geographica","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89011854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elina Apsite-Berina, T. Skadins, G. Burgmanis, Z. Krisjane, M. Berzins
The COVID-19 pandemic and its waves of incidence have had a significant impact on our personal and professional lives. This has led to scholarly interest in various fields, including geography. A growing body of scholarly literature is trying to understand the reasons why some places were and still are more affected than others. The aim of this study was to shed light on the geography of the Covid-19 pandemic in Latvia and explain the geographical patterns of the pandemic during its first two waves. This was done, firstly, by mapping the number of cases per 10,000 in the municipalities of Latvia; secondly, the analysis also combined that same data with a total of eleven variables, by using bivariate correlation. The results show that during the first wave, Covid-19 incidence was relatively low. However, during the second wave, there were several large clusters of municipalities with a rather high number (over 500) confirmed Covid-19 cases per 10,000 inhabitants. Results of the correlation analysis suggest that geographical patterns of COVID-19 incidence were a result of a complex set of factors, varying throughout the country. Also, the presence of large clusters of municipalities with a rather high number of cases per capita (mostly) during the second wave points to the possible impact of proximity.
{"title":"Geography of two COVID-19 waves in Latvia","authors":"Elina Apsite-Berina, T. Skadins, G. Burgmanis, Z. Krisjane, M. Berzins","doi":"10.22364/fg.19.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22364/fg.19.2","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic and its waves of incidence have had a significant impact on our personal and professional lives. This has led to scholarly interest in various fields, including geography. A growing body of scholarly literature is trying to understand the reasons why some places were and still are more affected than others. The aim of this study was to shed light on the geography of the Covid-19 pandemic in Latvia and explain the geographical patterns of the pandemic during its first two waves. This was done, firstly, by mapping the number of cases per 10,000 in the municipalities of Latvia; secondly, the analysis also combined that same data with a total of eleven variables, by using bivariate correlation. The results show that during the first wave, Covid-19 incidence was relatively low. However, during the second wave, there were several large clusters of municipalities with a rather high number (over 500) confirmed Covid-19 cases per 10,000 inhabitants. Results of the correlation analysis suggest that geographical patterns of COVID-19 incidence were a result of a complex set of factors, varying throughout the country. Also, the presence of large clusters of municipalities with a rather high number of cases per capita (mostly) during the second wave points to the possible impact of proximity.","PeriodicalId":41656,"journal":{"name":"Folia Geographica","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91000012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elina Apsite-Berina, B. Bela, M. Berzins, Dina Bite, Z. Krisjane, J. Krumins, Zenija Kruzmetra, V. Ļubkina
This study exposes approaches to "collective creativity"by adopting a regional needs assessment through the World Café method. A multidisciplinary team of researchers and stakeholders worked together to identify needs within the region by using the World Café method and enhancing participation in policy-making. The paper aims to describe regional needs assessment as a useful approach for studying demographic and migration challenges in the regions of Latvia. The formal outcomes of the project are policy recommendations which have been used for the elaboration of planning documents at the national, regional and local level. Moreover, this approach also fostered positive collaborative practices among scientists and policymakers, including scientists who come from various disciplines and found a common platform for the solution of problems.
{"title":"Regional needs assessment: an approach to demographic and migration research","authors":"Elina Apsite-Berina, B. Bela, M. Berzins, Dina Bite, Z. Krisjane, J. Krumins, Zenija Kruzmetra, V. Ļubkina","doi":"10.22364/fg.18.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22364/fg.18.1","url":null,"abstract":"This study exposes approaches to \"collective creativity\"by adopting a regional needs assessment through the World Café method. A multidisciplinary team of researchers and stakeholders worked together to identify needs within the region by using the World Café method and enhancing participation in policy-making. The paper aims to describe regional needs assessment as a useful approach for studying demographic and migration challenges in the regions of Latvia. The formal outcomes of the project are policy recommendations which have been used for the elaboration of planning documents at the national, regional and local level. Moreover, this approach also fostered positive collaborative practices among scientists and policymakers, including scientists who come from various disciplines and found a common platform for the solution of problems.","PeriodicalId":41656,"journal":{"name":"Folia Geographica","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79032284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Riga stands out within Latvia as a significant pool of economic and education-related opportunities. Students and young people are traditionally more mobile and move towards destinations where self-advancement is accessible. Thus, this study aims to describe the human capital disequilibria in the regions of Latvia by analysing youth in the age group from 15 to 34 years and making a comparison between the years 2011 and 2018. The backbone of the study is an analysis of changes in regional unemployment rates and changes in the number of young people in certain regions outside the capital, as well as the general trend for the proportion of young people to decrease in some regions since 2011. The main research questions addressed are: how can the core-periphery model be applied to the regions of Latvia, and to what extent do economic opportunities explain regional inequality? The results indicate that Riga is a core, geographically, and the functionally related regions of Pieriga and Zemgale are semi-peripheral regions. However, the regions of Vidzeme, Latgale and Kurzeme are “places of lower rank” or peripheral regions, which are losing young people in the competition both with the core areas within the country and with other attractive destinations abroad.
{"title":"Regional human capital disequilibria: the case of youth migration in Latvia","authors":"Elina Apsite-Berina, G. Burgmanis, L. Prusakova","doi":"10.22364/fg.18.4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22364/fg.18.4","url":null,"abstract":"Riga stands out within Latvia as a significant pool of economic and education-related opportunities. Students and young people are traditionally more mobile and move towards destinations where self-advancement is accessible. Thus, this study aims to describe the human capital disequilibria in the regions of Latvia by analysing youth in the age group from 15 to 34 years and making a comparison between the years 2011 and 2018. The backbone of the study is an analysis of changes in regional unemployment rates and changes in the number of young people in certain regions outside the capital, as well as the general trend for the proportion of young people to decrease in some regions since 2011. The main research questions addressed are: how can the core-periphery model be applied to the regions of Latvia, and to what extent do economic opportunities explain regional inequality? The results indicate that Riga is a core, geographically, and the functionally related regions of Pieriga and Zemgale are semi-peripheral regions. However, the regions of Vidzeme, Latgale and Kurzeme are “places of lower rank” or peripheral regions, which are losing young people in the competition both with the core areas within the country and with other attractive destinations abroad.","PeriodicalId":41656,"journal":{"name":"Folia Geographica","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73000193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Līga Paparde, L. Kalniņa, Aija Ceriņa, I. Loze, Ivars Strautnieks, J. Dreimanis
{"title":"Evidence of palaeo-climate changes and their impact on sediment accumulation conditions in the Lubāns Stone-Age settlement areas","authors":"Līga Paparde, L. Kalniņa, Aija Ceriņa, I. Loze, Ivars Strautnieks, J. Dreimanis","doi":"10.22364/fg.17.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22364/fg.17.3","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":41656,"journal":{"name":"Folia Geographica","volume":"07 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86163199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ivars Strautnieks, Elīna Deksne, L. Kalniņa, Aija Ceriņa, Andra Štube
{"title":"Changes of the palaeo-geographical conditions in the Lake Usma depression during the end of the Late Glacial and the Holocene","authors":"Ivars Strautnieks, Elīna Deksne, L. Kalniņa, Aija Ceriņa, Andra Štube","doi":"10.22364/fg.17.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22364/fg.17.2","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":41656,"journal":{"name":"Folia Geographica","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80126087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
There are about 300 aerobiological monitoring stations in Europe, providing regular observational data on pollen and spore concentration in the air. The data is available with a delay of 12 weeks or even more, which makes direct use for model-based forecasting immensely problematic. Automatic real-time pollen monitors are too expensive for massive deployment. Therefore, the primary attention is presently being put either to forecasting models that do not use observations in daily routine or to alternative ways for near real-time equipment for pollen monitoring. One of the solutions is an adaptation of existing air quality equipment for the needs of aerobiological monitoring. This study performs an analysis of the GRIMM monitoring station capability for the afore-mentioned purposes.
{"title":"Fitness of air quality measurement equipment for real-time aerobiological monitoring: case study from Rīga","authors":"O. Ritenberga","doi":"10.22364/fg.17.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22364/fg.17.7","url":null,"abstract":"There are about 300 aerobiological monitoring stations in Europe, providing regular observational data on pollen and spore concentration in the air. The data is available with a delay of 12 weeks or even more, which makes direct use for model-based forecasting immensely problematic. Automatic real-time pollen monitors are too expensive for massive deployment. Therefore, the primary attention is presently being put either to forecasting models that do not use observations in daily routine or to alternative ways for near real-time equipment for pollen monitoring. One of the solutions is an adaptation of existing air quality equipment for the needs of aerobiological monitoring. This study performs an analysis of the GRIMM monitoring station capability for the afore-mentioned purposes.","PeriodicalId":41656,"journal":{"name":"Folia Geographica","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72651057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The tourism information system uniting tourism information providers is one of the important players within the tourism industry both for destination development and for tourists. Since the first tourism information providers in Latvia started operations in 1994 it has been important to evaluate the development of this sector of the overall tourism industry. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyse the achievements and challenges in the development of tourism information providers as part of the tourism information system in Latvia after 1991. For the purposes of reaching the objective of this paper, analysis and interviews with experienced managers of tourism information centres were used as the main research methods. The paper reveals that significant progress has been achieved in this area and tourism information providers have become important players for tourism development in Latvia at all levels – municipal, regional and national.
{"title":"Tourism information providers in Latvia: development and challenges","authors":"Daina Vinklere","doi":"10.22364/fg.16.21","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22364/fg.16.21","url":null,"abstract":"The tourism information system uniting tourism information providers is one of the important players within the tourism industry both for destination development and for tourists. Since the first tourism information providers in Latvia started operations in 1994 it has been important to evaluate the development of this sector of the overall tourism industry. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyse the achievements and challenges in the development of tourism information providers as part of the tourism information system in Latvia after 1991. For the purposes of reaching the objective of this paper, analysis and interviews with experienced managers of tourism information centres were used as the main research methods. The paper reveals that significant progress has been achieved in this area and tourism information providers have become important players for tourism development in Latvia at all levels – municipal, regional and national.","PeriodicalId":41656,"journal":{"name":"Folia Geographica","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79401438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Most important properties of the major soil and peat organic component – humic substances have been compared, depending on their origin, including the isolation, basic properties, and recent concepts about the structure of humic substances. The influence of humic substances on plant growth has been re-assessed in light of the growing use of humic products in agriculture, and the most prospective areas for humus application have been evaluated. The properties of humic substances possibly influencing their impact on plant growth and, in general, their role in the environment have been analysed. Peat humic substances have substantial potential for use in agriculture.
{"title":"Humic substances and the potential of their use in agriculture","authors":"M. Kļaviņš, J. Sire, L. Kļaviņa","doi":"10.22364/fg.17.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22364/fg.17.5","url":null,"abstract":"Most important properties of the major soil and peat organic component – humic substances have been compared, depending on their origin, including the isolation, basic properties, and recent concepts about the structure of humic substances. The influence of humic substances on plant growth has been re-assessed in light of the growing use of humic products in agriculture, and the most prospective areas for humus application have been evaluated. The properties of humic substances possibly influencing their impact on plant growth and, in general, their role in the environment have been analysed. Peat humic substances have substantial potential for use in agriculture.","PeriodicalId":41656,"journal":{"name":"Folia Geographica","volume":"2005 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86954284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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