Seasonality and landscapes Hannes Palang Tallinn University Estonia

Seasonality and landscapes Hannes Palang Tallinn University Estonia palang@tlu. ee

The two books • Palang, H. , Sooväli, H. , Printsmann, A. (eds) 2007: Seasonal Landscapes. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. • Special issue of Landscape Research, 2005, vol 30, no 2

Ephemeral or seasonal? • Brassley: ephemera are short-time phenomena, such as role of weather conditions, seasonal changes and annual variations. • Brassley and Qviström & Saltzman argue, the distinguishing between ephemeral and permanent in the landscape is crucial, but the division line seems to be cartographic praxis rather than landscape theory • Jones: Seasonal landscapes consist of phenomena that have a regular repeating rhythm

• Phenology – rhythms of nature • Rhythms of tourism, second homes, economy • Agricultural rhythms • Celebrating the seasons

Seasonal states of facies in the Angara taiga (after Krauklis 1979). Phases: 1. early spring; 2. late spring; 3. summer; 4. late summer; 5. autumn; 6. forewinter; 7. winter; 8. late winter. Thermal periods: a – without negative temperatures; б – positive temperatures interchanging with negative; в – without positive temperatures; г – negative temperatures interchanging with positive. Л – summer solstice; О – autumn equinox; З – winter solstice; В – spring equinox. Months: I-XII.

Landscape as communication accessibility • Roads closed • Visibility (as one form of accessibility) often increases during wintertime when deciduous trees have dropped their leaves. • freezing of the ground and waters may provide access to places that cannot be reached during some other time.

Winterways

In 1926, an Estonian farmer asks in an agricultural journal : “Can anybody make a road over my land in wintertime, when there is snow, in order to bring gravel? ” The answer: “Nobody has right to act on your land, and consequently has no right to cross the snow on your land also in wintertime. … When your property is damaged, you can sue the harmdoers. But as gravel is probably transported by horses which fertilise your land, you are not harmed. But one must not show wrongheadedness. ”

Jauhiainen 2007: • urban dwellers are much less dependent on seasonality than ruralites. In conditions of artificial light and temperature regimes we hardly notice the rhythm of change.

The snowstorm case • Kiili – latitude 59°N, 90 -110 days of snow annually • Nov 23, 2008 – 30 cm of snow, wind 30 m/sec • Three trucks got stuck, blocked a crossing, 700 children got trapped • The road was cleaned by that night, next morning smaller roads were still closed

Comments in the internet • The 4 WD vehicles blocked the road as they tried to pass the stuck cars • Local government failed, what if sth serious happened • Why the dance competition wasn’t cancelled? Why people didn’t stay home? • 4 WD people in fact helped others out

Nov 25, 20: 18 • Still stuck, haven’t seen a shadow of a snowplough, the local government sent me to hell, waiting for thaw to go shopping, can’t eat pasta any more. Will start saving money to buy a tank. Heard 4 tractors were cleaning the community center – thank you for remembering our small village

Thank you for your attention