NaturNet Plus Book (part 1)

NaturNet Plus
Computer Assisted Education for Environment Protection

Tomas MILDORF
Editor

Czech Centre for Science and Society

Prague 2011

NaturNet Plus 1

Peer reviewed by:
Dr. Maris Alberts
Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science
University of Latvia
Raina bulvaris 29, Riga, LV-1459, LATVIA

ISBN 978-80-904830-6-4

Copyright: NaturNet Plus Consortium 2011, All Rights Reserved
Section 4.1 under copyright to Správa Národního parku Podyjí.

Logo NaturNet – Redime under copyright to Michael Kordt, Germany

The NaturNet Plus project was funded under the Lifelong Learning Programme of the
European Commission (CZ/09/LLP-LdV/TOI/134009).

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Content
1. About the NaturNet Plus project 9
1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 9
1.2 Consortium ................................................................................................................. 9
1.3 Main objectives.......................................................................................................... 10
1.4 Workflow ................................................................................................................... 10
2. NaturNet Plus Tools 13
2.1 BizBiz ........................................................................................................................ 13
2.2 GeoGaming and GeoHosting ................................................................................... 13
2.3 Metadata Catalogue MICKA version 3.0 ................................................................. 15
2.3.1 Methods for metadata editing ............................................................................................... 16
2.3.2 Concept of work with spatial data ........................................................................................ 17
2.3.3 Concept of work with key names .......................................................................................... 18
2.3.4 Support of the INSPIRE project ............................................................................................ 18
2.3.5 Catalogue service ..................................................................................................................... 19
2.3.6 Extensions ................................................................................................................................ 20
2.4 HSlayers ..................................................................................................................... 21
2.5 PyWPS ....................................................................................................................... 24
2.6 Geohosting ................................................................................................................ 25
2.6.1 DataMan ................................................................................................................................... 26
2.6.2 MapMan ................................................................................................................................... 26
2.6.3 Usage of MapMan composition - Teredit ........................................................................... 28
2.7 Metadata extractor .................................................................................................... 28
2.8 Moodle ....................................................................................................................... 30
2.9 NaturNet Redime Uniform Resource Management ................................................ 30
2.10 Janitor ....................................................................................................................... 32
2.11 Matrix ........................................................................................................................ 33
3. Training Platform 37
3.1 Initial version of the platform from the NaturNet-Redime project ........................ 37
3.2 NaturNet Uniform Resource Management (URM) ................................................. 39
3.3 User communities ..................................................................................................... 40

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3.4 User expectations ...................................................................................................... 40
3.5 Basic components of the NaturNet Plus architecture .............................................. 41
3.5.1 Authorisation and Authentication Tools ............................................................................ 42
3.5.2 Library ...................................................................................................................................... 43
3.5.3 Information management tools ............................................................................................ 43
3.5.4 Discovery and visualisation ................................................................................................... 44
3.5.5 Social space .............................................................................................................................. 46
3.5.6 SimpleCMS .............................................................................................................................. 47
3.5.7 Video lecture tool BizBiz ........................................................................................................ 49
4. Destination management – pilot regions 53
4.1 Podyjí National Park ................................................................................................. 53
4.1.1 Local Area ................................................................................................................................ 53
4.1.2 Tourists ..................................................................................................................................... 55
4.1.3 Management of the Park ........................................................................................................ 57
4.1.4 Forest Management ................................................................................................................ 57
4.1.5 Natura 2000.............................................................................................................................. 58
4.1.6 Information System ................................................................................................................ 60
4.2 Ligatne ....................................................................................................................... 61
4.2.1 Local Area ................................................................................................................................ 61
4.2.3 Support for tourism ................................................................................................................ 63
4.2.4 Market strategy ........................................................................................................................ 63
4.2.5 SWOT Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 64
4.2.6 Ligatne’s web site ..................................................................................................................... 65
4.2.7 Data collection ......................................................................................................................... 66
4.3 Pārgauja ..................................................................................................................... 66
4.3.3 Description of the area ........................................................................................................... 68
4.3.4 Market strategy ........................................................................................................................ 69
4.3.5 Tourists ..................................................................................................................................... 69
4.3.6 SWOT Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 70

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4.3.7 Website ..................................................................................................................................... 70
4.4 Saulkrasti ................................................................................................................... 71
4.4.1 Saulkrasti municipality ........................................................................................................... 72
4.4.2 History ...................................................................................................................................... 73
4.4.3 Website ..................................................................................................................................... 75
4.5 Siauliai ....................................................................................................................... 76
4.5.1 The area .................................................................................................................................... 77
4.5.2 Information system ................................................................................................................. 80
4.5.4 Market strategy ........................................................................................................................ 81
4.5.5 Tourists ..................................................................................................................................... 82
4.5.6 SWOT Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 83
4.5.7 Website ..................................................................................................................................... 84
4.6 Šiauliai County .......................................................................................................... 85
4.6.1 The area .................................................................................................................................... 85
4.6.2 Akmenė .................................................................................................................................... 89
4.6.5 Website ..................................................................................................................................... 91
4.7 Joniškis ...................................................................................................................... 91
4.7.3 Market strategy ........................................................................................................................ 92
4.7.4 SWOT Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 93
4.7.5 Website ..................................................................................................................................... 93
4.8 Kelmė ......................................................................................................................... 94
4.8.3 Website ..................................................................................................................................... 95
4.9 Pakruojis ................................................................................................................... 96
4.9.3 SWOT Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 97

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4.9.4 Website ..................................................................................................................................... 97
4.10 Radviliškis ............................................................................................................... 98
4.10.1 Information system............................................................................................................... 98
4.10.2 Support for tourism .............................................................................................................. 99
4.10.3 SWOT Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 99
4.10.4 Website ................................................................................................................................... 99
4.11 Ali Terme ................................................................................................................100
4.11.1 Ali Terme Area .................................................................................................................... 100
4.11.2 Market Strategy ................................................................................................................... 101
4.11.3 Information System ............................................................................................................ 101
4.11.4 SWOT Analysis ................................................................................................................... 102
4.11.5 Website ................................................................................................................................. 102
4.12 Retezat Massif/ Retezat National Park ..................................................................103
4.12.1 History and Land Use......................................................................................................... 103
4.12.2 The area ................................................................................................................................ 104
4.12.4 Support for Tourism ........................................................................................................... 105
4.12.5 Market Strategy ................................................................................................................... 105
4.12.6 Tourists ................................................................................................................................. 106
4.12.7 SWOT Analysis ................................................................................................................... 107
4.13 West Stara Planina .................................................................................................108
4.13.1 The region as a tourist area................................................................................................ 108
4.13.2 Professional profile ............................................................................................................. 109
4.13.3 Income and sources of income of the households in the region .................................. 110
4.13.4 Natural heritage, species and habitats .............................................................................. 111
4.13.5 Support for Tourism ........................................................................................................... 112
4.13.6 Tourist opportunities ......................................................................................................... 112
4.13.8 Market Strategy ................................................................................................................... 114
4.13.9 Visitors profile ..................................................................................................................... 115
4.13.10 SWOT Analysis ................................................................................................................. 116

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Executive Summary
NaturNet Plus transfers methods and knowledge of the NaturNet-Redime project
(www.naturnet.org) to European regions and enterprises trough network of organizations in
Europe dealing with Environmental Education (Czech Centre for Science and Society (CCSS),
Videsprojekti, Ligatne, REC Bulgaria, REC Romania, AliTerme, SRPA). The project focus is on
the training of sustainable tourism management among the target regions and mainly in
sensitive areas as protected territories, national parks and costal zones. NaturNet plus will
combine educational materials and experiences from NaturNet-Redime project, with methods
of sustainable tourism introduced in REGEO and EMIRES projects.

The NaturNet plus educational system was designed and implemented by CCSS with focus on
multimedia and interactive tools for eLearning, particularly on tools for Environmental Impact
Assessment. The NaturNet Plus educational approach shares existing results and knowledge
and transfers an educational system for new users and conditions. The Web 2.0 based geoportal
solution opens new methodologies for future education based on social network sites.

Programme: Leonardo da Vinci
Sub-programme: Multilateral projects
Action: Transfer of Innovation
Start: October 2009
Duration: 24 months
Coordinator: Czech Centre for Science and Society

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Organisation of the book
Chapter 1 introduces the NaturNet Plus consortium, the main aims and objectives of the
NaturNet Plus project and the work flow leading to successfully achieve them.

The NaturNet Plus project performed an analysis of the existing tools for support of tourism in
pilot regions. This analysis was done during the user requirements analysis phase and the
results are summarised in Chapter 2.

Chapter 3 describes the design and the implementation of the training platform. On the basis of
user requirements the initial architecture of NaturNet Redime project was modified and
extended. The main focus was on introducing the principles of social networks into the
educational platform.

Chapter 4 reports the destination management of the pilot regions. Pilot regions provided
a material regarding destination management, SWOT analysis, data collection and made a link
to their home website. These tasks should support sustainable development of tourism in their
regions. The work has to lead to practical results implementation during the second year of the
project and this part demonstrates the progress.

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1. About the NaturNet Plus project

1.1 Introduction

Sustainable tourism is an important aspect of many European regions. It plays a crucial role in
regions including parks, protected areas and coastal zones. To be able to guarantee tourism
activities and development in regions, public servants have to be trained about potential
influence of investment in tourism on environment.

The development of the training activities within the NaturNet Plus project will be based on the
adoption of a Living Lab user-centred approach. The implementation of the training
programme includes extended cycles of user centred work. The trainees will continuously give
feedback to the research team about their experiences gained during the training. This will not
only increase the motivation of the trainees but it will also provide the necessary cross-links
between theory and practice.

The NaturNet Plus consortium aims to deliver a structured & reusable set of guidelines and
recommendations in all project languages (i.e. English, Czech, Latvian, Lithuanian, Italian,
Romanian and Bulgarian), which will further support the development and assessment of the
training programmes on the use of digital content and online resources for teaching and
learning.

The main tool that enables to share, publish, reuse and work with data (spatial and non-spatial)
is NaturNet Plus geoportal. The geoportal is a package of applications that allows you to work
with maps in web environment based on OGC Web Services.

1.2 Consortium

The NaturNet Plus Consortium is composed of 8 partners from 6 European Countries:

1. Czech Centre for Science and Society, Czech Republic (Coordinator)
2. Videsprojekti - State Ltd. Environmental projects, Latvia
3. Municipality of Ligatne, Latvia
4. Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Bulgaria
5. Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Romania
6. Municipality of Alì Terme, Italy
7. Siauliau Regional Development Agency, Lithuania
8. STEPIM s.a.s, Italy

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1.3 Main objectives

The NaturNet plus project is co-funded by the Leonardo da Vinci programme (Education &
culture DG, Lifelong Learning Programme). It started in October 2009 and lasted for 2 years.
NaturNet Plus transferred methods and knowledge of the NaturNet-Redime project
(www.naturnet.org) to European regions and enterprises trough network of organizations in
Europe dealing with Environmental Education (Czech Centre for Science and Society (CCSS),
Videsprojekti, Ligatne, REC Bulgaria, REC Romania, AliTerme, SRPA). The project focus was
on the training of sustainable tourism management among the target regions and mainly in
sensitive areas as protected territories, national parks and costal zones. NaturNet plus
combined educational materials and experiences from NaturNet-Redime project, with methods
of sustainable tourism introduced in REGEO and EMIRES projects. Using this network the
NaturNet results were made accessible to different groups of workers and public servants. The
NaturNet plus educational system was designed and implemented by CCSS with focus on
multimedia and interactive tools for eLearning, particularly on tools for Environmental Impact
Assessment. The NaturNet plus educational approach shared the existing results and
knowledge and transferred an educational system for new users and conditions. The Web 2.0
based solution opens new methodologies for future education based on social networks.
The project established newly generated educational content and introduced it through
innovative platform for vocational training and eLearning. The platform includes the following
components:

• Video lecturing
• URM implementation
• Matrix for Integrated Environmental Impact Assessment (IEIA)
• Tools for mobile learning
• Metadata with regional specific information
• Catalogue
• Geohosting

All project deliverables were introduced to the stakeholders through university centres for
distance learning and e-learning and certified centre for vocational training according to the
national law of each partner country.

1.4 Workflow

The project implementation process is divided into 5 workpackages (WPs):

• WP1: User Requirements Analysis and Evaluation of Existing Projects
• WP2: NaturNet Plus Computer Assisted Educational Processes
• WP3: NaturNet Plus Content
• WP4: Training and Validation
• WP5: Dissemination and Exploitation

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2. NaturNet Plus Tools
2.1 BizBiz

BizBiz is a web browser based e-conference collaboration and learning tool which allows
conference members to watch live video enabled presentations remotely from their computers.
It supports slideshows, webpage demonstration, synchronous pre-recorded video display, chat
and lecturers live narration using webcam provided video and audio. It does not require users
to install special software apart from modern web browser and java virtual environment and
most of the configuration connected with webcam and screencast is done automatically. Every
conference can be recorded, described with meta-data and published for later playback and
embedding. It focuses on providing a learning platform for spatial planning and GIS but can be
used also in other applications. BizBiz is free of charge and published under open source
licence in source forge.

2.2 GeoGaming and GeoHosting

GeoGaming and GeoHosting are two steps of using on line geographical information in
education. First method is mainly focused on younger students, they use in first stage
geographical information for simple gaming and in latest stage they define their own games.
Geohosting is more advanced way of usage geographical information on web in natural
sciences, environment protection etc, where students are trained how to search on Web for
geographical information, how they could prepare from existing information their own view
and in latest stage, how they can also published their own geographical information.

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Geo-game was designed as application for common web-site visitor, who wants to check
his/her knowledge of this north bohemian region. The web page is split into two parts: in the
left part, some phenomenon photographs, such as natural monument (cave, rock, lake, ...) or
human imprint (church, castle, ...) are shown and in the right part, interactive map of Liberec
region is displayed and user has to place marker on the position, he/she things, the
phenomenon is located. Then the right location is displayed together with user set location and
geographical distance is between set and real position is calculated. The users have to place up
to ten marks and at the end, mean value of distances between reality and users guess. User can
then store his/her name into table of best results. GeoGame editing enables users to store their
own photos with description.

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2.3 Metadata Catalogue MICKA version 3.0

MIcKa is a complex solution for metadata management and for Spatial Data Infrastructure
(SDI) and geoportal building. It contains tools for editing and management of metadata for
spatial information, web services and other sources (documents, web sites, etc.). It includes
their search on the Internet, portrayal in map or download to local computer.

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MIcKA is compatible with obligatory standards for European SDI building (INSPIRE).
Therefore, it is ready to be connected with other nodes of prepared network of metadata
catalogues (its compatibility with pilot European geoportal is continuously tested).

The main features and functions of the metadata catalogue are listed here:
• Functionality with metadata for spatial data (ISO 19115)
• Functionality with metadata for services (ISO 19119)
• Functionality with Dublin Core metadata (ISO 15836)
• Functionality with Feature catalogue (ISO 19110)
• Support of OGC CSW 2.0.2 (catalogue service)
• Functionality with metadata user profiles
• Support of INSPIRE metadata profile
• Web interface for metadata editing
• Multilingual (both user interface and metadata records). Currently following languages
are supported: Czech, English, German, French, Latvian, Polish. It is possible to
dynamically extend the system for other languages.
• Context help (multilingual)
• Import of the following metadata formats are supported:

o ESRI ArcCatalog,
o ISO 19139,
o MIDAS
o OGC services (WMS, WFS, WCS, CSW)
o Feature catalogue XML

• Export – ISO 19139, GeoRSS
• Support of thesauruses and gazetteers.
• Display of changes by using GeoRSS
• User templates for appearance and functionality management.
• Possibility of map client connection for display of on-line map services.

System requirements for the metadata catalogue:
• Relational database (ORACLE >= 9, PostgreSQL >= 8.0, MS-SQL >= 2005, or other SQL
databases)
• PHP >= 5.2, support of XSLT
• Independent on Operating system

2.3.1 Methods for metadata editing

Metadata are stored in relational database and edited by dynamically generated forms.
Therefore it is possible to amend other standards or profiles. It is possible to switch between
profiles while editing. Individual profiles can be distributed into sections. With help of control
elements it is possible to double individual items, choose from code list or connect supporting
applications. Control of mandatory filled items is enabled while editing.

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2.3.2 Concept of work with spatial data

MIcKA enables to enter spatial extent of metadata:
• By choosing bounding box directly in map. All maps (for coordinates input or metadata
extent display) are realised through connected WMS. Any WMS server can be connected.
• By search in gazetteer. Access to gazetteers is realised through connection to WFS server.
By default WFS from HSRS server is connected. It serves administrative division of the
Czech Republic and Europe (up to NUTS3 level). The software is possible to connect to
any WFS server.

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2.3.3 Concept of work with key names

The system enables in accordance with standards classification of records according to:
• Thematic ISO categories (mandatory for datasets)
• Key words

o entered by user (arbitrary)
o chosen from thesaurus
o In compliance with INSPIRE requirements parts of the system are:
o GEMET thesaurus service client - data classification
o service code list

Key words are inserted in order to enable multilingual search.

Support of GEMET thesaurus and service classification according to INSPIRE

2.3.4 Support of the INSPIRE project

• INSPIRE metadata profile is part of the system
• Choice from key words from GEMET thesaurus
• Choice from key words from code list of INSPIRE services
• Continuous control of metadata completeness according to the INSPIRE profile
• Batch control of completeness of INSPIRE profile
• Implementation of catalogue service according to OGC CSW 2.0.2 standard

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Module for batch control of INSPIRE profile

2.3.5 Catalogue service

Catalogue service is part of the system. It is based on OpenGIS® Catalogue Services
Specification – profile Catalogue Service for Web (CSW) and OpenGIS® Catalogue Services
Specification 2.0.2 - ISO Metadata Application Profile standards.

Supported operations are:
• Basic: GetCapabilities, DescribeRecord, GetRecords, GetRecordById
• Editing: (CSW-T): Transaction, Harvest
• Inquiry items: according to standards
• Extensions: export to GeoiRSS and KML

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Extent of metadata records as an output of GeoRSS in Google Maps.

2.3.6 Extensions

To basic MIcKA application the following modules can be connected:

• CatClient – catalogue service client. It enables to search data in configuration-enabled list
of connected catalogues. Accessible web services can be displayed directly in the
connected map viewer. CatClient can be installed also separately without basic system
MIcKA. It is elementary and the most important component of metaportal / geoportal.
There are two versions available. Both can be modified according to the user needs.
• WMS Viewer – display of map compositions from available services.
• Micka - Lite – is an application with simple control that contains configuration-enabled
form for metadata acquisition in INSPIRE profile and ISO 19139 format. Metadata is
possible to store on local disk or send through CSW into MIcKA catalogue.
• Metadata Extractor – enables automatic retrieval of metadata from various sources (texts,
images, voice files, web pages, etc.) and their insert into metadata storage using CSW-T.
• Download Manager – batch download of data from data storage for defined territory on
the basis of information contained in metadata.
• The system MIcKA can be further integrated with other applications. The system is
suitable not only for metadata for spatial data management but basically as a tool for
central management and evidence of various types of information (documents, data,
applications, services, etc.)

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2.4 HSlayers

The set of tools HS Layers is used in new generations of our map applications. It is based on
JavaScript libraries OpenLayers1 and ExtJS2. Using these tools it is possible to create
applications according to user needs. These applications can vary from simple maps accessible
through a web site to complicated applications that are similar to desktop GIS tools in their
control and functionality. HSLayers are offered in two versions light and portal. Their
functionality is nearly the same. They differ in their character.

1 http://openlayers.org/
2 http://www.extjs.com/products/extjs/

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HSLayers features are coming up from OpenLayers and therefore their characteristics are as
follows:
• Portrayal of various types of data:

o Raster: OGC WMS(-T), Image (PNG, JPEG, GIF), …
o Vector: OGC WFS(-T), GML, GeoRSS, KML, GPX, GeoJSON, …
o Data sources from commercial servers: Google Maps, Virtual Earth, Yahoo Maps, …

• The user interface (use control) adheres to current conventions in web map portals.
• Information about queried objects in text bubbles.

HSLayers additional functions:

• Dynamic adding of OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) services into map - clients for
WMS and WFS
• Portrayal of independent data sources on the client side. Map composition is composed on
the basis of requests to various servers. It is thus not necessary to install a map server.
• Saving of map composition according to WMC (Web Map Context) OGC specification on
user computer for repeated future use or for sharing between users.
• Extension of compute functions based on WPS (Web Processing Service) OGC service -
according to user needs
• Multilingual environment
• Map requests to various types of data stored on various servers, with automatic processing
of results
• Work with micro-formats
• Search on the map
• On-the-fly projection on client side including S-JTSK coordinate system (direct portrayal
of e.g. GPS data is therefore possible)
• Connection of the application with catalogue client (OGC CSW) in the geoportal, which
enables display of the searched service from catalogue directly on the map.
• Edit function - snapping to chosen layers
• Possibilities for advanced configuration of user requests
• Advanced measuring of length and surfaces
• Print of map compositions - possibility of large print outs (up to A0 format), user
configuration of print settings
• Display of description information of cadastre directly from COSMC web site.

Contact us in case you are interested in more detailed information.

22 NaturNet Plus

Tourism portal Posazavi: A map is a part of the web site.

Light version of HSLayers is used to build into web sites. Its functionality might be limited in
comparison with the portal version, especially in user comfort (the light version does not use
ExtJS library as the user interface). Regardless, some components using ExtJS library can be
used in the light version according to user needs.

Czech INSPIRE Geoportal

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The Geoportal version is a heavy version of the web based map viewer HSLayers. Beside a map
with the necessary control features (layer management, length measurements, map inquiries
throughout all displayed layers, print, etc.), catalogue client, MapMan (tool for creation map
compositions, supplied by Help Forest), authentification module, metadata editor MIcKA,
other features can be used. All components are interconnected and communicate with each
other.

2.5 PyWPS

PyWPS is project, which is developed since 2006, and tries to implement OGC WPS standard
in it's 1.0.0 version. It is written in Python programming language. The main goal of PyWPS is,
that it has been written from the beginning, with direct support for GRASS GIS. So, PyWPS
can be understand, as kind of translation library, which translates requests complain to WPS
standard, overhands them to GRASS GIS or other command line tool (such as GDAL/OGR,
PROJ.4 or R statistical package), monitors the calculation progress and informs the user and
after the calculation is completed, it returns back it's result. PyWPS released under terms of
GNU/GPL licence. Currently, version 3.1.0 is available.

PyWPS implementation

Visibility analysis for a wind generator with the height of 100 m

24 NaturNet Plus

2.6 Geohosting

The main objective of Geohosting is offer services supporting creation of a spatial data sharing
system with possibility to publish data for any users having access to Web. System is based on
open formats and is open for interaction with other SDI platforms. It could be used in
education, but also could be solution for researchers and small data providers. The system is
developed on the OpenSource platforms (MapServer, GeoServer) and contains both common
visualisation and data sharing and metadata and catalogue functionality.

The Geohosting system is able to work both with data stored directly on the internal server and
with information accessible via web services. Data are saved in geodatabase by default, but the
system is able to work also with data in individual files of different formats. Data repositories
are represented by the File Repository and the GeoDatabase. Individual SW system
components are:

Data Exchange Management – a subsystem which provides physical access to data, import and
export of data in files to the Geodatabase and back, access to data via web services providing
original data (e.g., WFS), data editing (from a desktop or web client), access to data in mobile
applications (mediated through Mobile Data Editor Interface). This is the main component
which is worked out in the first stage of the EartLookCZ Project primarily for the WFS service.
Implementation of the DataMan subsystem from the Geohosting system is proposed for
purposes of the portal.
Mobile Data Editor Interface – a subsystem allowing data to become accessible for mobile
applications and their editing in situ. The solution is not tied to a specific platform of a map
client (ArcPad, FieldCheck, TopoLCE, etc. can be used).
Data Publication Management – a subsystem which facilitates management of geographical
data and their publication. It allows combining several data sources (internal database data,
files and web services) to generate new map compositions, and facilitates their publication
either directly in a selected map visualization client (e.g., DHTML, GoogleMap) or in the form
of a new WMS web service. Implementation requires utilization and adjusting of the MapMan
component.
HS Layers application based on Open Source SW OpenLayers has been used as Visualization
Client. This component can be integrated also into other web applications.
Authorization Service provides the users with access to the portal and to individual functions
on the basis of their authorization.
Metadata and Catalogue System facilitates searching for data sources and generating of
metadata records. The system complies with INSPIRE requirements and ISO 19XXX standards,
and allows cascade searching in other standardized catalogue systems. The system has been
based on the current Metadata Portal which is operated by the CENIA Agency. Micka System,
under development by the Help Service Remote Sensing company, is proposed as a metadata
and catalogue system.
Newly published web services for geodata has been made in accordance with the OGC norms.

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Desktop editor in the diagram represents one of the ways how a user could be enabled to edit
geographical data. Any SW allowing work with vector data can be used as an editor;
a possibility to download and use SW Janitor, which is being developed by the GIS laboratory
of the CENIA Agency as a freeware, is offered by default in the framework of the national
GMES portal.

2.6.1 DataMan

DataMan is a web application designed to make users’ data accessible in the web environment.
Data can be made accessible either in the form of a geodatabase or individual files can be
uploaded directly on the internal server. DataMan works by default with PostGIS database, but
other databases accessible through the ODBC interface can be also accessed on the basis of
authorization. In the selected database, new tables can be made, their structure can be
modified, or they can be deleted. It is also possible to make copies of existing tables and to
modify these copies. Geographical data (points, lines, and areas) is being saved in the databases,
and additional information of various data types (number, string, date and time, logic value)
can be added to each table. This functionality can be used for example if the user needs an
option to create his own database for geographical objects, which he could then edit directly in
situ, perhaps using the Teredit application. The database table can be thus generated, edited
and published by the user in MapMan.

Another function of DataMan is the possibility of uploading files with geographical data on the
server. TIFF/GeoTIFF, JPEG, GIF, PNG and other raster data can be used and so can also SHP,
DGN, DWG, GML and other vector data. In certain cases it is also possible to import vector
data directly into the geodatabase and use them for example during a mobile collection of data.
In publishing operations, metadata publication is facilitated also in the Micka system.

2.6.2 MapMan

MapMan, a web system for spatial data management, allows integration of data accessible
through standardized web services (WMS, WFS) with spatial data saved in internal databases
and files. All these data sources can be used for generating new map compositions in the web
environment. Thus made map compositions can be displayed by the user in several ways –
either in classic web browsers (OpenLayers, GoogleMap, DHTML client) or in desktop
browsers (GoogleEarth). The possibility to publish these new compositions as a completely new
WMS web service, or possibly as a WFS, constitutes, however, a significant part.

Map Project Manager is an upgrade of the UMN MapServer system, which is being developed
at the University of Minnesota. MapMan exploits the functionality of MapServer especially in
coordinate system transformation and in communication with various web services.

Project Editor constitutes the basic component of MapMan, it integrates the individual
connectors onto data sources along with publication functionality. Project Editor is
interconnected with Layers Storage and Symbol Storage, where individual layers and symbols
can be saved. An important feature of the system is its interconnection to the metadata

26 NaturNet Plus

catalogue, which facilitates searching out of required data from external sources on the basis of
metadata and also collection and publication of metadata on newly made map compositions.

Project Editor.

Data sources can be interconnected in several different ways. Internal data sources (i.e. data
accessible on the internal server) can be saved in databases or in files. At present SHP files and
PostGIS are the supported files and databases; however, connectors for other databases and file
types can be also relatively easily implemented.

Data files are saved in predefined data directories accessible to MapMan. External data stored
on remote servers are connected through WMS and WFS web services.

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2.6.3 Usage of MapMan composition - Teredit

Teredit is a special tool for data collection in the field, data transfer from a mobile device (PDA,
notebook) to a server and for generating a project for data collection. The data can be collected
and saved onto a server in on-line or off-line mode. Teredit is a global component system
where the components are interconnected via a multilevel architecture. Primary data collection
provides a “Mobile GIS Editor” – it can be any available data collected software (e.g. ArcPad for
PDA) which is up to standard of functionality and communication. The second side is the
internal server of the company where the data will be stored. Teredit constitutes a bridge
between these two sides.
Teredit uses web services for data transfer. Web Map Services (WMS) will be used for transfer
of referential layers, Web Features Services (WFS) will provide transfer of vector data for
editing. The system is proposed with transaction functionality.

2.7 Metadata extractor

Metadata extractor is a tool to extract available metadata directly from different files
(documents, presentation, etc.), edit this metadata and publish metadata and files on URM
portal. Other possibility is extract metadata (and then edit) directly from existing URL
addresses and store metadata on URM portal. Access to information is then through direct
URL addresses.

28 NaturNet Plus

Currently metadata extractor supports
• publishing documents on the portal – you can select any type of file on your computer,
extract and edit metadata and published this file on portal:

• publishing of links to existing Web pages only putting URL of Web pages to extractor:

NaturNet Plus 29

• or published directly new Web pages stored in Zip file. These Web pages are directly
accessible through URM portal:

2.8 Moodle

A course management system (CMS) Moodle is Open Source software package which helps
educators create effective online learning courses and websites. The software is used all over the
world by universities, schools, companies and independent teachers. Moodle is modular in
construction and can readily be extended by creating plugins for specific new functionality.
Moodle's infrastructure supports many types of plugin such as activities, resource types,
question types, data field types (for the database activity), graphical themes, authentication
methods, enrollment methods, content filters.

2.9 NaturNet Redime Uniform Resource Management

The main objective of URM will be easy description, discovery and validation of relevant
information sources. URM will ensure that any user can easily discover, evaluate and use
relevant information. The free text engine (eg. Google) can’t be used due to the fact that in
many cases a user obtains thousands, if not millions, of irrelevant links. This happens because
the free text engines does not fully recognise the context of researched information. The
context characterises any information, knowledge and observation. Context strongly influences
the way how the information will be used. There are different definitions of context in
existence. The important issues for the context are:
• to identity of an entity;
• to profile of an entity;
• spatial information;
• temporal information;
• environmental information;

30 NaturNet Plus

• social relation;
• resources that are nearby;
• availability of resources.

Many context attributes characterize the environmental information or knowledge. From the
point of view of context, the information or knowledge could be divided into different parties:
• Information or knowledge provider i.e. a party supplying the resource;
• Custodian, accepts accountability and responsibility for the resources and ensures
appropriate care and maintenance of the resource;
• Owner of the resource;
• User, who uses the resource;
• Distributor who distributes the resource;
• Originator who created the resource;
• Point of Contact to be contacted for acquiring knowledge about or acquisition of the
resource;
• Principal investigator responsible for gathering information and conducting research;
• Processor who has processed the data in a manner such that the original resource has been
modified;
• Publisher, i.e. party who published the resource;
• Author, i.e. party who authored the resource.

A possibility for solving the discovery problem within a context is to use metadata for
standardised description of any information, knowledge, data sources, sensors, etc. In
combination with standardised lists of terms (controlled vocabularies or thesaurus,
standardised way of geometric location, gazetteers and controlled list of categories), it will
increase efficiency of discovery of requested knowledge, information or data sources.
Metadata is descriptive information about an object or a resource whether it is physical or
electronic. While metadata itself is relatively new, the underlying concepts behind metadata
have been used for as long as collections of information have been organized. Library card
catalogues represent a well-established type of metadata that has served as collection
management and resource discovery tools for decades. Metadata can be generated either "by
hand" or derived automatically using software.

The basic components, of URM could be divided into followings topics:
• Metadata scheme, which define structure, which could be used for description of
information
• Thesaurus - These are well known examples of hierarchical systems for representing
subject taxonomies in terms of the relationships between named concepts.
• Geospatial thesaurus - Geospatial thesaurus supported search about geospatial object (for
example gazetteers, GeoParcers, Geocoders)
• Catalogue service. Service that provides discovery and management services on a store of
metadata about instances. The metadata may be for dataset instances, e.g., dataset
catalogue, or may contain service metadata, e.g., service catalogue. ISO 19115 is relevant
to catalogue service for dataset metadata.

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The URM supporting tools are part of portals, for registered users, which support direct
publishing of knowledge n URM portal.

A course management system (CMS) Moodle is Open Source software package which helps
educators create effective online learning courses and websites. The software is used all over the
world by universities, schools, companies and independent teachers.

The objective of video lecture module is to support on line lecture given by tutor using video
streaming. The technology was developed inside of Naturnet Redime project using VLC library
and is now published under Open Source licence. It supports an on line training using only
internet browser by students.

2.10 Janitor

Map services can also be displayed in applications run on the user’s side, which support more
advanced user functionalities. One such application is, for example, the application Jan Map,
which is a part of the System for Data Analysis and Synthesis called Janitor.

Janitor is a system designed for the gathering, storing and organising, analysis and synthesis of
data, which enables the integration of third parties’ solutions with the support of the access to
data of remote data servers.

Janitor provides a tool which makes it possible to use the data for so-called small to medium-
sized solutions or which can form a significant complement to robust solutions oriented at GIS

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system implementation. The architecture of the system takes into account the deepening
integration and support of the OGC as well as other standards.

Janitor makes it possible to:
• collect data through mobile devices and verify these data in situ;
• localize data by means of GPS or draw into GIS environment;
• store data in a database, a file in a workstation as well as in a remote storage facility
through pre-prepared forms;
• administer and update data, verify their content (validation);
• gain information through data analysis and synthesis;
• publish data using third-party portals or solutions;
• effectively integrate third-party solutions;
• The Janitor system includes the following components;
• JanMap – enables the processing of spatial data and their attributes;
• JanDat – enables efficient work with tables; supports the JanMap application, namely the
processing of attributes;
• SQLTools – makes it possible to process data from a remote database server;
• ConnAdmin – provides connection to remote servers;
• DataBuilder – makes it possible to easily and efficiently design form sets for entering and
viewing data.

2.11 Matrix

Based on the recognition that ecosystems provide the basis for life on Earth, it is the sustainable
development (SD) and management of these services that enables continued human health and
welfare. However, prosperity also depends on continued economic development whereby
industrial growth and the expansion of built-up areas and their associated infrastructures often
exert negative impact on people and their social and natural environment.

To be sustainable, development needs to balance the environmental, social and economic
interests and expectations of societies. This is a complex, multi- and cross-disciplinary process
which is based on many determinants rendering the understanding and therefore acceptance of
SD a difficult task for most people.

In order to make the ordinary person aware of some of the issues that need to be considered in
SD and to illustrate the complexity involved in achieving its aims, the NaturNet-Redime (NNR)
project seeks to demonstrate the role and interaction of some of these interests and parameters
that are so important for SD through the example of the integrated Environmental Impact
Assessment (iEIA) methodology.

This educational objective will be achieved with the help of an e-learning module for SD that
deals with the topical example of the construction and assessment of the potential impacts
caused by a wind generator. The user will be able to select and interpret a variety of data,
perform simple analyses of the impacts the environmental, social and economic parameters are

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exposed to and enter the results in the corresponding conflict matrices. These impacts can be
judged “Zero”, “Low”, “Medium” or “High”.

Example conflict matrix with environmental parameters.

Example conflict matrix with social parameters.

Example conflict matrix with economic parameters.

This module is specifically designed for Internet users such as ordinary citizens, pupils or
students and is using standardised e-learning software. Based on a broad introduction into SD,
this practical e-learning module will provide focussed tasks for the user investigating and
assessing examples of related environmental, social and economic parameters – whereby the
assembly and interactions of these parameters represent the approach that conforms with the
concept of SD. Opportunities are also provided for additional investigation by those users who
wish to develop their interest in SD in more depth.

This SD e-learning module will guide the user through a simplified iEIA process, whereby s/he
will be able to gather information on the context and detail of the environmental, social and
economic parameters that form the background of the proposed infrastructure development.
The user will be supported by pertinent multi-media information - such as environmental,
socio-cultural and economic data, which is presented as text, links, photographs, movies,
sound, etc. Relevant geographical information will be provided by one of the regional
administrations that is participating in the NNR Project. This information will be made
accessible through the newly-developed distributed web services of the NNR Internet Portal

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and the analysis of this geographical data may be carried out as part of the learning activity
online, demonstrating the application of geographic information in sustainable development in
Europe. The potential for the provision of facilities for the use of mobile devices in an outdoor
environment is being discussed at present enabling the verification and/or adding of actual data
to the iEIA database.

An example of the application of such geographic information is the analysis of the visual
impact of a wind generator with a height of 100 m. The analysis is conducted by calculating
visibility based on elevation data and overlaying this information with a further geographic
layer containing the adjacent urban area. As a result, the user can interpret the visibility of the
wind generator in respect to the area it covers (highlighted in blue). The user will be able to
interpret the selected data, perform a simple analysis of the impacts the multiple parameters are
exposed to and enter the results in a conflict matrix. These impacts can be judged “Zero”,
“Low”, “Medium” or “High”.

The result indicates that due to topographic conditions the vast majority of the citizens of
Jihlava cannot see the wind generator and allows a conclusion as to the level of impact this
causes. On the basis of the preceding study made by the user of the issue of the parameter
“Landscape & Visibility” and depending on the importance s/he attributes to the resulting
impact, the correspondent rating is entered into the conflict matrices as shown in the example
below.

Environmental conflict matrix showing impact rating entered.

The combined impact ratings selected by the user for all the parameters contained in the
environmental, social and economic conflict matrices will provide an overview of the overall
impact of the assumed development and present one of a series of possible outcomes which in
its totality represents a particular state of SD. As these possible outcomes directly relate to the
particular preferences selected by the user they will be.

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3. Training Platform
3.1 Initial version of the platform from the NaturNet-Redime project

The NaturNet Plus educational platform is based on the former NaturNet Redime portal. The
initial portal will be adopted and modified on the basis of User Needs analysis.

The NaturNet Redime portal for presentation and sharing of knowledge and tools about
European sustainability was not established as a single application offering people information
or learning content. It was built as an interoperable network, with effective exchange of
information, knowledge, services, etc.

The NaturNet-Redime version of portal offered the following possibilities:

• Publishing of metadata
• Searching for information
• Composite different information
• Visualising information
• Providing training
• WikiMedia
• Videoconferencing
• Support for qualitative reasoning

The NaturNet-Redime platform was designed as a wide range of tools and functions, which
provides data combinations from various sources.

NaturNet Plus 37

NaturNet-Redime Deployment model.

38 NaturNet Plus

The NaturNet-Redime portal was established for presenting and sharing of knowledge and
tools about European sustainability. This educational system was open to other existing
interoperable systems. The system was possible to use for awareness about tools developed in
running and future FP6 projects. The publishing of these tools and information on the
NaturNet Redime portal was possible without interaction of the NaturNet-Redime portal
programmers. It was possible to publish the data directly through the NaturNet-Redime
metadata system Micka. The NaturNet-Redime portal supported publishing of spatial
information using OGC Web services and also publishing of any information and tools
accessible on the Internet.

3.2 NaturNet Uniform Resource Management (URM)

The main objective of URM was easy description, discovery and validation of relevant
information sources. URM ensures that any user can easily discover, evaluate and use relevant
information. Context strongly influences the way how the information will be used. There are
different definitions of context in existence. Many context attributes characterize the
environmental information or knowledge. From the point of view of context, the information
or knowledge could be divided into different parts:

• Information or knowledge provider i.e. a party supplying the resource.
• Custodian accepts accountability and responsibility for the resources and ensures
appropriate care and maintenance of the resource.
• Owner of the resource.
• User, who uses the resource.
• Distributor who distributes the resource.
• Originator who created the resource.
• Point of contact to be contacted for acquiring knowledge about or acquisition of the
resource.
• Principal investigator responsible for gathering information and conducting research.
• Processor who has processed the data in a manner such that the original resource has been
modified.
• Publisher, i.e. party who published the resource.
• Author, i.e. party who authored the resource.

A possibility for solving the discovery problem within a context is to use metadata for
standardised description of any information, knowledge, data sources, sensors, etc. In
combination with standardised lists of terms (controlled vocabularies or thesaurus,
standardised way of geometric location, gazetteers and controlled list of categories), it will
increase efficiency of discovery of requested knowledge, information or data sources. Metadata
is descriptive information about an object or a resource whether it is physical or electronic.
While metadata itself is relatively new, the underlying concepts behind metadata have been
used for as long as collections of information have been organized.

NaturNet Plus 39

3.3 User communities

NaturNet Plus is mainly targeting the following groups:

• On local level – the project partners (politicians and decision makers in the field of
environment and tourism, regional and local governments, cities, ...)
• On regional and interregional level (public authorities, private companies, associations,
universities, tourist offices, tourist industry)
• On national and European level (expert panels on basic issues of sustainable tourism,
professional associations, universities and other relevant research centres)
• Citizens and different tourist social networks (this groups are main users of tourist
services) - their opinion is most important for local authorities and tourist services
providers. Their involvement is also important for education of other groups. Their need
has to be satisfied by tourist services. Involvement of this group is a complex process and
it requires new techniques supporting the interconnection with existing social tourist
networks.

New NaturNet portal has to support the involvement and participation on educational
processes from all the groups.

3.4 User expectations

On the basis of the analysis of user needs there were identified the following priorities:

• Sustainable tourism as a tool of development in natural sensitive areas - Experience from
previous European projects like EMIRES, REGEO, NaturNet Redime project etc. How to
organise tourism, how to promote regions, collaboration of tourist providers, the tools for
promoting and the tools for collaboration.
• Collaborative gaming as a tool for promoting of environment and cultural heritage.
• Political consequences of sustainable development principles on local and regional level
(in relation to regional and local development activities) - the training will be focused on
local and regional decision makers to inform their about requirements coming from
principles of sustainable development for local and regional level. What will be necessary
to do and how the implementation should be organised organised on local.
• OpenStreet network - OpenStreet network base model for building of global information
system supporting tourism in rural and natural regions.
• Collaborative Sustainable and Environment Impacts Assessment methodology -
Collaborative Sustainable and Environment Impacts Assessment methodology from
NaturNet Redime Matrix. How related information for SEIA and EIA could be managed
and published. What is the reason, why is it important to involve citizens and stakeholders
in this processes. Relation to other activities as planning and territorial decision.
• Using spatial information for tourist support - Using spatial information for tourist
support, planning, EIA, SEIA. What is the current status of working with spatial
information based on the INSPIRE directive, what are the available tools, how data could
be used, collected, published and shared.

40 NaturNet Plus

3.5 Basic components of the NaturNet Plus architecture

To be possible to cover the interests and needs of all user groups, to support their direct
participation, redesign of initial the NaturNet Redime architecture was provided. The redesign
was realised in such way, that all the initial functionalities of the NaturNet Redime portal are
supported, but more Web 2.0 tools are implemented to support better integration of portal
with social networks.

Basic NaturNet Plus Architecture Components

NaturNet Plus 41

3.5.1 Authorisation and Authentication Tools

Authorisation and authentication tools will manage access to all components of the system and
also to the relevant data and information resources. Non authorised person will have possibility
only to:

• search and visualise free content using Discovery and Visualisation Modules;
• passive usage of free lecture in on line lecture tools;
• passive access to the content in Social Space.

All other users will have an access to different level of functionality on the basis of their user
groups. Access right will give them possibility to see content on the basis of their rights
including publish information in library, using on line lecture tools or social space, etc.

Diagram of the authorisation phase.

42 NaturNet Plus

3.5.2 Library

Library is a set of tools that allow the information management on the server. The information
can have the following forms:

• Digital maps;
• Files (e.g. document, images, videos);
• Links to external information sources;
• Management of non-structured documents;
• Learning lecture (this part is used mainly for the purpose of interoperability with former
portal).

3.5.3 Information management tools

The tools supporting the information management are:

• Metadata catalogue - Micka;
• Support for management and publishing of spatial data – Geohosting including DataMan,
MapMan;
• Support for publishing of files and external information sources – Metadata extractor;
• Learning Management System – Moodle;
• Management of non-structured information - MediaWiki.

3.5.3.1 MediaWiki

MediaWiki is a free server-based software, that is licensed under the GNU General Public
License (GPL). It's designed to be run on a large server farm for a website that gets millions of
hits per day. MediaWiki is extremely powerful, scaleable software and a feature-rich wiki
implementation, that uses PHP to process and display data stored in its MySQL database.Pages
use MediaWiki's wikitext format, so that users without knowledge of XHTML or CSS can edit
them easily.

When a user submits an edit to a page, MediaWiki writes it to the database, but without
deleting the previous versions of the page, thus allowing easy reverts in case of vandalism or
spamming. MediaWiki can manage image and multimedia files, too, which are stored in the file
system. For large wikis with lots of users, MediaWiki supports caching and can be easily
coupled with Squid proxy server software. Wikitext language or wiki markup is a markup
language that offers a simplified alternative to HTML and is used to write pages in wiki
websites. Wikitext is text in this language.

There is no commonly accepted standard wikitext language. The grammar, structure, features,
keywords and so on are dependent on the particular wiki software used on the particular
website. For example, all wikitext markup languages have a simple way of hyperlinking to other
pages within the site, but there are several different syntax conventions for these links. Many
wikis, especially the earlier ones, use CamelCase to mark words that should be automatically

NaturNet Plus 43

linked. In many modern wikis (such as Wikipedia and other MediaWiki-based wikis) this
convention was abandoned in favour of explicit link markup, e.g. with [[…]].

Some wiki programs allow extensive optional use of HTML tags within wikitext, others
a smaller subset, and still others no HTML at all. In some cases, restrictions on HTML may be
determined by each site that uses the program.

MediaWiki, the software that runs Wikipedia, has a wiki markup language that allows many
common HTML tags, but provides a simple, readable syntax that is intended to allow users to
use it without knowing HTML.

3.5.4 Discovery and visualisation

Discovery and visualisation will allow to both, registered and non-registered users to access
information (according their rights) on the discovery necessary information and their
visualisation. This part of services support not only visualisation on the NaturNet portal, but
also on other portals. The discovery services support search through multiple commentary
portals. Maps will be visualised using special client on portal, other type of information by tools
related to this concrete type of information on clients’ computers.

44 NaturNet Plus

3.5.4.1 Discovery services - Catalogue

Catalogue services are the key technology for locating, managing and maintaining distributed
geo-resources (i.e. geospatial data, applications and services). With OGC catalogue services,
client applications are capable of searching for geo-resources in a standardized way (i.e.
through standardized interfaces and operations) and, ideally, they are based on a well-known
information model, which includes spatial references and further descriptive (thematic)
information that enables client applications to search for geo-resources in very efficient ways.

Whereas interfaces and operations of OGC catalogue services are well defined, it is left up to
the developer of the system to define a specific information model which a catalogue service
instance provides. This includes, but is not limited to, the information which can be inserted in
the catalogue, supported query languages, available search terms, response/result sets, etc. This
point is of major importance with respect to interoperability between different catalogue
service instances.

Catalogue services are based on system Micka. It is based on OpenGIS® Catalogue Services
Specification – profile Catalogue Service for Web (CSW) and OpenGIS® Catalogue Services
Specification 2.0.2 - ISO Metadata Application Profile standards.

Supported operations:

• Basic: GetCapabilities, DescribeRecord, GetRecords, GetRecordById
• Editing: (CSW-T): Transaction, Harvest
• Multiple search through many catalogues
• Inquiry items: according to standards
• Extensions: export to GeoiRSS and KML
• Open Web Search

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3.5.4.2 Functionality description

Catalogue client supports the following functionality:

• Adding New catalogue services
• Basic search
• Advanced search
• Metadata visualisation
• Viewing of informatik

3.5.4.3 Visualisation HSLayers

HSLayers (Help Service+OpenLayers) combines capabilities of ExtJS and OpenLayers and
several helper scripts, to truly Web GIS applications. Development has been started in 2007 and
It has been open sourced after 2 years of development, in 2009, and released under conditions
of GNU General Public License 3.

HS Layers are described in detail in the previous chapter.

3.5.5 Social space

Social space or social network site will support publishing information by all systems users on
the base of their rights. It will enable to share this information using other social network sites.
It will support easy extension of the community.

“A social network consists of a finite set or sets of actors and the relation or relations defined
on them. The presence of relational information is a critical and defining feature of a social
network.” [Wasserman, 1994]

Web 2.0 applications include blogs, wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds, tagging, social network sites
(e.g. Facebook, Myspace), search engines, Massive Multiplayer Online and others. The focus of
the NaturNet Plus project is on social network sites (e.g Facebook, Twitter) as one of the main
dissemination and communication tool. The main aim of this activity is to communicate (to
give information and to retrieve some feedback) about the NaturNet Plus developments
through the NaturNet Plus Portal. This will enable to induce discussion about certain topics.
The retrieved feedback should serve as input information for further developments.

The NaturNet Plus portal will be an entry point for any news (new developments, problematic
topics, progress in the project, etc.). News will be posted by the project partners and will be
automatically distributed to a number of selected communities – social network sites. Feedback
from these social network sites will be retrieved using RSS and answered again from the central
point – NaturNet Plus portal.

46 NaturNet Plus

Portal & Social Network Sites.

This approach will allow involving other communities from one place without having to enter
each community. Users of various social network sites can read entries and comment through
their respective communities and don’t have to register elsewhere. This will form Citizen and
tourist communities group. Its feedback will give an opinion about different types of tourism.
The opinion of tourist community will be important part of the education. The main purpose
of tourism is user satisfaction. The tourist community will be able to use these NaturNet Plus
social networks tools to satisfy their needs.

The tools that will guarantee required functionality will be supported by SimpleCMS.

3.5.6 SimpleCMS

SimpleCMS Content management system is focused on usability and simplicity for end users
and its mind. Main advantage in comparison with other CMS systems is simple approach for
solving complex tasks. Clarity and security of the implementation is the main target. The
simpleCMS provides access to the following features and/or provides access to the following
options.

NaturNet Plus 47

3.5.6.1 Menu

User can define its own menu and submenus. Any menu or submenu can
be external link (link pointing to any place on the Internet and not into the
CMS itself), where the redirector functionality is implemented and users
can return back to the CMS using visible controls. Any menu can be set as
Homepage, where of course only one Homepage per SimpleCMS instance
is possible. Menu ranking can be reordered in any way to best fit any
updates that might be required during the usage.

3.5.6.2 Article

Content holders - they are holding the data you want to publish. As regular
articles they are composed from the perex and the content itself. Using
WYSIWYG editor provides nice user experience to beginners and support
for full inline html can please any person wanting to do more fine grained
look of desired article. The editor allows inserting various multimedia
content that user can think of, videos, photos, etc. There is a special
support for inserting dynamic maps. Each article can be enhanced by
adding various file attachments, which will be described later.

3.5.6.3 Message

Each menu can be accompanied by the message item, which in reality is simplified article that
contains just one view on short text that does not implement detailed view so it could be
described as „perex“ only. Since the messages are always on top over the articles they can be
best used as the menu description. Also here is used the some WISIWIG editor, with full
functionality.

48 NaturNet Plus

3.5.6.4 RSS

The CMS supports RSS feeds including any RSS feeds from remote sites. It allows a nice and
handy way of promotion of our services that we want our user to know about.

3.5.6.5 Translations

The controls of the CMS can be translated into various languages where the gettext localisation
system is used, which provides easy translations to most known languages and possibility to use
already created vocabularies from any other open-source project. It makes translating work
really simple.

3.5.6.6 Remote articles promotion

Each menu in the CMS setup has automatically generated RSS feed for grabs to others. Also
optional connectivity to Posterous is possible, so your web presentation can be presented on all
various social networking sites (for example Facebook).

3.5.7 Video lecture tool BizBiz

Distance training (remote training) using video lecture tools is comparatively new method.
Video lecture tool BizBiz offers many possibilities for training (combining first three methods).

BizBiz is a web browser based e-conference collaboration and learning tool which allows
conference members to watch live video enabled presentations remotely from their computers.
It does not require users to install special software apart from modern web browser and java
virtual environment and most of the configuration connected with webcam and screencast is
done automatically.

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Minimal requirement on additional equipment are headphones, (optionally – webcam). BizBiz
focuses on providing a learning platform for spatial planning and GIS but can be used also in
other applications. BizBiz is free of charge and published under open source (Affero GPL)
licence in source forge.

3.5.7.1 BizBiz features

• Multilingual – BizBiz currently supports English, Czech, Bulgarian, Italian, Greek,
Latvian, Lithuanian languages, but more languages can be added if necessary;
• Lectures creating and editing – BizBiz supports tools for preparing and editing lectures
by lecturers;
• Lecturers live narration using webcam provided video and audio;
• WhiteBoard (WB) - WB allows to put on it following elements:
– images (e.g., slideshows) presentation,
– simple screencast using an automatically installed Java application
– webpage demonstration through screencasting,
– online maps,
– synchronous pre-recorded video display;
• Drawing tools for drawing on WB elements;
• Keyword list and glossary of lecture;
• Uploading files necessary for lecture;
• Metadata description of lecture;
• Mechanism of permissions – the lecturer is able to grant the following permissions to
individual student:
– broadcast video;
– broadcast audio,
– upload files,
– slide transition,
– draw on slides,
– edit lecture data,
– edit slides,

50 NaturNet Plus

– edit glossary,
– switch groups;
• text chat;
• polls and surveys – it allows the lecturer to conduct questions with multiple choice
answers directed to the audience;
• student test mode – each student in separate sandbox. Lecturer can join each one and
monitor their work lecture recording;
• lecture playback.

3.5.7.2 Lecture life cycle

Every lecture’s life cycle consists of several stages:
• upcoming lecture – when a lecture has been created by lecturer and published in BizBiz
lecture list,
• live lecture – when a lecture is online,
• archived lecture – after end of online lecture.

Upcoming lecture stage

This is the stage where a lecturer creates new lecture. After this creation the lecture data could
be modified till next stage.

Lecturer submits the following data for every new lecture:
• name, surname,
• short description of lecture,
• lecture access (public, with invitation, with password),
• planned start time,
• keywords,
• glossary,
• uploads necessary files,
• submits data for WB: uploads images (presentation slides in ppt, odp, jpg, png, gif
formats), web links, maps and uploads pre-recorded video files or inserts embeddable
videos from popular video sites like youtube,
• metadata about lecture in Dublin Core metadata standard.

The lecture is published for audience who use BizBiz. After publishing students are able to look
all data about upcoming lecture and prepare to it. They can send their suggestions and notes by
text chat to the lecturer and the lecturer can make modifications.

Live lecture stage
The lecture is online. There are several ways how the lecturer can manage the lecture:
Simple lecture without feedback - In this case the lecturer takes full part in this event – he/she
uses webcam, shows slides on WB, draw on slides, shows maps and pre-recorded video files.

NaturNet Plus 51

Audience mainly have means to watch and hear the lecturer on their personal computers and
contact with the lecturer and others by chatting.

Lecture with feedback - There are many possibilities:
• the lecturer can allow video browsing to some students. It can be done by mechanism of
permissions. In this way the lecturer has feedback with those students whom he allowed
video browsing. Then after little dialog between the lecturer and those students, the
lecturer can switch off these pemissions and switch on for other student/students. Thus
the lecturer can organise feedback with audience.
• The lecturer can achieve feedback with audience by switching on permission draw on
slides to one or more student. It can be used when the lecturer shows maps on WB.
• the lecturer can use BizBiz feature polls and surveys. It allows the lecturer to make polling
about interesting questions.
• Using BizBiz feature student test mode the lecturer can separate students in separate
sandbox. The lecturer can join each one and monitor their worklecture recording. For
example each student can draw the solution of some excercise on a blank slide and only he
and the lecturer can see it.

Archived lecture stage

This is a stage when the lecture is ended by the lecturer. After that, no user can join the lecture,
until it is started again.

Each lecture after ending can be prepared by lecturer for playback. Audience can playback
them individually.

What about lectures which doesn’t start. There are several possibilities:

• The lecturer can edit lecture’s data. If planned time is modified then the life cycle of
lecture changes and it is upcoming lecture stage.
• Audience is able to look all data about this lecture.
• The lecturer can delete this lecture.

3.5.7.3 Recorded lectures

These lectures beside online lectures becomes more and more popular.

Lecturers can prepare lecture course and submit data about them in BizBiz lecture database. If
the lecture is not secured by a password, then all the resources become public and can be
accessed.

Audience is able playback these lectures individually.

52 NaturNet Plus

4. Destination management – pilot regions
4.1 Podyjí National Park

© All the texts in this section are under copyright to Správa Národního parku Podyjí.

4.1.1 Local Area

The area of Podyji National Park is described here.

General information about NP Podyjí:

NP Area: 63 km²
Protected Area: 29 km²
Length of Dyje inside NP: 40 km
Highest point: 536 m.a.s.l.
Lowest point: 207 m.a.s.l.
Forest cover: 84 %
Area used for agriculture: 9%
Other areas: 7%

Podyjí National Park was declared on 1 July 1991 in the Government Regulation No. 164/1991.
A protection zone was set up to manage the park and to ensure the protection of nature on the
territory.

NaturNet Plus 53

The beginnings of the large-surface-area protection of the middle reaches of the Dyje river date
back to 1978, when the Podyjí Protected Landscape Area was declared on an area of 103 km2.
The majority of this area was included in the militarised border zone and was closed to the
general public. After the political changes in 1989 preparations were made to declare this
territory with exceptional natural quality as a national park, which was achieved in 1991. Podyjí
NP is the smallest national park in the Czech Republic by area as the NP covers 63 km2 with
a buffer zone of 29 km2. Podyjí NP primarily includes the valley of the middle reaches of the
Dyje river between Vranov nad Dyjí and Znojmo, along the state border with Austria. On 1st
January, 2000 the Austrian bank of the river was declared as National Park Thayatal to form
a unique, bilateral territory of European importance.

The rugged terrain of the middle Dyje valley forms a part of the hilly country of the South-
eastern edge of the Czech-Moravian Highlands, while the eastern edge of the park belongs to
the Dyje – Svratka River Basin. The geological basement is predominantly formed of acidic
minerals of the Moravicum – the Dyje Arch and the Dyje Massif.

The national park represents an exceptionally well-preserved example of a river valley
landscape in the hill country level of central Europe. The canyon of the Dyje creates a unique
river phenomenon with numerous meanders, the deeply incised valleys of sidestreams, a wide
variety of rock formations, boulder fields and rocky cliffs. Most of the similar river valleys in
this country have been modified by the construction of dams, roads, railway lines and
recreational areas.

The territory is home to a great variety of plant and animal communities, which is
predetermined by the varying slope exposition in the Dyje valley, the complicated relief and the
variety of geological basements. The natural backbone of the territory is the Dyje river which
has carved a canyon-like valley up to 220 m deep in the rocks of the Bohemian Massif on its
40 km flow from Vranov to Znojmo. The whole valley is almost completely covered by near-
natural forests. In the western part of the NP we can find remnants of the native sub-montane
beechwoods with firs and yew, which pass into oak-hornbeam stands as we move eastwards
and finally into thermophilous oakwoods. As well as the common forest tree species we can
also find rarer trees and shrubs, but which are characteristic for Podyjí. Examples are the

54 NaturNet Plus

Mahaleb Cherry, Cornelian Cherry, Cotoneaster and Juniper. In inversion areas we can find
European Bladdernut, Alpine Rose and Sycamore. In the warmer south-eastern section of the
park the following species occur – Wayfaring Tree, Mezereon, the Oak Quercus dalechampii,
Scotch Rose and French Rose. The endemic Hardegg Rowan can only be found in the Czech –
Austrian Dyje (Thaya) valley.

The whole territory is significantly influenced by the so-called valley phenomenon, which
allows thermophilous plant and animal species from the warm Pannonian region to the south-
east to move westwards along the Dyje valley. On the contrary, submontane species migrate
eastwards along the valley, where we can find them on colder and shaded north-facing slopes in
the valley.

Among the most interesting specially protected plant species we can mention Black Hellebore,
Perennial Honesty, Cyclamen, Hungarian Mullein, Great Pasque Flower, Hungarian Iris,
Yellow Ox-eye Daisy, Corn Brome, 18 orchid species and many others.

The unique heathland and steppe grasslands in the south-eastern part of the park were formed
in medieval times after the native thermophilous oakwoods were cut down and these areas
were then grazed by cattle, sheep and goats. These heathlands are especially significant due to
the occurrence of a large number of rare thermophyte plant and insect species as well as the
shrubby growths of Heather, Hairy Greenweed, Regensburg Broom etc. This type of heathland
growing in xerothermophilous (hot and dry) conditions is of an endemic character and does
not occur anywhere else. A total of 65 mammal species have been recorded on the NP territory
(e.g. the Otter, Brandt’s Bat, Field Vole, Bi-coloured White-toothed Shrew) and 152 species of
birds, of which around 2/3 nest here (e.g. Black Stork, Hoopoe, Honey Buzzard, Tengmalm’s
Owl, Eagle Owl, Kingfisher). The most notable of the 7 reptile species are the Tree Snake and
the Emerald Lizard. Of the amphibians the most significant are the Fire Salamander, Great
Crested Newt and several frog species. The fish are primarily represented by the Brown Trout
and the Grayling. Several native fish species of the “barbel belt“, including the Barbel and the
Nase, still survive in the Dyje, where they had always lived before the construction of the
Vranov Dam further upstream, which changed the river into a “secondary trout zone“.
Bullheads are also common in the natural flows of the Dyje.

The national park is the home to an unbelievable variety of insects and the specially protected
species which live here are the Praying Mantis, the Owlfly Libelloides Macaronius and the
Mantisfly. The butterflies include 13 specially protected species (Southern Festoon, Swallowtail
and Scarce Swallowtail, Clouded Apollo etc.). The beetles are also represented by specially
protected species such as the European Rhinoceros Beetle, Stag Beetle, Great Capricorn Beetle
etc.

4.1.2 Tourists

Tourism is these days very attractive all over the world. Travel agencies provide support to get
to any destination. The ecosystems of the nature are not preserved. National parks are
becoming more and more important in order to keep the balance in the nature and also in
social relations.

NaturNet Plus 55

The rangers of the Podyji National Park are therefore faced to a tremendous challenge to
protect the nature from huge tourism and demage but at the same time to satisfy the needs of
tourists.

The fauna in Podyjí NP is very interesting and extremely varied as a result of the park’s
location, climate, geomorphology, and the level of preservation of the territory. Podyjí National
Park is one of the most notable territories in central Europe for its wealth of flora and
vegetation. The protection of fauna and flora is therefore essential.

56 NaturNet Plus

4.1.3 Management of the Park

This section describes some of the management tasks in the Podyji National park. © 2007
Správa Národního parku Podyjí.

4.1.4 Forest Management

Management of the forests in the national park is one of the basic tasks for the NP
Administration and this involves maintaining near-natural communities and supporting their
spontaneous development. The level of preservation of the Podyjí forest communities within
the realms of the European hill country level is unique, especially when we consider that this
territory has been influenced and modified by human activity for much longer than highland
or mountain forests which lie at higher elevations.

However, we can also find forest stands here which are very different from their natural
condition. The main task for forest management in Podyjí NP is to work to correct the tree
species composition, stand structure (vertical completeness of the forest stands) and texture
(horizontal differentiation into individual development stages) in the modified forest stands so
that they become closer to the model for potential natural vegetation (i.e. the vegetation that
would grow here, given the current climate and locality conditions, and if man had never
intervened in the area).

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4.1.5 Natura 2000

The basic reason why the European Union exists is to support mutually beneficial co-operation
between states and to break down unnecessary political, national and psychological barriers.
The European states were once divided by political borders but this fact did not affect the
nature too much.

The Natura 2000 system of European protected areas was established on the basis of Europe-
wide protection of these natural phenomena, which the individual states have in common or
which are important in a Europe-wide context. This idea developed gradually and has
crystalised into two branches of Europe-wide protection.

The protection of birds is built on the “Birds Directive” EEC No. 79/409. This document, which
all EU members must respect, ensures that European protected bird species, their important

58 NaturNet Plus

habitats and nesting sites are protected all across the continent. The protection regime sets out
a ban on killing, catching, damaging nests and eggs. Individuals of protected bird species must
not be disturbed or held in captivity. In the Czech Republic 39 Bird Areas have been chosen
and authorised to protect these bird species and another 2 are being prepared.

The Podyjí Bird Area has been declared along the middle reaches of the Dyje river and this Bird
Area includes the whole of Podyjí NP as well as further localities on its eastern edge. The
subjects of the protection are the Syrian Woodpecker and the Barred Warbler. Other Europe-
wide protected bird species which occur here include the Black Woodpecker, Middle-spotted
Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Tengmalm’s Owl, Eagle Owl etc. but the
quantitative and qualitative parameters of their occurrence have not been met here to ensure
their protection.
The next nearest bird area to Podyjí NP is the Jaroslavické rybníky (Jaroslavice Fishponds)
which lies around 25 km east of Podyjí NP and which was established to protect the Night
Heron.

NaturNet Plus 59

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