Proceedings of the 2000 annual IALE(UK) conference held at University of Wale, Bangor. 7-9th Sept. Contend: Studies on ecology at the landscapelevel:UK & International Landscape ecology is a holistic study of all the elements influencing ecology at a broad landscape scale. Quantitative methods are key to increasing our understanding of the processes and helping create policies whose effects are sympathetic to the environment. However, policy makers and planners often feel reliant on a few experts who appear to draw advice from a black box. The aim of this conference was to answer that criticism by demonstrating how key aspects of landscape ecology can be successfully formalised using mathematical and statistical tools. The application of methods of quantification is valuable for practical conservation and management. The meeting drew together researches, advisors, land managers and policy developers to explore the subject from different points of view. The papers presented in this volume detail the initial, formal series of talks broken down into four sessions. The papers led on to a discussion that attempted to match the landscape ecological theories and methodologies with management needs. Finally, an excursion into the Aber valley in North Wales allowed problems and the application of their solutions in the real world to be contemplated. The meeting was the ninth of the annual conferences organised by the UK chapter of IALE and came just before Bob Bunce officially retired from the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology (CEH). As the active chairman and co-founder of the UK chapter, it seemed appropriate that the meeting be held in Bangor, at the university where he worked for his PhD. Bob is not disappearing, having been awarded a Fellowship by CEH, and is happy to continue as IALE(UK) chairman, but it is fitting that we acknowledge this landmark in his career, thank him for all his efforts and wish him the best for the long years of 'retirement'! As with all conferences, a variety of people have put in a great deal of effort. We would like to thank in particular the IALE(UK) committee for their support and Ian Harris and his colleagues at Bangor for helping with the conference arrangements and catering.

Table of Contents:
Preface v Session 1 Linking socio-economic driving forces to landscape ecology Linking socio-economic driving forces to landscape ecology R. McFarlane 3 Objective and subjective assessments of environmental quality: a case study J. Boothby 15 Socio-economic forces in Gozo (Maltese Islands) and landscape ecology analysis S.M. Haslam 25 Wildlife management on industrial sites A. Cooper, G. Nevin, I. Herbert and H Shackle 33 Landscape ecology, EIA and sustainable landscapes M.B. Potschin and R.H. Haines-Young 39 Quantifying the cultural dimension with particular reference to village landscapes in north west England T. Clare and S. Hammond 49 Session 2 Analysis of temporal change at a landscape scale Estimating change in landscape elements using different sample sizes D.C. Howard and C.J. Barr 61 Analysis of temporal changes in the lignite mining region south of Leipzig using GIS and landscape metrics A. Lausch and F. Biedermann 71 Measuring woodland changes in the Snowdonia National Park A. Gkaraveli and J.H. Williams 83 The vegetation of ecological compensation areas in the Swiss plateau - a preliminary evaluation S. Dreier, G. Hofer, D. Knecht and F. Herzog 93 Session 3 Modelling ecological change in the landscape Biodiversity and landscape interactions on Scottish farmland D.I. McCracken, P. Dennis, A.L. Milligan, L.J. Cole, I.S. Downie, K.J. Murphy, R.W. Furness, A. Waterhouse, G.N. Foster and J.A. Milne 97 Modelling consequences on butterfly mobility of rural landscape dynamics A. Ouin, M. Manuel and F. Burel 107 Mathematical modelling of land use diversity change in south-eastern Europe: the case of Albania F. Papadimitriou 115 The Lorenz curve as an indicator of scale effect on information content J. Bogaert, R. Rousseau, P. Van Hecke, D. Salvador-Van Eysenrode and R. Ceulemans 121 The use of GIS in determining the core areas of a Regional Ecological Network S.A. Clarke and J. Boothby 131 Using landscape metrics to model land cover change A.J. Comber, R.V. Birnie and M. Hodgson 143 The barn owl (Tyto alba) on Anglesey (Ynys Mon): habitat suitability modelling for improved targeting of conservation measures and monitoring issues C.P. Webb, I.T. Cartwright and I.M. Harris 163 Session 4 Impacts of isolation within a landscape Birds in woodland fragments - not just who and where, but also what, how many and how good S.A. Hinsley and P.E. Bellamy 169 Is isolation a problem for English Lizard Orchids? P.D. Carey 177 Genetic impact of habitat isolation on heath fritillary in Kent, UK G.H. Griffiths, G.J. Holloway, P. Richardson and D.C. Howard 185