APPROACHES AND PRINCIPLES OF GASTRONOMIC LANDSCAPE RESEARCH: OPTIMIZATION, MANAGEMENT, MAPPING

The aim of the study is to map the gastronomic landscapes of the Ukrainian Right-Bank Polissya, because food production is an important life support system for people, and ensuring future production capacity is key to the survival of society, especially in today's conditions. The study of gastronomic landscapes and landscapes in general is an interdisciplinary endeavour that incorporates approaches and principles from the natural and social sciences, as well as the humanities, landscape architecture, art, and more. Mapping gastronomic landscapes is necessary for the creation of sustainable food systems, which makes this research particularly relevant. The methodology for researching the gastronomic landscape is based on a combination of interdisciplinary approaches that allow for a comprehensive assessment of the spatial, cultural and economic aspects of a territory's gastronomic heritage and is based on scientific principles. Optimisation of the gastronomic landscape involves identifying the most valuable gastronomic resources and areas where they are concentrated; assessing the level of anthropogenic pressure; determining priority areas for the development of gastronomic tourism; and integrating local food production into tourism value chains. Gastronomic landscape management is based on: spatial planning; a cluster approach; participatory management with the involvement of local communities; branding of territories and gastronomic products. Mapping is a key tool for researching and managing the gastronomic landscape. It involves: creating thematic maps of gastronomic resources; typifying gastronomic landscapes; using GIS technologies to analyse spatial relationships; developing maps of gastronomic routes and clusters. The research methods included general scientific, cartographic and GIS methods. The results demonstrated the possibility of creating maps of the gastronomic landscape of the study area, which has been transformed by global agricultural practices, based on local natural conditions and infrastructure (specific combinations of biophysical characteristics such as soil, climate, as well as management attributes, soil cultivation methods, fertilizer intensity, and crop types) in which food producers and others operate. The scientific novelty of the work is revealed through the principles and approaches of researching the gastronomic landscape, through constructive-geographical research, land use, food production, and geographical formations, which are used as planning units. The practical significance of the study, through theoretical developments and practical conclusions, is to implement measures to halt biodiversity loss through the production of a variety of food products.