Marginal and less-favored regions are characterized by negative migration balance, lower living standards, aging of the population, a lower number of employment opportunities, lower educational level, and lower investments in the territory. Gemer is one of these regions in Slovakia. On the other hand, the Gemer region has a very interesting history and many cultural monuments, nature protection areas, and UNESCO World Heritage sites that create options for tourism development. The monuments of the Gothic Road have the potential for religious tourism. Karst relief and the sites and monuments related to mining present on the Iron Road provide suitable conditions for geotourism and mining tourism. Local villages contain traditional agricultural landscapes, which create suitable conditions for active rural tourism associated with creative tourism or agrotourism. There is also the promising possibility of cross-border cooperation with Hungary. However, the revenues from tourism do not reach the same level as in other, similar regions of Slovakia. The main failings of tourism development include the insufficient coordination of destination marketing organization stakeholders, lack of care for monuments, and underestimation of the potential of Roma culture and art production. However, analyzed state policy instruments on the promotion of tourism did not mitigate but rather exacerbated regional disparities in Slovakia.

A geodiversity assessment is one of the basic steps in the development of geoprotection activities. It is important to establish parameters that quantify the elements and locations of abiotic nature. Here, the focus is on those who are richer than the average population. In doing so, it is possible to manage areas for the protection of important geoheritage and develop sustainable activities, e.g., geotourism. The monitored territory (Slovenské rudohorie Mts.) lies in southeast Slovakia and occupies an area of 4986 km². The geodiversity assessment is based on overlaying a grid onto different maps at a scale of 1:500,000, where the final geodiversity index is the sum of six indices calculated in 5 × 5 km grid squares. These indices consist of a geological index, a geomorphological index (composed of two sub-indices: geomorphological subdivision and morphological–morphometric types), a hydrological index (composed of three sub-indices: the type of aquifer, the density of the river network, and the occurrence of springs and mineral waters), a soil index, a tectonic index, and a mineral resources index (composed of four sub-indices: the occurrence of ore, non-ore, construction, and energy resources). The resulting geodiversity index map is presented in the form of five isoline classes: very high (10% of the monitored area), high (28%), medium (32%), low (23%), and very low (7%). The geodiversity map of the territory of the Slovenské rudohorie Mts., together with the indices, creates a useful tool for conservation, management, sustainability programs, and education at the national level. However, Slovak legislation does not mention the concept of geodiversity, its protection, valuation, restoration, or responsible usage. Only its specific forms and processes are preserved as a natural resource supporting biodiversity. Considering the mineralogical richness of the area, some locations with a very high geodiversity may be the focus of mineral exploration. It is very important to set up appropriate landscape management for these sites. Valuable geotopes located in biodiversity cold spots that are not subject to protection within the state’s nature protection program should be considered as small protected areas (up to 1000 ha) at the fourth or fifth level of protection under Act No. 543/2002 Coll. or could form the core areas of a possible Geopark.

Allotment gardens have been a permanent and dynamic part of the urban socio-economic and ecological system; however, they are currently facing intense urbanization or gradual neglect. This paper characterizes the changes in landscape structure and agricultural land use in the areas of the current allotment gardens from the mid-twentieth century to 2022. Our research finds that the first allotment gardens in Bratislava began to be established at the end of the nineteenth century. The greatest boom in gardening occurred in the 1970s, following a government resolution that ordered municipalities and towns to include areas for allotment gardens in their land use plans. Based on available spatial and statistical data, we compared land use in 1949 with land use in 2022 using the 3rd level of CORINE Land Cover Classification (CLC). Based on our criteria, we selected areas that can currently be considered allotment gardens. Selected allotments cover an area of 915 ha and represent 2.5% of Bratislava’s total area. In the 1950s, these areas represented mainly heterogeneous agricultural areas (CLC category 24) (477 ha/52.1%), non-irrigated arable land (149 ha/16.3%), or grasslands (124 ha/13.5%). The introduction of a law that allowed individual members of settlements to buy land at state-guaranteed prices was a major intervention in the operation of the allotment gardens as we knew them in the 1970s. No new allotments were created after 1989. Furthermore, according to the Bratislava Zoning Plan, a large number of these sites are meant to be converted into areas for residential, recreational, and public transportation.