The future of landscape characterisation and the future character of landscape

“Landscape means an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors,” according to the European Landscape Convention (ELC).

But what is the “character” of landscape?  This is important to countries like Sweden that have ratified the Convention, because the ELC mandates “landscape protection” through “actions to conserve and maintain the significant or characteristic features of a landscape, justified by its heritage value derived from its natural configuration and/or from human activity.”  Doing this requires the “identification and assessment” of landscape “with the active participation of the interested parties, /…/ and with a view to improving knowledge of its landscapes /…/ taking into account the particular values assigned to them by the interested parties and the population concerned.”

The ELC requires that countries use “identification and assessment procedures” and “methodology” established at a European level. The UK has been at the forefront in developing these European level procedures. Landscape Character Assessment (LCA), developed largely by landscape architects and planners, and Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC), developed particularly by archaeologists and historians concerned with heritage.

At this seminar some of the pioneers in landscape characterisation will discuss their experiences and their thoughts concerning ways to think about landscape character that actively involve people in the understanding and assessment of their landscapes.  Without public engagement with landscape, and the knowledge this generates, we cannot maintain valued landscapes.

March 3, 13:00–17:15 – Characterisation in time and space.

March 4, 09:00–12:00 – The landscape characterisation of nature.  

For more information and detailed programme, please see PDF-file above.

Register to participate no later than 24 February.