Nicola Arndt und Matthias Pohl - Neobiota

With the establishment of a network initiative under the name of Landscape Europe (PEDROLI et al.
2001), a new international approach towards institutional cooperation on the development of an
agreed-upon European landscape classification and map is just beginning to take shape. A first
international workshop had been organised by Landscape Europe in Wageningen (August 2001). One
of the central questions of this workshop was indeed the identification of the principal data sources
when building a European landscape classification and the role of natural vegetation data has been
discussed. Before entering methodological considerations regarding the role of vegetation data, it
deems necessary to define the meaning and policy dimension of landscape in its environmental and
political dimension.
1.2 Definition of landscape
European landscapes are based on natural features that are evolutionary and abiotic as well as on
human intervention through agriculture, forestry and other cultural forces. The following definition
has lately been proposed to be considered as a European-wide approach:
“Landscapes are the concrete and characteristic products of the interaction between
human societies and culture with the natural environment. As such, landscapes can
be identified as spatial units where region-specific elements and processes reflect
natural and cultural goods or history in a visible, spiritual and partly measurable
way. Because the underlying human and natural processes are subject to change and
evolution, landscapes are dynamic systems.” (WASCHER et al. 1998)
This is also echoed by KLIJN & VOS (2000) who state that the ‘cultural landscape is the visible result
of all agro-ecological and socio-economic forces operating at any given time, and is, therefore,
constantly changing.’
In the European context it is possible to identify three broad categories of landscape that mark the
extent and diversity of human intervention:
1. Relatively untouched areas that are situated in the most inhospitable regions, e.g. geographically
remote areas such as mountain tops or areas of extreme climate and longitude, e.g. the Arctic
tundra where permafrost and the short growing seasons inhibits the growth of most types of
vegetation.
2. A decreasing proportion of traditionally managed land that have been transformed decades or
centuries ago and have been maintained by traditional management practices (e.g. bocage in
France or kampen in Flanders and Brabant)
3. Major parts of the landscape have been subject to a succession of different land uses and fairly
intensive management practices.
Climate, geo-morphology and both natural as well as anthropogenic vegetation dominates the coarse
division of European landscapes as well as the major division in European biodiversity.
1.3 Policy objectives for mapping European landscapes
In order to adequately manage and protect Europe’s landscapes, various efforts have been made to
identify the relevant landscape characteristics at the regional, national and the international level.
83