Landscape Character Assessment

Landscape Character AssessmentAdvances and ApplicationsALTERRA – Green World ResearchDirk M. Wascher

Overview Introduction: reasons for landscaperesearch at the European level Research Examples LANMAP2- Tourism and Leisure- Landscape Structure Landscape visualisations Way forward

Why focus on landscapes? Landscapes are a ecological and socialexpression of human interaction with theirterritory Landscape changes affect human needs interms of living, belonging, recreation andshaping. Landscapes affect human mind in terms ofperception, connection and understanding. Landscapes are socially shaped entitiesthat offer opportunities for sustainablegovernance.

What does the EU matter? Landscapes are strongly affected byEU policy but not within EUcompetence Landscapes are still at the peripheryof EU policy and research initiatives The current (EU) policy – scienceinterface is missing the humanspatialdimension The reason is an abstract notion oflandscape in both EU research andpolicy

What are the achievements? Inclusion of a landscape chapter in the DobrisSotE Report (Stanners & Bourdeau 1995) Launching of the European LandscapeConvention as the key policy instrument (CoE2000) Inclusion of Landscape Indicators as part ofIRENA (EEA 2003), LUCAS (Eurostat 2006) andGeoland2 (CEC 2008) Mentioning of “Traditional AgriculturalLandscapes” in the Community StrategyGuidelines for Rural Development (CEC 2006) Development of the European landscape mapLANMAP2 based on high-resolution spatialdata (Mucher et al. 2006)

What are the obstacles? Current landscape assessments are ratherabstract, top-down, data- and expert-drivenwith focus on land cover data; Micro-structural elements and culturalaspects are missing in most internationalassessments; Resulting statistics and maps are difficult tointerpret since policy-relevant thresholds arevirtually non-existent; Public perception of landscape values islargely unknown; Landscape spatial concepts as a basis forsustainable design is not taken up in largescaleEuropean strategies

ContextLandscape Character Assessment is a way of identifying,classifying and mapping areas of distinctive character on thebasis of holistic principles. As such, it can be a measure ofintegration and a reference for modeling future landscapesLandscape Resilience builds upon the concept of theadaptive capacity in ecological systems (genetic & biologicaldiversity, heterogeneity of landscape mosaics) and links itwith social systems, the existence of institutions andnetworks.Landscape Functions links with the concept of multifunctionality,addressing three groups: (1) productionfunctions (economic function) (2) regulation functions(ecological function) (3) social/human habitat functions(social function).

Context• Landscape analysis and planning has its origins at thesite and regional level, frequently related to impactmitigation, township and open space planning;• The role of landscape planning and legislation differslargely throughout Europe, so does the perception oflandscapes;• Landscape assessment tools such as classifications,indicators and scenarios are being developed at supraregional,increasingly international level;

Definition ‘landscape character’Landscape Character is a distinct and consistent pattern ofelements in the landscape that makes one landscapedifferent from another, rather than better or worse.Landscape Character Assessment is a way of identifying,classifying and mapping areas of distinctive character on thebasis of holistic principles. As such, it can be a measure ofintegration and a reference for modeling future landscapes

Global ClimateModelHierarchy ofScaleRegional climatemodelAn integrated frameworkfor bio-physical and socioeconomicvariables isrequiredDefine the appropriatespatial scale to combine allthe variables considered ina meaningful wayMake sure that the resultsof the assessmentcorresponds with thehuman scaleBio-geographicRegionsLandscape CharacterRegionsLandscapesEcosystemsBiotopes

SpatialfunctionallevelsBiotopesHierarchy of ScaleBoundaryDefinitionHabitat and linearlandscape patternsScaleSocio-politicalsystems0.01 ha- 10 ha ~ Planning zonesLandscape unitsDominant land use types100s-1000s ha -(incl. historical)EcosystemsEcological, bio-physicalboundaries100s - 500,000 haLandscapeCharacter AreasLandscapes(Character types)Homogenous naturaland land use patterns10,000s - 1.000.000haSub-RegionsMetropolitan &Meta-LandscapesClimate zones &Eco-RegionsTraditional and politicalboundaries> 1.000.000 ha Regions at sub- &intra-national level,~ NUTS 2/3Climate and geology > 1. 000.000 ha ~ Geo-politicalregions

Hierarchy of ScaleDPSIREconomic developmentDemographic trendsClimate - ChangeDriving ForcesPlanning, Mitigation & DesignSubsidies & TaxesLegislationResponse-Land use changeIntensificationPollution PressuresLandscapeStateBiodiversityQuality of Life/Economic SectorsImpactErosionLoss of speciesIncrease of income

Conclusion for attention to scale:• Climate change, demography, international policies,economic trends etc act as ‘Driving Forces’ on land usechange at the regional level;• Landscapes, as products of natural and culturalactivities, are directly and indirectly affected by DrivingForces;• Response strategies (mitigation, planning, policies canonly be efficient when taking account of processes atother scales;• Human scale varies, depending on cultural, regional,individual and not temporary aspects.

Scientific Review: methodsM1: simple human (‘expert’) interpretationM2 : ‘expert’ interpretation, with support of someautomated analysisM3 : highly automated analysisM4 : automated analysis, together with someinterpretative refinement

Conclusion: landscape typologies• Landscape Character appears to be rather scaledependent• The definition is challenged by the inherent differences•between regional and national/ internationalapproaches.• British approaches link landscape character moreclosely to ‘genius loki’ – thus to rather site-specificconditions (uniqueness)• National/international approach suggest the existenceof generic characteristics

LANMAP European Landscape Map Climate(Environmental Classification, Climate Research Unit /University of East Anglia, 16x16km resolution) TopographyMethodological approach(Digital Elevation model GTOPO30, 1km res., USGS) Parent material(ESDB, vector, 1:1M, European Soil Bureau) Land cover(CORINE land cover database, vector, 1:100 000, EEA)

LANMAP European Landscape Map

Conclusions1. Landscape Character Assessment- identification of landscape types is pre-requirements forindicator interpretation;- European and national typologies can serve as a referencebase for quality and value assessment;- links withor policy implementation (e.g. ELC)2. Landscape State Assessment- environmental, ecological and cultural state important;- transparent and scale-oriented indicators3. Landscape Value Assessment- economy, aesthetics and identity require creative datamanagement- landscape dialogues to get broad view of landscape valuessupported within planning process- governmental and public commitment is part of theapproach.