The landscape is the expression of a long-lasting interaction between people and their environment. Since the Second World War, that landscape has changed faster than people can adapt. Landscape transformations make us aware of the values that change or even disappear in a place. This growing awareness led to an increased focus on landscape characterisation and assessment. Since 2000, with the launch of the European Landscape Convention, landscape and its characterisation are receiving more attention in Europe. However, in Flanders, the character of the modern landscape is not systematically mapped and described, which makes an instrument of landscape characterisation necessary. This is also one of the starting points to include the process of characterisation in the Flemish Coalition Agreement 2019-2024. The Flemish Government pleads for a transversal landscape policy and room for landscape in the environmental policy. After all, the landscape creates opportunities for more coherence, synthesis and integration by connecting landscapes and themes that deserve specific political and public attention. A better understanding of landscape can help achieve broad, substantial social and environmental goals.

This project aims to develop a methodology for landscape characterisation that integrates knowledge of and about the landscape and provides insight into both the functioning of the landscape and the experience of the landscape.

This project is funded by the Flemish Government and is carried out in cooperation with HOGHENT/KASK, Voorland and Mazomos.