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chapter3_Neu.qxd 12.10.2001 10:54 Uhr Seite 72 72 Chapter 3. Perceptions of the landscapes 3. Perceptions of the Landscapes 3. Historical and Current Wadden Sea Area. It was substantially triggered by more or less ‘catastrophic’ damage to the so- Perceptions of the Landscapes called ‘natural balance’ in the shallow water in the Wadden Sea Region areas of the southern North Sea; the public was shocked into perceiving the effects of our tech- by Ludwig Fischer and Jürgen Hasse nologically advanced civilization as negative or even threatening. The effect of such shocks, such 3.1 Introduction crises, is generated or influenced these days essentially through the reporting of events in the Any serious attempt to address the ‘landscape mass media. Over the last twenty or thirty years heritage’ of a region, whether large or small, this has been true for the most effective of the assumes that a certain value is attributed to ‘warning signals from the Wadden Sea’- harmful what is present there - to the ensemble of the materials and poisons in the sediments; algal perceivable elements of the ‘surroundings’; ele- blooms; seal deaths; accidents involving ships ments that can, in fact, no longer be clearly dis- carrying chemicals or oil; the pollution of beach- tinguished according to whether they are natu- es with, for example, oil leaking from oil rigs or ral or anthropogenic. This attribution of value ships. occurs when, for example, certain elements of a Thus, the population has developed a general landscape - of a space for living and learning - awareness - differentiated according to social are considered ‘worth protecting’ or ‘worth pre- group and level - of the dangers threatening the serving’. Such assumptions and judgments are natural processes in the Wadden Sea. This always proposed by individuals or social groups, affected and still affects the interest that, for and, depending on the circumstances, they may example, the users of this coastal landscape who be realized politically through a sometimes con- are part of the tourist industry (hosts and guests troversial process of shaping of public opinion. alike) have in ‘intact nature’, whether imagined And these assumptions and judgments are or real. Of course they form only one of the always in relation to historically contingent groups concerned with the condition of this bor- areas of conflict, determined by general eco- der zone between land and sea, and it is impor- nomic, social, political and cultural develop- tant to note that even the image of ‘intact ments. That is to say: On the one hand the per- nature’ in the Wadden Sea Region is understood ception of a landscape as a living-and-learning and valued very differently by the various social space is experienced by individuals primarily as a groups. personal ‘relationship’ to that landscape; the A crisis mentality about the Wadden Sea that landscape is decisively anchored in the life expe- was primarily ecologically driven led to convo- rience of the individual, and social groups and luted and contentious political processes which factions are brought together by identical or resulted in protective measures for the shallow similar life experience, so that often its members water areas of the southern North Sea between achieve what appears to be a natural consensus Esbjerg and Den Helder. The most effective but on the nature, value and meaning of a land- also the most controversial measure taken by scape. On the other hand, the varying interests Germany was the establishment of national that arise from the ‘life situations’ of different parks on the Wadden See coast. Since then, an social groups often lead to sharp differences over extensive campaign of educational and training the ‘correct’ way to perceive a landscape and activities aimed not only at tourists has suc- over the conclusions that are to be drawn from ceeded in fostering in the wider population an that perception. To some degree, however, it is awareness of the Wadden Sea as a ‘nature space’ through that historical process that such contro- worthy of protection. Over the course of only a versies contribute to the formation of more gen- few decades a substantial shift has taken place eral, or rather dominating, conceptions and eval- in public awareness of the Wadden Sea Region; uations of landscape formations. They change on it is now regarded as a sensitive ‘near-natural the basis of the often radical challenges that landscape’, potentially threatened by the effects technological developments and their effects, for of our lifestyle (determined, as it is, by technol- example, or social change represent for the col- ogy and industry), and very much worth protect- lective consciousness. ing. This shift in perception has had the atten- This can be seen in the process, now several tion and the endorsement of both politicians and decades old, of the ecological valorization of the media. Wadden Sea Ecosystem No. 12 - 2001 chapter3_Neu.qxd 08.10.2001 11:23 Uhr Seite 73 Chapter 3. Perceptions of the landscapes 73 It is more or less the consensus that at least experience of ‘environmental spaces’ other fac- large parts of this, the only such extensive land- tors enter in as well: the kind of ‘feeling’ for the scape in Central Europe apart from the Alps, qualities of the coast that someone experiences, have been shaped and used by humans for hun- diving into the surf off a North See island; the dreds of years. Even ecologists can agree with ‘sensuous pleasure’ taken in cycling or hiking the view that large sections of the Wadden Sea through the marshes, the ‘understanding’ of the Region constitute a cultural landscape - and quality of the historical buildings experienced by have done so since before the dykes. However, someone wandering through a village, or what the idea that its peculiar character and quality the sudden flight of a great gaggle of Brent as a cultural landscape could also be in certain geese might mean as ‘sense event’ - all of these ways endangered through modern-day processes experiences, while having a different tone and pertaining to social ‘progress’ has entered into emphasis for different sensibilities, together general public awareness only in recent years. determine the perception of the landscape Three developments are primarily to blame for space. generating the crisis situations in the Wadden For these reasons it is important, in the con- Sea cultural landscape: the increased pace of so- text of a discussion of the characteristics and called modernisation in agriculture; holiday and value of the ‘landscape heritage’, to agree on the day-trip tourism, which has increased by leaps bases for the perceptions of the landscape and and bounds; and the placement of wind turbines cultural spaces. The first part of the essay that in the coastal zone. All three factors appear to be follows therefore offers a general and strongly responsible for massive encroachments on the theoretical treatment of the fundamental issues landscape as it was inherited, from the transfor- concerning the perception of the Wadden Sea mation of the topography and the destruction of coast as landscape. These issues cover everything old landscape structures, through the profound from basic conceptual assumptions on landscape changes in the cultural heritage of the settle- perception in general and the Wadden Sea coast ment formations and constructed monuments, in particular, to the different perspectives adopt- to the extensive alteration of the visual refer- ed by various social groups that either live in the ence points and the dominant aesthetic ele- Wadden Sea Area or make use of the space. ments of the landscape. Current perceptions are always formed out of Once again we note a shift in the perception cultural tradition. The way a landscape is per- of the Wadden Sea Region. At this time there are ceived is also always the result of the way the still only isolated social groups that view the course of history expresses itself in culture and Wadden Sea coast (though from very different mentality. Just as we can recognize clear shifts points of view and with strongly differing inter- in perceptions of the Wadden Sea coast in our ests) as a charming, interesting and important time, so we can also establish or discern that the cultural landscape, a sensitive ‘cultural system’ same sorts of changes occurred in earlier times. that is increasingly under threat. Most tourists, It is clear that, at least in modern times, several planners and even the committed naturalists radical transformations in the dominant under- have not yet developed a ‘crisis mentality where standing of the Wadden Sea landscape have tak- cultural landscape is concerned’. But the contro- en place. It is incumbent on us to regard our own versies over the erection of wind turbines signal understanding of the characteristics, meaning - even for managers and administrators who are and value of the Wadden Sea landscape as the primarily concerned with opportunities for eco- outcome of historical processes, by fostering nomic development - a sensitisation toward awareness of these processes to the extent pos- what has been referred to as ‘the landscape’s sible. The second half of the essay points to this limited capacity for withstanding aesthetic dynamic, in a short outline of the history of the assault’. perception of the Wadden Rea Region. Thus, over the last few decades we have expe- The two sections of the essay together venture rienced distinct changes in the perception of the into new scholarly territory, and the essay there- Wadden Sea coast. It is not at all the case that fore cannot be and should not be understood as these changes - and it is decisive to recognize more than a sketch which lays out a program for this - relate only to the perceived landscape further study and which attempts to make a image.

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