Learning from European Transfrontier Landscapes LearningLearning fromfrom The development and implementation of a common framework for landscape policies is a crucial issue at European level. This report is meant as a contribution to the preparatory work for the implementation of the EuropeanEuropean TransfrontierTransfrontier European Landscape Covention and highlights ongoing European initiatives to develop common methodologies and criteria for landscape LandscapesLandscapes assessment. Learning from European Transfrontier Landscapes focuses on transfrontier landscapes, and presents 14 case studies from the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Central European regions, which are the result of a volunteer collaboration by a large group of national and international experts. The studies seek to highlight the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) related to specific transfrontier landscapes characteristics and their current land use trends. They illustrate that despite great bio-geographic and cultural differences, transfrontier landscapes have a unique added value, which stems from their intrinsic peripheral character. The outcomes of the presented studies encourage national and international policies and challenge planners and scientists to develop specific tools and concepts. Edited by Dirk M. Wascher and Marta Pérez-Soba Project in Landscape Europe Secretariat, Support of Alterra Wageningen UR, the European P.O. Box 47, Landscape NL-6700 AA Wageningen (The Netherlands) Convention Learning from European Transfrontier Landscapes Landscape Europe with the collaboration of: Alterra, Wageningen UR, The Netherlands Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Belarusian State University, Belarus Bezirksregierung of Lower Saxony (Weser-Ems), Germany Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France Czech Agricultural University, Czech Republic Geological Survey of Ireland, Ireland Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France Instituut voor Natuurbehoud, Belgium Landscape Alliance Ireland, Ireland Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, The Netherlands Provincie Gelderland, The Netherlands The Netherlands Institute for Spatial Research, The Netherlands Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain Universidade de Évora, Portugal Università degli Studi Milano-Bicocca, Italy University of Vienna, Austria University of Western Hungary, Hungary i Copyright 2004 Landscape Europe ISSN 1566-7197 Alterra report number 964/May 2004 This publication should be cited as follows: Wascher, D.M. and Pérez-Soba, M. (eds.) 2004. Learning from Transfrontier Landscapes – Project in Support of the European Landscape Convention. Alterra Wageningen UR, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Alterra report 964. vi + 58 pp. Published by Landscape Europe in collaboration with Alterra Wageningen UR Available from Landscape Europe Secretariat, Marion Bogers, Alterra Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 47, NL-6700 AA Wageningen (The Netherlands) Phone: +31 317 474610 Fax: +31 317 419000 E-mail: [email protected] Cover photograph: Landscape Europe © 2004 Landscape Europe Designed by NatureBureau International 36 Kingfisher Court, Hambridge Road, Newbury Berkshire RG14 5SJ, United Kingdom Printed by Information Press Ltd, Oxford, United Kingdom No part of this publication may be reproduced or published in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the written permission of Landscape Europe. Alterra assumes no liability for any losses resulting from the use of the research results or recommendations in this report. ii Contents Preface .......................................................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................................ v Summary ....................................................................................................................................................................... vi 1. European Transfrontier Landscapes: Changes, Chances and Challenges................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Landscape Definition and Perception ................................................................................................................. 2 1.3 European Transfrontier Landscapes Initiatives Arising from the Recent Past ..................................................... 2 1.4 European Policy and Funding Initiatives .............................................................................................................. 3 2. Landscape Character Assessment Tools .................................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 5 2.2 Landscape Character and Quality ...................................................................................................................... 5 2.3 European Landscapes Map and Typology ......................................................................................................... 5 2.4 Landscape Indicator Development ..................................................................................................................... 7 3. Objectives and Approach for Transfrontier Landscape Assessment ......................................................................... 9 3.1 Project Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 9 3.2 Methodological Approach ................................................................................................................................... 9 4. The Case Studies .................................................................................................................................................... 11 4.1 Mediterranean Landscapes ............................................................................................................................... 12 I Montado/Dehesa (PT/ES) ............................................................................................................................ 15 II Atlantic Mountains: The Arribes del Duero/Arribes do Douro (ES/PT)..........................................................18 III The River Ticino (IT) ..................................................................................................................................... 21 IV Gran Paradiso/Vanoise National Park (IT/FR) .............................................................................................. 23 V Lagkada County (EL) ................................................................................................................................... 25 4.2 Continental Landscapes .................................................................................................................................... 27 VI Fertö/Neusiedler Lake (HU/AT) .................................................................................................................... 29 VII Šumava Mountains/Boehmerwald/Bayerischer Wald (CZ/AT/ZDE) ............................................................. 31 VIII Bielaviezhskaya Pushcha/Puszca Bialowieska (BY/PL) ............................................................................... 34 4.3 Atlantic Landscapes .......................................................................................................................................... 37 IX Hund-Paapsand/Hond-Paap (DE/NL) .......................................................................................................... 40 X Twente/Achterhoek/Bentheim/Borken (DE/NL) ........................................................................................... 42 XI Gelderse Poort (NL/DE) ............................................................................................................................... 44 XII The Border Meuse (BE/NL) .......................................................................................................................... 46 XIII Brittany/Normandy (FR) ...............................................................................................................................49 XIV Breifne Mountains (IE/UK) ............................................................................................................................ 51 5. Review of the Case Studies .................................................................................................................................... 53 6. Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................ 55 References ................................................................................................................................................................... 56 iii Preface Many European countries have a long-standing tradition Applying to the Parties’ entire territory and covering in developing and implementing landscape-oriented natural, rural, urban and peri-urban