The New Dimensions of the European Landscapes

The European Landscape is under stress of changing land use and a changing attitude of its users. Globalization, the disappearance of the iron curtain and the recent EU enlargement to 25 countries have changed the economic and environmental dimensions of Europe. Europe is changing its face from a western and eastern part to one European Union and to fast connections between its centres of activity. The rural and cultural heritage of Europe has to be adapted to cope with this change. However, its landscape is worth to be conserved as well, because it represents the European history in the same way as castles and churches. It even more represents the history of the common people, because it has been the tradition of the rural population that made these landscapes. It cannot be prevented that Europe is changing and it is good that Europe adapts to the new dimensions of the world. We, in Europe, have to define what we think is important and what must be conserved, what can be adapted to be used for new functions and what can be abolished because it has no value. These decisions will determine the new dimensions of the European landscapes. The Frontis Workshop on the New Dimensions of the European Landscape was held on 10-12 June 2002. Wageningen University and Research Centre organized this workshop aiming to develop visions on the landscape in Europe, its development and design in the future and to strengthen the international network in landscape planning.

Discusses the visions of experts in the future development of European landscapes Provides opinions for monitoring and policy making of European landscapes Ideal for anyone interested in the future of European landscapes and economic issues

Inhalt
Status and socio-economic trends.- European agricultural landscapes supply and demand: implications of agricultural policy reform.- Planning for the local food system in the United States.- Agriculture in the Northwest-European Delta Metropolis.- Cultural landscapes, planning and policy.- Culture and nature versus culture or nature.- Rural-urban conflicts and opportunities.- Barriers and bridges to sustaining cultural landscapes.- Landscape management decisions and public-policy interventions.- Multifunctional landscapes.- Changing landscapes in Northeastern Europe based on examples from Baltic countries.- Multifunctionality in Mediterranean landscapes - past and future.- Alpine farming in Austria, for nature, culture or economic need?.- Landscape linkages and biodiversity in European landscapes.- Perspectives.- Is there a future for cultural landscapes?.- Driving forces behind landscape transformation in Europe, from a conceptual approach to policy options.- A landscape-ecological appraisal of the diversity and relevance of cultural landscapes.- Landscape-indicator development: steps towards a European approach.- Discussion and conclusions.