I nternational Centre for Protected Landscapes ( ICPL)
Executive summary
Background
This report is the product of research undertaken by the International Centre for Protected Landscapes on behalf of the Scottish Government to identify good practice from countries implementing the European Landscape Convention ( ELC). This Convention is the first international treaty to be exclusively concerned with all dimensions of landscape. The research was commissioned to help the Scottish Government mainstream landscape into public policy and implement the provisions of the ELC in Scotland.
The purpose of the Convention is to improve the quality of landscapes everywhere. Landscape is defined broadly to include all areas, urban and rural, countryside and coast, areas that are degraded and of high quality and those that are recognised as being of outstanding beauty and those that are not. The Convention looks to achieve sustainable development through the protection, planning and management of landscapes based on a balanced and harmonious relationship between social needs, economic activity and the environment.
Adopted by member States of the Council of Europe in Florence on 20 th October 2000, the Convention aims to promote landscape protection, management and planning and to organise European co-operation on landscape issues. It incorporates the values of the Council of Europe, looks to improve the quality of life and well being of European citizens who live in, and work and experience these areas, whilst taking account of the natural and cultural attributes that these landscapes reflect.
By 1 st March 2008, 29 European States (including the UK) had ratified the Convention. A further 6 had signed but not ratified, leaving 12 yet to sign. The Convention came into force in the UK on 1 st March 2007.
Responsibility for implementing the ELC in the UK resides with the UK Government but is effectively devolved to the 'home countries' each of whom contribute to a monitoring group which oversees and shares views on how this process is taken forward.
Research brief
In 2006, a Landscape Forum was established by Scottish Natural Heritage to advise on the promotion and care of Scotland's landscapes. In its report to Scottish Ministers in 2007, the Forum suggested that consideration be given to adopting the approach advocated in the ELC' to help integrate the activities of public bodies and other organisations in the planning, management and protection of Scottish landscapes' (Scottish Landscape Forum, 2007). This request, in turn, led to this study the objectives of which were to:
1. review other countries' responses to implementing the ELC and identify good practice relevant to its implementation, and
2. recommend ways of better mainstreaming landscape considerations into public policy and practice in Scotland, and to recommend opportunities for, and the most appropriate means of delivering landscape planning, protection and management having regard to the Scottish context.
In partnership with the Steering Group responsible for overseeing the work it was agreed that the study could be usefully informed by more in-depth interviews with Scottish practitioners and to this end it was decided also to identify and assess examples of good practice in Scotland.
Research methodology
The brief for this work originally envisaged this research as a 'desk based study' into what makes for 'good practice' in the protection, management and planning of landscapes when implementing the European Landscape Convention. It was proposed that the study would comprise a literature review (drawing on web based and other published sources) and contact with relevant experts and organisations in selected countries and that this work should ' build on information' held by the Council of Europe as monitors of the ELC implementation process.
Reliance on the desk based approach had to be modified when it became clear that information held by the Council of Europe on different countries implementation of the Convention was quite limited and of variable quality and direct requests to these countries for further information about their implementation of the Convention resulted in a very poor response. Faced with this dilemma it was agreed to invest more time in face to face discussions with representatives of the Council of Europe, and civil servants closely involved in the ELC. We also decided to draw on the experience other organisations and individuals from across Europe who were known to be actively involved in the implementation of the ELC and who generously offered advice and to share views with us on good practice issues.
Research process
The research approach adopted to deliver this work was essentially a twin-track process which involved comparing and analysing experiences in Scotland and elsewhere in Europe to help identify and define good practice in the planning, management and protection of landscapes. The starting point was to define key concepts relating to 'good practice' and 'landscape quality' within the context provided by the Convention whilst having regard to political, social, economic and other drivers that are leading to changes in European land use and landscapes. Sharing views with key players involved in landscape work in Scotland and elsewhere in Europe informed the process, and by teasing out key criteria and circumstances most often associated with good practice exemplars, allowed an analysis to be made of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats surrounding the implementation of the Convention generally. The lessons learned from this experience enabled broad recommendations to be made pertinent to the implementation of the Convention in Scotland.
Research findings
Progress in implementing the ELC and identifying good practice
Implementing the ELC is fundamentally to do with delivering twelve things set out in the general and specific measures of the Convention. (Figure ii). 'Good practice' is about delivering these as an integrated package. 'Best practice' might be defined as doing so with aplomb, to a high quality standard and consistently well.
Figure i: Twelve things needed to make a reality of the ELC
Source: Dower, M; (2007)
Figure i also shows the 12 things that need to be done to be batched and sequential and responsibility for their delivery is prescribed and variously shared. It should be noted that there is a key role to be played by States (individually) at the outset in recognising landscapes in law and integrating landscape considerations into policy and collectively in monitoring achievements and sharing good practice experience. Establishing procedures for the participation of the general public, local and regional and regional authorities, and other parties with an interest in the definition and implementation of landscape policies is also seen as crucial to underpinning the ongoing process. The research showed that the delivery of the General Measures in Article 5 of the Convention which are primarily the responsibility of State governments to deliver, were among the least satisfactory aspect of the overall implementation process.
More promising outcomes were identified in the delivery of specific measures in Article 6. These deal with awareness raising, training and education, identification and assessment of landscapes, the setting of landscape quality objectives and putting in place instruments aimed at protecting, managing and planning the landscape.
Many excellent landscape projects to do with implementing these specific measures listed in Article 6 of the Convention were found throughout Europe. Characteristically these reflected the ethos and values that stem from the Council of Europe's own commitment to human rights, democracy and the rule of law. These tenets are enshrined in the preamble to the ELC, too but rarely did we find 'landscape' projects assigned to the Convention or designed with the Convention's purposes in mind! The main reason for this appears to be a general lack of public awareness about the Convention throughout Europe. Even among States who have signed and ratified the Convention the awareness and understanding of the Convention was often weak within Government departments and inconsistencies in the strategic implementation of the Convention as package of integrated landscape focused actions, was sometimes evident.
Ironically some States are delivering excellent landscape projects but seem to miss a trick in failing to badge their landscape planning, management and protection activities strategically under the banner of the Convention. Other States appear unwilling to sign and ratify the Convention some because they see no added value to themselves in doing so, albeit one of the objectives of the Convention is that States should co-operate in the consideration of the landscape dimension of international policies and programmes and to render each other technical and scientific assistance.
At both a national and regional level there is a growing body of evidence now emerging from Italy and Slovenia and other countries like where the Convention is actively promoted that a wide range of social and economic as well as environmental benefits are being accrued. In Spain and its Regions (Autonomous Communities) such as Catalunya for example there are impressive achievements to show since the Convention came into force in June 2004. At a more local scale there are also very impressive array landscape projects being reported throughout Europe. This bodes well for the future of the Convention. The report provides examples of some of these some from countries (like Sweden and Germany) that have yet to ratify the Convention. Many are the product of the dedication of associations (such as ECOVAST and Mondi Locali / Local Worlds) who work with communities' intent on recording and celebrating the diversity of their cultural landscapes. Others have benefitted from state support that has helped volunteers and non-profit organisations coordinate their endeavours. The Obnovy Dediny programme in Slovakia, and Belvedere in Netherlands are notable examples of the latter.
During the course of the study we witnessed, and were impressed by, the emergence of new networks established to facilitate the engagement of local and regional authorities ( RECEP / ENELC), civil society (CivilScape) and academic establishments (UniScape) in support of the Convention. These networks offer great potential in helping to identify and disseminate good practice experience in the implementation of the Convention and are deserving of wide support.
Good practice guidance in implementing the Convention
The ELC is now into its 'implementation phase'. It has reached a critical point in its gestation and calls are increasing for it to demonstrate what it has achieved. All this is happening at a time when there is still very little in the way of guidance available on the practice standards that should apply in implementing the Convention.
Those responsible for the drafting of the Convention chose to shy away from being too prescriptive in stating how each of the instruments should be developed and implemented making it clear that it was 'for each State to determine such matters, according to its own division of powers, in conformity with its constitutional principles and administrative arrangements and respecting the principle of subsidiarity'.
In the absence of any advice being available from the Council of Europe at the outset of the study as to what might constitute good practice we began to identify some common features in successful approaches to ELC implementation.
We concluded that advice and guidance was needed at a strategic (national / international) scale and at local (individual project) level.
At the national level we identified five key criteria as ones which needed to be integral to the approach adopted by any country implementing the Convention, namely:
- a strategic policy vision for landscapes;
- public involvement in landscape matters (ideally supported by legislation);
- indicators to help measure improvements in the environmental quality of landscapes and people's lives,
- measures to enhance the natural and cultural diversity of landscapes, and
- opportunities for training and education in landscape matters.
This fifth provides the essential supportive context for the other four. Our research suggests that landscape education (and associated training) needs to start in schools but opportunities seem to be declining across Europe as are under-graduate and post graduate training courses in landscape planning, management and protection.
At the local project level careful analysis of 'best practice' case studies in Scotland (and elsewhere in Europe) revealed common features that help explain the reasons why some are more successful than others. These include the importance of individual project champions, and an active and iterative public involvement in, and 'ownership' of, projects, underpinned by political support and clear funding streams.
External drivers and landscape change
The European Landscape Convention recognises that developments in agriculture, forestry, industrial and mineral production, town and regional planning, transport infrastructure, tourism and recreation and, at a more general level, changes in the world economy are in many cases accelerating the transformation of landscapes. The Convention does not seek to stop change but to help people take an active part in their development in ways that ensures their quality and diversity is maintained.
The study considered external drivers that are, or might be expected to impact on land use change to inform thinking on the future planning, management and protection of European landscapes. This work revealed that:
- external drivers, such as climate change, are inadequately factored into the planning, management and protection of European landscapes;
- the European Union's policies often militate against efforts to maintain landscape quality and diversity;
- there is poor sectoral and spatial integration of landscape policy nationally and internationally in Europe;
- there is considerable scope for using EU Directives and Programmes creatively to help deliver ELC objectives, and
- many opportunities exist to network and share good practice between interest groups who acknowledge that the quality and diversity of European landscapes constitute a common resource and that it is important to co-operate towards its protection, management and planning .
The SWOT analysis and review of external drivers led us to conclude that the implementation of the Convention has to be done in an integrated, strategic and spatially referenced way. The impact on landscapes of external drivers such as global warming will be hugely pervasive and demand the better co-ordination of policies and programmes nationally and internationally.
Mainstreaming landscape considerations into public policy and practice in Scotland
The ELC provides an unparalleled opportunity for delivering landscape planning, protection and management in Scotland. Moreover it is relevant to the Scottish context in that it provides a focus to support the realisation of the Scottish Government's objectives for a:
Wealthier and Fairer
Greener
Safer and Stronger
Smarter, and
Healthier Scotland.
The Convention addresses matters which this research has shown to be among the most pressing landscape matters in Scotland today, namely the need to:
Update the provisions for landscape in Scottish law;
Integrate landscape into public policy;
Raise public awareness of landscape issues;
Develop ways to better understand landscape change;
Shape resources to meet landscape objectives;
Learn from others and share experience on the planning, management and protection of landscapes.
The Convention is the most obvious vehicle ( opportunity) to meet Scotland's needs. Its effectiveness can be expected to be enhanced if its provisions are implemented comprehensively within a strategic framework (a Landscape Strategy) configured around the Convention's requirements and underpinned by a strong and widely endorsed, vision for Scottish landscapes.
Landscape strategy and spatial vision
Mainstreaming landscape considerations into public policy in Scotland would be helped by preparing a Landscape Strategy setting out the work to be done and confirming the contributions expected of others to plan, manage and protect landscapes in sustainable ways. It will need to incorporate a vision for Scotland's landscapes that reflect the aspirations of Scottish people and, in turn, help define local "landscape quality objectives".
The Landscape Strategy should address how people will be encouraged and enabled to get more closely involved in landscape issues. Making better connections between people and places is fundamental to mainstreaming landscape into public policy. Carefully choosing ways of raising public awareness, understanding of, and interest in, landscapes is important in this regard. Promoting the idea that "landscape" mirrors our condition is one way of explaining how through good governance landscapes can bestow wide social, economic and environmental benefits. Another way is to use the metaphor of landscape as "bridge" linking people (and their communities /cultures) and nature (and its systems) which helps public appreciation of the importance of conserving and enhancing both the bio and cultural diversity of our landscapes The Landscape Strategy needs to address international considerations too. This should include sharing best practice experience, as called for by the Convention, but also might include spatial planning realignments to strengthen regional distinctiveness, promote cultural interest or boost economic performance, all of which will be reflected in the character and quality of Scottish landscapes into the future.
General recommendations
The overarching recommendation arising from this research is:
The European Landscape Convention provides an unparalleled opportunity for planning, managing and protecting Scottish landscapes and for mainstreaming landscape considerations into public policy.
For this to happen to best effect Scotland needs to have in place -
- A national strategic framework for its landscape work (a landscape strategy)
- A spatial vision for its landscapes
- A strong landscape focus in public policies, and
- Comprehensive programmes for landscape training and education.
It is further recommended that the Scottish Government should:
Prepare a Landscape Strategy to implement the ELC in Scotland, setting out the work to be done and confirming the contributions expected of others to plan, manage and protect landscapes in ways that are sustainable;
Adopt the Articles of the Convention as the template for the Landscape Strategy;
Confirm its vision for Scotland's landscapes reflecting the aspirations of Scottish people and providing a context for its spatial planning and a setting for defining 'landscape quality objectives';
Promote the concept of the landscape as an integrating tool or 'bridge' linking people (and their communities /cultures) and nature (and its systems) so that people can better appreciate how, through good governance arrangements, landscapes can be seen to provide social, economic and environmental benefits;
Promote best practice experience in the protection, planning and management of landscapes and encourage the development techniques and methods to implement the specific measures required by the Convention.
Specific recommendations
In respect to spatial planning it is recommended that:
Scotland's spatial planning framework should reflect people's vision for their landscapes;
further consideration be given to explain to people how the spatial planning framework can help integrate social, economic and environmental interests and deliver landscape quality objectives.
the spatial planning framework reviews the functionality of Scotland's landscapes and identifies critical regions where economic, social or environmental problems (and opportunities) might be expected to arise;
further consideration is given to the multi-functionality of Scottish landscape and how well social, economic and environmental interests are integrated and managed;
full advantage is taken of EU policies and programmes (such as the Water Framework Directive) to help realise 'landscape objectives' .
In relation to landscape policy implementation it is recommended that:
The Scottish Government reviews its legislation to confirm it complements the objectives of the ELC;
a clearer vision of Scottish landscapes will provide a sharper focus for landscape policy makers and legislators;
an assessment tool is developed to 'landscape proof' public policies in Scotland and ensure they are more closely aligned to national and regional visions for Scottish landscapes;
opportunities are taken to promote landscape causes when commenting on EU policies and programmes;
established networks of local and regional authorities ( RECEP- ENELC), civil society and NGOs and academic institutions working in support of the ELC are used to best advantage to share good practice ideas and experiences;
Scotland's 'landscape' work is promoted more widely via international networks and that Scotland considers developing a Landscape Observatory (along the lines of Catalan experience) to help co-ordinate landscape activities in support of the ELC.
In relation to education and training it is recommended that the Scottish Government should:
help to further raise awareness and understanding of the character and qualities of Scottish landscapes by raising the capacity and skills of individuals, organizations and businesses in Scotland to plan, and manage landscapes in more sustainable ways;
encourage public involvement in the ELC by, providing ways for people to learn about and participate in landscape work, helping communities to record, celebrate and promote their environmental and cultural heritage and confirming their opportunities to do so, and
invite professional institutions and business to actively promote the objectives of the Convention ELC by supporting landscape training, setting good practice standards in landscape design and promoting interest through competition and sharing good practice experience.
Conclusion
The concept of landscape is fundamentally about the connections between people and place, and the European Landscape Convention puts people at the heart of its approach to the better planning, management and protection of landscapes. It calls for an essential rethinking of the traditional approaches to landscape planning that have long been prevalent in Europe and in particular heralds a shift away from policies aimed primarily at protection and conservation more towards planning and managing new landscapes, but in ways that are informed by past experiences and public attitudes. The role of people in this process is central because it is for them that these landscapes function and have their raison d'être. As the needs of European society changes so will its landscapes. The challenge is to ensure that they change for the better ( i.e. their quality is improved) and that, in turn, the change is reflected in the quality of life for its citizens.