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Tobias Plieninger - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Priority questions for the science, policy and practice of Cultural Landscapes in Europe
Landscape Ecology, 2017Co-Authors: Mónica Hernández-morcillo, Claudia Bieling, Catharina J E Schulp, Peter H Verburg, Juraj Lieskovský, Matthias Bürgi, Hannes Palang, Anu Printsmann, Tobias PlieningerAbstract:Context The design of effective responses to safeguard Cultural landscape values in Europe needs collaborative action among the stakeholders involved. Despite considerable progress triggered by the European Landscape Convention (ELC) and other initiatives to link landscape science, policy and practice, a joint research–action agenda is still lacking. Objectives and methods We respond to this challenge by identifying common priority questions for the sustainable management of Cultural Landscapes in Europe. To this end, we gathered, in a first phase, the most relevant research questions through a Delphi-like process with the research community in this field. In a second phase, the questions were prioritized by three stakeholder groups: scientists (Ss), policy-makers (PMs) and practitioners (Ps). The importance ranks and the similarity between groups’ priorities were calculated and analyzed. Results We found that the research question that addressed the issue of how to secure sustainable Cultural Landscapes where they are not economically profitable was the most important, with high level of agreement among all stakeholders. Alignment among the three groups was generally high; being higher between Ps–Ss and Ps–PMs than between Ss and PMs. Conclusions Our exercise can assist the implementation of the ELC by outlining the potential direction of future applied research and by strengthening the ties between the multiple stakeholders involved in the stewardship of European Cultural Landscapes.
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Processes and driving forces in changing Cultural Landscapes across Europe
Landscape Ecology, 2017Co-Authors: Matthias Bürgi, Claudia Bieling, Juraj Lieskovský, Hannes Palang, Kim Hackwitz, Thanasis Kizos, María García Martín, Sarah Mccarthy, Matthias Müller, Tobias PlieningerAbstract:Context Cultural Landscapes evolve over time. However, the rate and direction of change might not be in line with societal needs and more information on the forces driving these changes are therefore needed. Objectives Filling the gap between single case studies and meta-analyses, we present a comparative study of landscape changes and their driving forces based in six regions across Europe conducted using a consistent method. Methods A LULC analysis based on historical and contemporary maps from the nineteenth and twentieth century was combined with oral history interviews to learn more about perceived landscape changes, and remembered driving forces. Land cover and landscape changes were analysed regarding change, conversions and processes. For all case study areas, narratives on mapped land cover change, perceived landscape changes and driving forces were compiled. Results Despite a very high diversity in extent, direction and rates of change, a few dominant processes and widespread factors driving the changes could be identified in the six case study areas, i.e. access and infrastructure, political shifts, labor market, technological innovations, and for the more recent period climate change. Conclusions Grasping peoples’ perception supplements the analyses of mapped land use and land cover changes and allows to address perceived landscape changes. The list of driving forces determined to be most relevant shows clear limits in predictability: Whereas changes triggered by infrastructural developments might be comparatively easy to model, political developments cannot be foreseen but might, nevertheless, leave major marks in the landscape.
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characterizing european Cultural Landscapes accounting for structure management intensity and value of agriCultural and forest Landscapes
Land Use Policy, 2017Co-Authors: Koen F Tieskens, Tobias Plieninger, Catharina J E Schulp, Christian Levers, Tobias Kuemmerle, Juraj Lieskovský, Peter H VerburgAbstract:Almost all rural areas in Europe have been shaped or altered by humans and can be considered Cultural Landscapes, many of which now are considered to entail valuable Cultural heritage. Current dynamics in land management have put Cultural Landscapes under a huge pressure of agriCultural intensification and land abandonment. To prevent the loss of Cultural Landscapes, knowledge on the location of different types of Cultural Landscapes is needed. In this paper, we present a characterization of European Cultural Landscapes based on the prevalence of three key dimensions of Cultural Landscapes: landscape structure, management intensity, and value and meaning. We mapped these dimensions across Europe at a 1-km resolution by combining proxies on management intensity and landscape structure with new indicators such as social media usage and registered traditional food products. We integrated the three dimensions into a continuous “Cultural landscape index” that allows for a characterization of Europe’s rural Landscapes. The characterization identifies hotspots of Cultural Landscapes, where all three dimensions are present, such as in the Mediterranean. On the other hand, Eastern and Northern European Cultural Landscapes are mostly characterized by only one of the dimensions. Our paper can help to identify pressures to Cultural Landscapes and thus to target measures for the conservation of these Landscapes, to link similar Landscapes in different regions, and to inform policy design on the most important characteristics of Cultural Landscapes at a regional scale.
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using visual stimuli to explore the social perceptions of ecosystem services in Cultural Landscapes the case of transhumance in mediterranean spain
Ecology and Society, 2014Co-Authors: Cesar Lopezsantiago, Elisa Oterosrozas, Berta Martinlopez, Esther Gonzalez Martin, Tobias Plieninger, Jose A GonzalezAbstract:The ecosystem services approach has been proposed as a powerful tool for the analysis of coupled social-ecological systems. This approach is particularly useful for the evaluation of Cultural Landscapes, which represent the joint evolution of humans and nature across an extended time span. Transhumance is a customary practice of mobile pastoralism, involving the regular seasonal migration of livestock herds between summer and winter pasturelands. This practice maintains unique Cultural Landscapes in Mediterranean Spain, which have been shaped over many centuries of pastoral activity. Drove roads, which are used for herd migration, represent the most outstanding feature of these Landscapes. We used visually based landscape interpretation to evaluate social perceptions of ecosystem services provided by the Conquense Drove Road transhumance landscape in Spain. Face-to-face questionnaires (N = 314) were given to a sample of local inhabitants, visitors, and urban inhabitants. The questionnaires contained two pairs of photographs depicting images of croplands and pine forests associated with the transhumance landscape, with one photograph in each pair containing a drove road. We compared the social perceptions of 16 ecosystem services supplied by these two Landscapes. These 16 services were divided into 3 types: provisioning, such as the production of food and water; regulating, such as the control of climate and disease; and Cultural, such as spiritual and recreational benefits. We also identified differences between Landscapes with and without a drove road. Overall, respondents recognized the higher capacity of forests to deliver a wider range of ecosystem services to society compared with croplands. Provisioning services were mostly associated with cropland, whereas regulating services and Cultural ecosystem services tended to be related to forests. All three types of ecosystem services were more perceived by respondents when a drove road was present in each landscape. However, differences in the visual perception of ecosystem services supply and preference for transhumance Landscapes emerged in relation to certain socio-demographic and Cultural respondent characteristics such as a previous relationship with transhumance and agriculture, rural/urban origin and identity, environmental awareness, and Cultural attachment to a place. Four groups of respondents had consistent and diverging ecosystem services appreciation, revealing various potential conflicts and tradeoffs. We discuss the applicability and usefulness of the proposed approach for evaluating ecosystem services in Cultural Landscapes and for informing policy-making processes.
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Sustaining ecosystem services in Cultural Landscapes
Ecology and Society, 2014Co-Authors: Tobias Plieninger, Dan Van Der Horst, Christian Schleyer, Claudia BielingAbstract:Classical conservation approaches focus on the man-made degradation of ecosystems and tend to neglect the social- ecological values that human land uses have imprinted on many environments. Throughout the world, ingenious land-use practices have generated unique Cultural Landscapes, but these are under pressure from agriCultural intensification, land abandonment, and urbanization. In recent years, the Cultural Landscapes concept has been broadly adopted in science, policy, and management. The interest in both outstanding and vernacular Landscapes finds expression in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, the European Landscape Convention, and the IUCN Protected Landscape Approach. These policies promote the protection, management, planning, and governance of Cultural Landscapes. The ecosystem services approach is a powerful framework to guide such efforts, but has rarely been applied in landscape research and management. With this paper, we introduce a special feature that aims to enhance the theoretical, empirical and practical knowledge of how to safeguard the resilience of ecosystem services in Cultural Landscapes. It concludes (1) that the usefulness of the ecosystem services approach to the analysis and management of Cultural Landscapes should be reviewed more critically; (2) that conventional ecosystem services assessment needs to be complemented by socio-Cultural valuation; (3) that Cultural Landscapes are inherently changing, so that a dynamic view on ecosystem services and a focus on drivers of landscape change are needed; and (4) that managing Landscapes for ecosystem services provision may benefit from a social-ecological resilience perspective.
Claudia Bieling - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Priority questions for the science, policy and practice of Cultural Landscapes in Europe
Landscape Ecology, 2017Co-Authors: Mónica Hernández-morcillo, Claudia Bieling, Catharina J E Schulp, Peter H Verburg, Juraj Lieskovský, Matthias Bürgi, Hannes Palang, Anu Printsmann, Tobias PlieningerAbstract:Context The design of effective responses to safeguard Cultural landscape values in Europe needs collaborative action among the stakeholders involved. Despite considerable progress triggered by the European Landscape Convention (ELC) and other initiatives to link landscape science, policy and practice, a joint research–action agenda is still lacking. Objectives and methods We respond to this challenge by identifying common priority questions for the sustainable management of Cultural Landscapes in Europe. To this end, we gathered, in a first phase, the most relevant research questions through a Delphi-like process with the research community in this field. In a second phase, the questions were prioritized by three stakeholder groups: scientists (Ss), policy-makers (PMs) and practitioners (Ps). The importance ranks and the similarity between groups’ priorities were calculated and analyzed. Results We found that the research question that addressed the issue of how to secure sustainable Cultural Landscapes where they are not economically profitable was the most important, with high level of agreement among all stakeholders. Alignment among the three groups was generally high; being higher between Ps–Ss and Ps–PMs than between Ss and PMs. Conclusions Our exercise can assist the implementation of the ELC by outlining the potential direction of future applied research and by strengthening the ties between the multiple stakeholders involved in the stewardship of European Cultural Landscapes.
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Processes and driving forces in changing Cultural Landscapes across Europe
Landscape Ecology, 2017Co-Authors: Matthias Bürgi, Claudia Bieling, Juraj Lieskovský, Hannes Palang, Kim Hackwitz, Thanasis Kizos, María García Martín, Sarah Mccarthy, Matthias Müller, Tobias PlieningerAbstract:Context Cultural Landscapes evolve over time. However, the rate and direction of change might not be in line with societal needs and more information on the forces driving these changes are therefore needed. Objectives Filling the gap between single case studies and meta-analyses, we present a comparative study of landscape changes and their driving forces based in six regions across Europe conducted using a consistent method. Methods A LULC analysis based on historical and contemporary maps from the nineteenth and twentieth century was combined with oral history interviews to learn more about perceived landscape changes, and remembered driving forces. Land cover and landscape changes were analysed regarding change, conversions and processes. For all case study areas, narratives on mapped land cover change, perceived landscape changes and driving forces were compiled. Results Despite a very high diversity in extent, direction and rates of change, a few dominant processes and widespread factors driving the changes could be identified in the six case study areas, i.e. access and infrastructure, political shifts, labor market, technological innovations, and for the more recent period climate change. Conclusions Grasping peoples’ perception supplements the analyses of mapped land use and land cover changes and allows to address perceived landscape changes. The list of driving forces determined to be most relevant shows clear limits in predictability: Whereas changes triggered by infrastructural developments might be comparatively easy to model, political developments cannot be foreseen but might, nevertheless, leave major marks in the landscape.
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Sustaining ecosystem services in Cultural Landscapes
Ecology and Society, 2014Co-Authors: Tobias Plieninger, Dan Van Der Horst, Christian Schleyer, Claudia BielingAbstract:Classical conservation approaches focus on the man-made degradation of ecosystems and tend to neglect the social- ecological values that human land uses have imprinted on many environments. Throughout the world, ingenious land-use practices have generated unique Cultural Landscapes, but these are under pressure from agriCultural intensification, land abandonment, and urbanization. In recent years, the Cultural Landscapes concept has been broadly adopted in science, policy, and management. The interest in both outstanding and vernacular Landscapes finds expression in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, the European Landscape Convention, and the IUCN Protected Landscape Approach. These policies promote the protection, management, planning, and governance of Cultural Landscapes. The ecosystem services approach is a powerful framework to guide such efforts, but has rarely been applied in landscape research and management. With this paper, we introduce a special feature that aims to enhance the theoretical, empirical and practical knowledge of how to safeguard the resilience of ecosystem services in Cultural Landscapes. It concludes (1) that the usefulness of the ecosystem services approach to the analysis and management of Cultural Landscapes should be reviewed more critically; (2) that conventional ecosystem services assessment needs to be complemented by socio-Cultural valuation; (3) that Cultural Landscapes are inherently changing, so that a dynamic view on ecosystem services and a focus on drivers of landscape change are needed; and (4) that managing Landscapes for ecosystem services provision may benefit from a social-ecological resilience perspective.
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exploring futures of ecosystem services in Cultural Landscapes through participatory scenario development in the swabian alb germany
Ecology and Society, 2013Co-Authors: Tobias Plieninger, Christian Schleyer, Claudia Bieling, Bettina Ohnesorge, Harald Schaich, Franziska WolffAbstract:Cultural Landscapes are appreciated for the plethora of ecosystem services that they provide to society. They are, however, subject to rapid and fundamental transformations across Europe, mainly as a result of intensification or abandonment of land uses. Our objective is to assess the possible future drivers of Cultural landscape changes and their likely impacts on ecosystem services provision as perceived by local actors. We present stakeholder-based scenarios for the Swabian Alb, a biosphere reserve in southern Germany, projected to the yr 2040. On their basis, we explore the possibilities and limitations of local civil engagement for landscape conservation and development in the face of increasing global influences. The steps of the process are (a) identifying the key driving forces of landscape change, (b) developing contrasting narratives about alternative landscape futures, (c) refining the narratives, (d) discussing scenario impacts, and (e) exploring local management strategies. Four contrasting scenarios created by the stakeholders are presented. Global-level drivers are state support/regulations vs. freemarket economy, and energy-intensive lifestyles vs. low-energy economy. Local-level forces are high vs. low consumer demand for localized food, and high vs. low appreciation of local Cultural Landscapes. Outcomes show that Cultural landscape development may come to a crossroads over the next 30 yrs, with either combined land abandonment and landscape industrialization scenarios or multifunctional, locally distinct landscape futures being possible. The scenario narratives envision that the most powerful way to develop and protect distinct Landscapes is to foster local people's links to Cultural Landscapes, to build social capital around them, and to direct consumption patterns toward localized food production. We find that participatory scenario processes have strengths in terms of the credibility, transferability, and confirmability of the insights gained, but are often weak in ensuring dependability.
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Resilience and the Cultural Landscape: Resilience and Cultural Landscapes: opportunities, relevance and ways ahead
Resilience and the Cultural Landscape, 1Co-Authors: Claudia Bieling, Tobias PlieningerAbstract:Introduction Cultural Landscapes have been shaped through interactions between people and nature; they are of outstanding importance for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem services, and are currently under massive pressure from agriCultural intensification, land abandonment and urbanisation (Jansen et al ., 2009). The origins, dynamics and values of Cultural Landscapes were introduced at the beginning of this book by examining two distinct European Landscapes (Chapter 1): the savanna-like dehesas in Spain and the low mountain range of the Black Forest in Germany. Although they differ considerably in their ecological, Cultural, economic and political background and characteristics, these regions exhibit similar trajectories that point to many key issues of overall landscape change. This includes a long-lasting and complex human–nature interrelationship, which created a broad array of tangible as well as intangible values. Likewise, the current trends around the intensification–extensification and urbanisation–depopulation dichotomies can be traced in both Landscapes, resulting in standardisation and thus a loss of landscape character. Both the dehesas and the Black Forest cases, however, highlighted that we frequently have a romanticised view of Cultural Landscapes and ignore the fact that many of them have been built on severe landscape interventions, unsustainable land use practices and social injustice. Moreover, these examples show that what we perceive as a typical and inherent character of a landscape may actually be more of a temporary snapshot than a long-term condition. Addressing these critical issues in the study of Landscapes and landscape change, the aim of this book is to develop an enhanced perspective that combines insights from the scientific communities dealing with the concepts of resilience and Cultural Landscapes. Applying this approach to the Black Forest and dehesa cases reveals insights as to how this approach may help to overcome the key shortcomings in conventional landscape studies.
Ken Taylor - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Conserving Cultural Landscapes : Challenges and New Directions
2014Co-Authors: Ken Taylor, Archer St. Clair, Nora J. MitchellAbstract:1. Introduction: Cultural Landscapes: Twenty-First Century Conservation Opportunities and Challenges Ken Taylor, Archer St Clair, and Nora J. Mitchell Part I: Reflections on Past and Future Directions 2. World Heritage Cultural Landscapes 1992-2012 Mechtild Rossler 3. Sustaining the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage Cultural Landscape Susan Denyer 4. Entre chien et loup: World Heritage Cultural Landscapes on the Fortieth Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention Christina Cameron 5. Opportunities for Integration of Cultural and Natural Heritage Perspectives Under the World Heritage Convention: Towards Connected Practice Leticia Leitao and Tim Badman Part II: Community Stewardship and Diverse Values 6. Stewardship of Protected Landscapes by Communities: Diverse Landscapes, Diverse Governance Models Jessica Brown 7. The Interrelationships of Land, Culture and Heritage: The Gullah Geechee Communities of the Southeastern United States Elizabeth Brabec & Cari Goetcheus 8. Ecological and Socio-Cultural Resilience in Managing Traditional Sacred Landscapes in the Coastal Savannah Ecosystem of Ghana George Ortsin 9. Cultural Landscapes: Message from our Ancestors Danil Mamyev Part III: New Approaches and Policy Frameworks: The Recommendation on Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) 10. Historic Urban Landscape: a new UNESCO Tool for a Sustainable Future, Patricia O'Donnell 11. Applying a Cultural Landscape Approach to the Urban Context Julian Smith 12. Asian Theoretical and Best-Practice Framework for the Historic Urban Landscape: Heritage for the Future Ron Van Oers and Ken Taylor Part IV: Confronting the Everyday Challenge of Cultural Landscape Management 13. Cultural Landscape Management Practice: Some Australian Case Studies Jane Lennon 14. Lessons in Large Landscape Management Brenda Barrett 15. Innovations in Managing National Park Service Cultural Landscapes: Sustaining Historic and Traditional Uses Susan Dolan 16. Val de Loire Patrimoine Mondial (France): The Management Process of a Living Cultural Landscape Myriam Laidet 17. Traditional Knowledge: An Innovative Contribution to Landscape Management Guillermo Rodriguez-Navarro Part V: Climate Change and Global Transformation: Sustaining Cultural Landscapes for the Future 18. Climate Change Challenges and Cultural Landscape Viability Robert Z Melnick 19. Discursive Heritage: Sustaining Andean Cultural Landscapes Amidst Environmental Change Fausto Sarmiento and Xavier Viteri 20. Climate and the Transformation of Landscapes: Building and Strengthening Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Institutions to Manage Threats to Cultural Landscapes Mervn Tano 21. The Conservation of Human Responses to Natural Hazards and Disasters James K Mitchell 22. Gardens of the Jafr (Rasht Valley, Tajikistan) as a Model of Sustaining Cultural Landscapes for Future Generations Mirzoshoh Akobirov
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New Cultural Landscapes
2014Co-Authors: Maggie Roe, Ken TaylorAbstract:1. New Cultural Landscapes: Emerging issues, context and themes Maggie Roe & Keven Francis 2. Culture-Nature Dilemmas: confronting the challenge of the integration of culture and nature Ken Taylor and Keven Francis 3. Old culture and damaged Landscapes: the new Cultural Landscapes of post-industrial sites in Britain Clive Davies 4. Envisioning New Cultural Landscapes: AgriCultural traditions and adaptation Nora Mitchell & Brenda Barrett 5. Cultures in flux Simon Bell 6. The Commercial and Dream Landscape Cultures of Movies Bronwyn Jewell and Susan McKinnon 7. Communities, Heritage and New Cultural Landscapes: Ecomuseological approaches Peter Davis and Gerard Corsane 8. Desperation, Delight or Deviance: Conflicting Cultural Landscapes of the urban poor in developing countries Suzanne Speak 9. Landfill and disasterscapes in the wastelands of Indonesia Joe Duffy 10. Altneuland: The Old New Land and the New-Old Twenty-first Century Cultural Landscape of Palestine and Israel Shelley Egoz 11. New Spatial Cultures: a landscape story from Egypt Tamer Ahmed 12. China: New cultures and changing urban cultures Mary Padua 13. Cultural Landscapes and Climate Change: Protecting resources that matter in a future of uncertainty Robert Z. Melnick 14. Exploring Future Cultural Landscapes Maggie Roe
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Cultural Landscapes a bridge between culture and nature
International Journal of Heritage Studies, 2011Co-Authors: Ken Taylor, Jane LennonAbstract:Cultural Landscapes are intended to increase awareness that heritage places (sites) are not isolated islands and that there is an interdependence of people, social structures, and the landscape and associated ecological systems. The paper explores whether the recognition of the 1992 World Heritage Cultural Landscape categories, the IUCN Protected Landscapes and the 2005 merging of Cultural and natural criteria for World Heritage purposes have been effective in bridging the gap between culture and nature philosophically and in practice. With particular reference to opportunities presented in the Asia-Pacific region, where traditionally culture and nature are not regarded as separate, people are part of nature, the paper will further critically review the nature–culture link and its implications for North American-style national parks where Cultural associations may not be seen to be necessary or even desirable. It suggests the imperative of highlighting and respecting in heritage nominations and inscriptio...
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Cultural Landscapes and asia reconciling international and southeast asian regional values
Landscape Research, 2009Co-Authors: Ken TaylorAbstract:Abstract Historic(al) Landscapes with their heritage values—Cultural Landscapes—have reached key status in the field of Cultural heritage conservation and planning. International recognition of Cultural Landscapes was extended in 1992 to World Heritage prominence with the establishment of three categories of Cultural Landscapes of outstanding universal value. The term ‘Cultural landscape’ is now widely circulated internationally, although its use in South-eastern and Eastern Asia (hereafter SE and E Asia) presents problems. Notwithstanding this, Cultural Landscapes that have evolved in SE and E Asia reflect beautifully the interaction between people and their environment not simply as a tangible Cultural product but as a result of Cultural process with associated intangible values. In this way, and like their Western counterparts, they are part of a dynamic “process by which identities are formed’’,1 and also reflect organising philosophies and perspectives of different cultures imbued with value systems,...
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Cultural Landscapes in asia pacific potential for filling world heritage gaps
International Journal of Heritage Studies, 2006Co-Authors: Ken Taylor, Kirsty AltenburgAbstract:World Heritage listing and public presentation for tourism at Asian sites like Angkor has tended to focus on architectural ensembles, notwithstanding archaeological research involving wider aspects of landscape setting. Taking Angkor, Borobudur and Bagan as examples, this paper proposes a critical review of the concept of such heritage places and their interpretation under the wider concept of Cultural Landscapes replete with extensive intangible values and as outstanding examples of a continuous living/nourishing tradition and history. In this sense the architectural monuments themselves are a component of a wider Cultural landscape pattern to which they are inextricably tied. Seeing the monuments without seeing their Cultural context is akin to seeing leaves but not the tree. The paper is set within the framework of concepts of authenticity and the increasing interest in the Cultural landscape concept in Asia. Underpinning the theme of the paper is the activity of reading the landscape with its sense of...
Tiamsoon Sirisrisak - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Cultural Landscapes in Asia and the Pacific: Implications of the World Heritage Convention
International Journal of Heritage Studies, 2008Co-Authors: Natsuko Akagawa, Tiamsoon SirisrisakAbstract:The notion of Cultural landscape has been accepted in the World Heritage Convention since 1992 but the adoption for World Heritage inscription is different among regions. This paper aims to address the issues of applying the concept of Cultural landscape in Asia and the Pacific. The article first takes an overview of the World Heritage List and current issues related to the Cultural landscape. This is followed by a discussion of the Cultural landscape by referring to previous studies, with detailed analysis pointing out the major characteristics of the listed Cultural Landscapes in Asia and the Pacific, which are tabulated using the numerical data. The final discussion concludes by addressing the discourse on applying the World Heritage Convention and the current issues on Cultural landscape conservation in Asia and the Pacific.
Graeme Aplin - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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World Heritage Cultural Landscapes
International Journal of Heritage Studies, 2007Co-Authors: Graeme AplinAbstract:The concept of Cultural Landscapes has a long and varied lineage, including antecedents in geography and ecomuseums, and can be applied at all scales. In the 1990s, the World Heritage Committee adopted Cultural Landscapes as an additional category of property as part of its strategy to broaden the scope of World Heritage listings. By July 2006, there were 53 properties inscribed on the World Heritage List and officially recognised as being Cultural Landscapes. Such recognition is an acknowledgement of the importance of human–environment interactions, especially those of a more traditional type. Not surprisingly, Cultural Landscapes have their own particular management issues, as well as sharing others with World Heritage properties in general. These properties, however, also present many opportunities to increase people’s understanding of both Cultural and environmental values important to the future of humankind on a global level.