Landscape quality objectives and landscape directives

Joan Ganyet
Director General of Architecture and Landscape Ministry of Town and Country Planning and Public Works Government of Catalonia

In June 2005 the Catalan Parliament passed the Act for protection, planning and management of the landscape and in September 2006 its implementing regulation. Since then decisive steps have been taken in the implementation of landscape policies in our country and the regulating instruments envisaged in the Act have begun to be applied

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Ten landscape quality objectives for Catalonia

Among the basic pillars of the European Landscape Convention and, by rebound, of the Act for the protection, planning and management of the landscape of Catalonia, are the landscape quality objectives, which become a reference of the first order for territorial and sector policies, entities and society in general, to continue advancing towards a country with better landscapes which redound positively on the quality of life of the people. More than their impact on the instruments themselves of town and country and sector planning, landscape quality objectives also have the function of increasing public awareness of landscape. The landscape quality objectives answer the question, so simple and complex at the same time, "What landscape do we want?" From the long and varied list of landscape quality objectives defined in the landscape catalogues prepared by the Landscape Observatory, both for the seven regions and for each landscape unit, ten emerge which refer to aspects common to the greater part of Catalonia: these are the landscape quality objectives for Catalonia.

'Art faced with landscape transformations. Looking and commitment'

On 20 February 2008 a round table was organised by the Girona Art Museum and Girona Regional Culture and Media Services under the title, "Art faced with landscape transformations: looking and commitment", with notable public success and a high level of participation and interest. The objective was to take advantage of the arrival of three exhibitions almost coinciding in time in the rooms of the Museum, "Graphite wind" by Arcadi Artís, "The skin of nature" by Josep Beulas, and "Landscape artists of Montgrí" by Francesc Gimeno, in which landscape is the shared theme of them all.
The round table was moderated by Joan Nogué, director of the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia, the speaker was Joan Romero, Professor of Human Geography of Valencia University and comments were given by Arcadi Artís, artist and architect; Jordi Balló, Professor of Audiovisual Communication of the Pompeu Fabra University, and Jordi Pigem, philosopher specialising in the nature-culture relationship. You can read the conclusions of the event here.

International Seminar on Archaeology of Landscape in European Mountain Areas

International Seminar on the Archaeology of Landscape in European Mountain Areas is the title of the seminar organised by the Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology in coordination with SERP (Barcelona University) and GEODE (Toulouse University), which will be held from 4 to 6 June in Tarragona.
The objective of the seminar is to be a meeting point for researchers who are working on landscape archaeology in mountainous areas so that they can discuss and exchange methodologies, experiences and the results of the investigations which they are carrying out. It is also intended to be a space for the sharing of common interests and to help in collaborating for future European meetings. The seminar programme can be seen here.

The Cabinet of the Galician Government approves the Landscape Act of Galicia

On 27 March the Cabinet of the Galician Government approved the Bill for the Law to protect the landscape. The next step will be its passage through Parliament for definitive approval. Thus Galicia will become the third autonomous community, after Valencia and Catalonia, to bring landscape into its legal ordinances, in compliance with the European Landscape Convention. This Law will legally recognise the landscape and promote policies for its conservation, protection, planning and management. Once approved, it will become a point of reference for the whole legislative system and for plans and programmes in Galicia which may affect the landscape and, especially, when affecting areas of high natural and cultural value.

On Riu Llobregat Project of the Nomad Observatory

During April the ON riu Llobregat Workshop was held, organised by ON IT, [Observatori Nòmada] Imatge i Territori, a research line of the Design and Image Department of Barcelona University. The Workshop is part of the ON riu Llobregat Project which has emerged from the Rieres // Rambles roaming experience which took place in April 2007. ON IT is a group of an open nature, in constant construction and growth, which produces, collects and diffuses experiences on the city and around the city with a view to constructing a critical observation network on the multiple ways of using and perceiving the region. The Workshop takes the area of Baix Llobregat Nord as a multidisciplinary working area with the objective of contributing creativity to reflection on the present condition of a complex territory, combining, for three weeks, lectures and itineraries to various specific points of the area. The On Riu Llobregat Project is scheduled to end in 2009 with a presentation of the result of works by the various groups which were formed in the Workshop.

'Looking at the future development of Catalonia, what are the key territorial aspects?'

Chapter in number 5 of the journal VIA. Valors, Idees, Actituds (January 2008), published by the Jordi Pujol Study Centre, where Joan Antoni Solans, Ramon Folch, Joan Nogué, Albert Serratosa, Josep Oliva and Albert Vilalta give their answers to the question posed in the title. This issue of the journal raises a debate with the participation of more authors around the question of territories in transition.

RECEP

European network of local and regional authorities for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention. It comprises local and regional authorities of Member States of the Council of Europe that have ratified the European Landscape Convention or are in the process of doing so. Its aim is to support municipalities, counties, regions and any other interested decentralised authorities in the implementation of the principles of the European Landscape Convention.

CCLP (Cambridge Centre for Landscape and People)

Interdisciplinary research centre which works to integrate the cultural and spiritual values of the land and the local communities in the preservation of landscape and nature, and the social economic needs in sustainable development.

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