Glossari de paisatge | Observatori del Paisatge

Landscape glossary

Compilation of terms related to landscape planning and management in alphabetical order. The terms have been defined by the Landscape Observatory, as well as by other sources, including the Landscape Law of Catalonia and the European Landscape Convention.

Term

Definition

Aesthetic value of the landscape

A landscape's capacity to transmit a certain feeling of beauty, depending on the significance and cultural appreciation that it has acquired throughout history, also the intrinsic value of the colours, diversity, form, proportions, scale, texture and unity of the elements forming the landscape.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Appreciation of landscape

The fact of making the environmental, cultural, visual and perceived aspects of landscape valuable.
Landscape Observatory

Communication in the landscape

Transmission of cultural meaning in relation to one or more landscapes through information technology and means.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Concealment

Landscape integration strategy consisting in the whole or partial hiding from view of certain elements, considered undesirable from certain viewpoints.
Ministry of Town and Country Planning and Public Works of the Government of Catalonia

Contextualisation

Landscape integration strategy based on the establishment of continuity between pre-existing and new elements, through reference to typological, volumetric, structural and chromatic guidelines, etc.
Ministry of Town and Country Planning and Public Works of the Government of Catalonia

Fund for the protection, management and planning of the landscape

Financial instrument of the Government of Catalonia for the purpose of allocating funds to actions for the improvement and preservation of the landscape, addressed to public bodies, private entities and individuals and legal persons acting with these objectives.
Act 8/2005 for the protection, management and planning of the landscape

Historical value of the landscape

Traces – tangible or intangible – of human activity of current relevance to the landscape.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Identity value of the landscape

Element of the landscape or landscapes as a whole with a substantial symbolic or identity-based meaning for local people, who establish relationships of belonging to or identifying with it.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Intangible cultural heritage

Uses, representations, expressions, knowledge and techniques - together with the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces inherent to them - that communities, groups and, on certain occasions, individuals, recognise as an integral part of their cultural heritage. This intangible cultural heritage, which is passed on from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups according to their surroundings, their interaction with nature and their history, instilling in them a sense of identity and continuity and in this way contributing to promoting a respect for cultural diversity and human creativity.
UNESCO Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage

Knowledge of the landscape

Level of education and recognition of the landscape pertaining to and experienced by a given population.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape

An area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors.
European Landscape Convention

Landscape agent

Individual or public or private entity interested in landscape, which uses it or has competence in its management.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape assessment

Process directed at finding out about the state, dynamics and tendencies of the landscape, at analysing the results obtained and making the relevant judgments.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape catalogue

Documents of a descriptive and prospective nature, applicable to territorial ambits, which define the types of landscapes in Catalonia, identify their values and state of preservation and propose the quality objectives to be met.
Act 8/2005 for the protection, management and planning of the landscape

Landscape character

Set of clearly recognisable features which contribute to making one landscape different from another, neither better nor worse.
The Countryside Agency / Scotish Natural Heritage

Landscape Charter

Instrument of strategies settled between public and private agents, applicable at local, supramunicipal or district level, for the purpose of carrying out actions for the protection, planning and management of the landscape, and with the objective of maintaining its values.
Act 8/2005 for the protection, management and planning of the landscape

Landscape Creation

Intervention on a portion of the territory for the purpose of improving landscape conditions and creating a newly imagined one in the event that the original has been lost or deteriorated.
Landscape Observatory

Landscape criteria

The opinions through which judgements or decisions are made on the protection, planning and management of the landscape.
Landscape Observatory

Landscape Directives

Directives which, based on the Landscape Catalogues, set out the proposed landscape quality objectives and incorporate them into the regulation of the partial territorial plans or land master plans.
Act 8/2005 for the protection, management and planning of the landscape

Landscape diversity

Wealth in landscape configuration and character, whether through specific elements or in landscapes as a whole.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape dynamics

Natural and human activities and processes which affect the present configuration of the landscape.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape education

Initiatives in training and teaching in order to promote knowledge of the landscape and sensitivity to the importance of its values and quality.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape element

Individual component forming the landscape.
The Countryside Agency / Scotish Natural Heritage

Landscape evolution

Gradual process by which a landscape changes from one state to another.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape feature

Landscape element or combination of elements which contributing to giving it its character.
The Countryside Agency / Scotish Natural Heritage

Landscape fragility

Susceptibility of a landscape to the deterioration of its natural, cultural, visual and perceived values.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape fragmentation

Result of a process of breaking-up of the continuity of a landscape and its coherence.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape impact

Disturbance in the landscape caused by a natural phenomenon or by human activity.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape impact and integration report

Written report for the purpose of assessing the suitability and adequacy of the criteria or measures adopted in the landscape impact and integration studies, in order to integrate the actions, uses, works or activities to be undertaken into the landscape.
Decree 343/2006, of 19th September, through which the Act 8/2005, of 8th June, on the protection, management and planning of the landscape is implemented and regulated

Landscape impact and integration study

Technical document designed to consider the consequences on the landscape of carrying out actions, building proposal or activities and to set out the criteria adopted for their integration.
Decree 343/2006, of 19th September, through which the Act 8/2005, of 8th June, on the protection, management and planning of the landscape is implemented and regulated

Landscape improvement

Evolution of the landscape in order to reach a better state.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape indicator

Quantitative or qualitative element allowing an assessment and regular monitoring of the evolution and state of the landscape, people's satisfaction with their landscape and the effectiveness of public and private initiatives for its improvement.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape integration measure

Action aimed at reducing the landscape impact of a building proposal or infrastructure.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape management

Action, from a perspective of sustainable development, to ensure the regular upkeep of a landscape, so as to guide and harmonise changes which are brought about by social, economic and environmental processes.
European Landscape Convention

Landscape mosaic

Overall pattern formed by the various uses of the land which make up a specific territory.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape planning

Strong forward-looking action to enhance, restore or create landscapes.
European Landscape Convention

Landscape policy

An expression by the competent public authorities of general principles, strategies and guidelines that permit the taking of specific measures aimed at the protection, management and planning of landscapes.
European Landscape Convention

Landscape preservation

Mechanisms designed to safeguard the environmental, cultural, visual and perceived values of a landscape from deterioration or loss.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape protection

Actions to conserve and maintain the significant or characteristic features of a landscape, justified by its heritage value derived from its natural configuration and/or from human activity.
European Landscape Convention

Landscape Quality Objective

For a specific landscape, the formulation by the competent public authorities of the aspirations of the public with regard to the landscape features of their surroundings.
European Landscape Convention

Landscape rehabilitation

Mechanisms designed to halt the degradation or disappearance of an element or group of elements in a landscape and restore them to their original condition, while ensuring their survival for the future.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape restoration

Set of operations for the purpose of ensuring that the visual perception of an area is similar to or develops in concordance with its state before being altered by human activity.
Termcat

Landscape satisfaction

Expression of the degree of contentment or discontent of the population living in a certain territorial ambit with its landscape, caused by various factors.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape sociability

Quantity and diversity of social relations in the broadest sense, linked to the landscape and generated by the landscape in a certain social spatial and temporal context.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape transformation

Change in the natural or cultural characteristics of the landscape tending to alter its values or appearance.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Landscape unit

Portion of territory characterised by a specific combination of landscape components of an environmental, cultural, perceptive and symbolic nature and with clearly recognisable dynamics which result in an individuality differentiated from the rest of the territory.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Mimicry

Landscape integration strategy consisting of fusing the new elements of the project with pre-existing elements.
Ministry of Town and Country Planning and Public Works of the Government of Catalonia

Naturalisation

Landscape integration strategy based on restoring the natural image of places by re-establishing the ecological balance.
Ministry of Town and Country Planning and Public Works of the Government of Catalonia

Perception of the landscape

An individual or group's appreciation of the values of a landscape and its state of preservation.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Preservation of Landscape

Use and management of the landscape compatible with the maintenance of its environmental, cultural, visual and perceived values, for the benefit of society and future generations.
Landscape Observatory

Productive value of the landscape

Capacity of a landscape to provide financial benefits, converting its elements into resources.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Public information

Procedure by which, for a specific period of time, the authorities present a project or plan to the public in order to collect information and suggestions regarding its development.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Singularisation

Landscape integration strategy based on the establishment of new relationships with landscape elements starting from the leading role given to the presence of a new element.
Ministry of Town and Country Planning and Public Works of the Government of Catalonia

Social value of the landscape

Relates to the use made of the landscape by an individual or group with an interest for the community.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Special attention landscapes

Landscape sector with a certain heterogeneity, complexity or singularity from the landscape point of view, which requires specific directives and criteria for its protection, management and planning.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Spiritual value of the landscape

Feature of the landscape or landscapes as a whole related with religious and spiritual practices and beliefs.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

State of the landscape

Set of natural, cultural and symbolic characteristics found in or shown by a specific landscape.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Trivialisation of the landscape

Process by which the landscape loses its natural, cultural or symbolic originality or interest.
Landscape Observatory of Catalonia