Wenche Dramstad, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Wenche.dramstad@nibio.no
Åsa Ode Sang, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Asa.sang@slu.se
Lien Dupont, Ghent University, lien.dupont@ugent.be
Wendy Fjellstad, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Wendy.fjellstad@nibio.no
Mari Sundli Tveit, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, mari.tveit@nmbu.no
Summary
The symposium will focus on the role of transdisciplinary landscape research with specific focus on perception studies within the field of landscape ecology. There is increasing acceptance that landscape changes should be planned and managed in a way that takes account of stakeholder perceptions and seeks to maintain, or even improve, both landscape experience and ecological functioning. We welcome presentations on different transdisciplinary research approaches exploring perception and experience of landscape patterns and processes, their link to ecosystem services and integration into planning, assessment, management and design of landscapes.
Description
The focus is on research on landscape perception in a broad and transdisciplinary sense, as a human sensory experience of the landscape. While our understanding of ecological functioning and processes of many landscapes has increased, there still appears to be potential for improvement regarding the transformation of this knowledge into real world landscape changes. Could this be influenced by a lack of transdisciplinarity in landscape studies? How can the findings of perception studies influence potential landscape management and change? What are the potential conflicts between human landscape desires and ecological functioning and how might these be resolved? How can we achieve a better integration of human landscape perception in landscape ecology?
Possible themes to be included are:
- Landscape content and structure and its effect on landscape perception and experience
- Perception of landscape change processes
- Engagement and actions within the landscape and their effect on landscape perception and experience
- The link between perception and ecosystem services
- Perception and experience linked to biodiversity
- Perception as a multisensory experience of the landscape
- How to use landscape perception and experience knowledge in landscape planning and design?
- How can landscape perception and landscape experience studies contribute to landscape ecology?
- Landscape perception and artificially created landscapes or landscape parks
- Perception and experience of water in the landscape
- To what extent does landscape perception influence landscape management and change?
What can participants expect to learn?
The aim of the session is to bring together speakers working transdisciplinarily in the field of landscape perception and experience, going from scientists, experts and young researchers to policy makers and practitioners. The symposium offers the opportunity to learn more about the ongoing work in landscape perception and to strengthen the international network of stakeholders from different disciplines all concerned with this topic. The session will mainly focus on the importance and usefulness of landscape perception and experience studies for landscape ecology and how knowledge obtained from landscape perception research can be used in landscape ecology, including themes such as the management and monitoring of ecosystem services, biodiversity and landscape management in general.
Impact
Depending on the quality and quantity of the presented work, a special issue in a journal could be considered as well as a joint paper providing a state-of-the-art about the relevance and contribution of landscape perception knowledge for landscape ecology research.