Anu Printsmann

The forgotten rural landscapes of Central and Eastern Europe

Interactions between nature and man – the underlying forces in landscape – have over time caused diversity. Usually, geographers and landscape ecologists deal with spatial diversity; in this paper, we would like to also consider temporal diversity. We argue that Central and Eastern European landscapes (using the examples of Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia) are much more diverse in time (layers) than Western European ones. This difference requires the use of different indicators in order to measure and study landscapes and special problems, threats, and possibilities of management and future development – but most important is the consideration of different perceptions. We also show that this diversity reduces the readability of landscapes, creating miscommunication and a transformation of meanings. We further argue that the link between humans and landscape is lost in Central and Eastern European countries due to temporal diversity, and that this link will be created anew in a globalizing world. To overcome alienation, we need slightly different classifications/typologies for each country in this region, with the aim of a sound future management of cultural landscapes.

Cultural and Historical Values in Landscape Planning: Locals’ Perception

Culture is the hidden hand of land use planning. Culture bounds the land in diverse ways. Culture marks the corners and edges of place; it selects which places will be sacred and which will be sacrificed; it yields maps of place and bestows place names; and it decides the aesthetics and ethics of the land (Geisler 2000). Cultural heritage has been discussed by many authors of different disciplines for many decades (e.g. Meinig 1979; Lowenthal 1985; Daniels & Cosgrove 1988; Graham et al. 2000; Claval 2002; Maaranen 2003). The relationships between land use and culture are of perennial interest in such disciplines as cultural anthropology, human geography, natural history, landscape architecture and human ecology. In recent years also the landscape ecologists have started to realize the importance of cultural heritage and its role in the landscape planning process and landscape management, and a large number of works have been published in this field of research (Nassauer 1997; Stenseke 1999; Luz 2000; Oreszczyn 2000; Cantwell & Adams 2003; Fry 2003).

Comprehension of rapidly transforming landscapes of Central and Eastern Europe in the 20th century

The article presents landscapes as natural, historical, cultural, social and political phenom-ena, and above all as a meaningful part of the environment. We will argue – by giving a contextual framework of landscape changes followed by four case studies from Central and Eastern Europe – that comprehen-sion of landscapes has declined in the 20thcentury. Along with urbanization, globalization and other societal processes rapidly varying socio-economic formations have caused alienation: changes in power result in changes in a societys values and thus some landscape elements are disintegrating, fading or disappear-ing and, as a result, these landscapes are taking on new, altered or modified appearances, functions and meanings. Every change in landscape needs some time to become accepted but if this re-coding of what is regarded as valuable is constantly changing, people become confused, with resultant physical conse-quences: land abandonment; illegal dumping; ill fitting infrastructures; inappropriate housing developments; etc. The main question is whether modern development, e.g. tourism, enhances the relationship between people and the landscape.

Participatory mapping of landscape values in a Pan-European perspective

ContextHuman–nature interactions are reflected in the values people assign to landscapes. These values shape our understanding and actions as landscape co-creators, and need to be taken into account to achieve an integrated management of the landscape that involves civil society.ObjectivesThe aim of this research was to increase the current knowledge on the most and least common landscape values perceived by local stakeholders, the patterns in the spatial distribution of values, and their connection to different socio-economic backgrounds and landscape characteristics across Europe.MethodsThe research consisted of a cross-site comparison study on how landscape values are perceived in six areas of Europe using Public Participation GIS surveys. Answers were analysed combining contingency tables, spatial autocorrelation and bivariate correlation methods, kernel densities, land cover ratios, and viewshed analyses. Results were discussed in the light of findings derived from other European participatory mapping studies.ResultsWe identified shared patterns in the perception of landscape values across Europe. Recreation, aesthetics, and social fulfilment were the most common values. Landscape values showed common spatial patterns mainly related to accessibility and the presence of water, settlements, and cultural heritage. However, respondents in each study site had their own preferences connected to the intrinsic characteristics of the local landscape and culture.ConclusionsThe results encourage land planners and researchers to approach landscape values in relation to socio-cultural and bio-physical land characteristics comprehensibly, acknowledging the complexity in the relationship between people’s perception and the landscape, to foster more effective and inclusive landscape management strategies.

Processes and driving forces in changing cultural landscapes across Europe

ContextCultural 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.ObjectivesFilling 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.MethodsA 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.ResultsDespite 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.ConclusionsGrasping 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.

Priority questions for the science, policy and practice of cultural landscapes in Europe

ContextThe 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 methodsWe 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.ResultsWe 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.ConclusionsOur 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.

Public Opinions on Oil Shale Mining Heritage and its Tourism Potential

Abstract This paper examines the valuation of mining heritage and tourism potential for regional development in Ida-Viru County, NE Estonia. The study is based on data from six focus groups and a survey (n = 255) involving local residents and people from outside the county, Estonians and those of other ethnicities. Estonia is the only country in the world that uses oil shale for more than 90% of its electricity, and its industrial district is among the largest in the Baltic countries. Oil shale mining in Ida-Viru County began in 1916 and, over time, resulted in tremendous ecological, economic, social and cultural changes. A majority of these changes took place during the Soviet era, causing ambivalent attitudes towards oil shale mining heritage. Landscapes altered by oil shale mining, chemical works and energy production passed largely unnoticed until the twenty-first century: appreciation of uniqueness and public awareness come slowly. The findings of this study note that people recognise industrial heritage fairly well and have many ideas on how to use it on behalf of holistic regional development, yet there are shortages in information availability and understanding.

Public and private shaping of Soviet mining city: contested history?

Public and private shaping of Soviet mining city: contested history? The paper tells the story of the shaping of a Soviet oil-shale mining city - Kohtla-Järve, Estonia - by contrasting the public sphere represented by photo-albums with private ones represented by life-stories. The reason for Kohtla-Järves existence is oil-shale and its usage as political tool has caused the citys rise and decline in the socio-economic turmoil of the 20th century. Yet, as contradictory as we would like to think results of visual representation analysis and a biographical approach concerning Soviet and contemporary worlds are, they both still broadly follow political and socio-economic circumstances. Imagery and life-stories are not poles apart, they just focus on different things; representations are somewhat rooted in real life and biographies are partly lived in public space. Nõukogude Kaevanduslinna Kujunemine: Avaliku ja Erasfääri Ajalugude Vastandlikkus? Artikkel vaatleb ühe nõukogude kaevanduslinna kujunemist Kohtla-Järve näitel kasutades avaliku sfääri kirjeldamiseks fotoalbumeid ning erasfääri tarbeks elulugusid. Kohtla-Järve on tekkinud põlevkivi tõttu, see on põhjustanud nii linna hiilgeajad kui ka mõõnaperioodid sõltudes 20. sajandi poliitilistest keerdkäikudest. Kuigi kui vastandlikena ka visuaalsed representatsioonid ja biograafiad ka ei tunduks, järgivad nad siiski samu poliitilisi ajajärke, keskendudes küll elu erinevatele tahkudele.

Perceiving the Townscapes of Kohtla-Järve, Estonia

Founded in 1946, Kohtla-Jarve resembles hundreds of mining towns across the former Soviet Union: all of them developed under advantageous conditions, but now facing problems typical to rust-belt zones. The neglected buildings in Kohtla-Jarve have scarred the urban fabric for 20 years, and the city has only managed to tear down some of them. Most of these abandoned houses remain as symbols of the radical change in socio-economic system, from central planning to a market economy. Production of oil-shale in the area has dropped by half, but still accounts for roughly 90 % of Estonia’s total energy production—Kohtla-Jarve has thus avoided becoming a ghost-town, but because of the difficult financial situation only cosmetic changes take place in the townscape. Urban renewal happened fast, for a while, but has now come almost to a complete halt. This chapter combines two levels of analysis: one, an abstract cartographical analysis of the townscape development, particularly in terms of physical buildings; and two, an account of insiders’ life-course and quotidian movements, drawing also on my own personal experience. Combining quantitative and qualitative data in this way might further an improved understanding of urban landscape renewal—and standstill. Shifting between scales, the argument also highlights how apparent rupture or continuity may be an artefact of analytical frames.

Landscape and cultural sustainability

Hannes Palang, Centre for Landscape and Culture, Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, EE-10120 Tallinn, Estonia; Katriina Soini, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Luke, Latokartanonkaari 9, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland, and Helsinki University Centre for Environment HENVI, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 2, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland; Anu Printsmann, Centre for Landscape and Culture, Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, EE-10120 Tallinn, Estonia; Inger Birkeland, Høgskolen i Sørøst-Norge, Campus Bø, Gullbringvegen 36, NO-3800 Bø, Norway