Claudia Bieling

Resilience and the cultural landscape : understanding and managing change in human-shaped environments

Preface 1. Connecting cultural landscapes to resilience Tobias Plieninger and Claudia Bieling Part I. Conceptualising Landscapes and Social-Ecological Systems: 2. Landscapes as integrating frameworks for human, environmental and policy processes Paul Selman 3. From cultural landscapes to resilient social-ecological systems: transformation of a classical paradigm or a novel approach? Thomas Kirchhoff, Fridolin Brand and Deborah Hoheisel 4. Conceptualising the human in cultural landscapes and resilience thinking Lesley Head 5. System or arena? Conceptual concerns around the analysis of landscape dynamics Marie Stenseke, Regina Lindborg, Annika Dhalberg and Elin Slatmo 6. Resilience thinking vs. political ecology: understanding the dynamics of small-scale, labour-intensive farming landscapes Mats Widgren Part II. Analysing Landscape Resilience: 7. In search of resilient behaviour: using the driving forces framework to study cultural landscapes Matthias Burgi, Felix Kienast and Anna M. Hersperger 8. Cultural landscapes as complex adaptive systems: the cases of northern Spain and northern Argentina Alejandro J. Rescia, Maria E. Perez-Corona, Paula Arribas-Urena and John W. Dover 9. Linking path dependency and resilience for the analysis of landscape development Andreas Rohring and Ludger Gailing 10. The sugar-cane landscape of the Caribbean islands: resilience, adaptation and transformation of the plantation social-ecological system William Found and Marta Berbes-Blazquez 11. Offshore wind farming on Germanys North Sea coast: tracing regime shifts across scales Kira Gee and Benjamin Burkhard Part III. Managing Landscapes for Resilience: 12. Collective efforts to manage cultural landscapes for resilience Katrin Prager 13. Response strategy assessment: a tool for evaluating resilience for the management of social-ecological systems Magnus Tuvendal and Thomas Elmqvist 14. Ecosystem services and social-ecological resilience in transhumance cultural landscapes: learning from the past, looking for a future Elisa Oteros-Rozas, Jose A. Gonzalez, Berta Martin-Lopez, Cesar A. Lopez and Carlos Montes 15. The role of homegardens in strengthening social-ecological resilience: case studies from Cuba and Austria Christine Van der Stege, Brigitte Vogl-Lukasser and Christian R. Vogl 16. Promises and pitfalls of adaptive management in resilience thinking: the lens of political ecology Betsy A. Beymer-Farris, Thomas J. Bassett and Ian Bryceson Part IV. Perspectives for Resilient Landscapes: 17. A heterarchy of knowledges: tools for the study of landscape histories and futures Carole L. Crumley 18. Towards a deeper understanding of the social in resilience: the contributions of cultural landscapes Ann P. Kinzig 19. Resilience and cultural landscapes: opportunities, relevance and ways ahead Claudia Bieling and Tobias Plieninger Index.

Exploring Futures of Ecosystem Services in Cultural Landscapes through Participatory Scenario Development in the Swabian Alb, Germany

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. free- market 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 peoples 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.

Recording Manifestations of Cultural Ecosystem Services in the Landscape

Abstract Attempts at assessing the values people attach to ecosystems reveal profound methodological gaps regarding the non-material domains associated with aesthetic, spiritual or heritage values. This paper presents a new approach for trying to grasp these intangible benefits—conceptualised as cultural ecosystem services (CES)—based on the assumption that making use of CES leaves discernible marks on the physical landscape. We explore the potential for tracing visible manifestations of CES in a field walk-based landscape analysis. The results provide information on the character, significance, and spatial distribution of CES and allow for analysis in terms of correlations with landscape features or ecosystem services bundles. Based on our results, the method has two main strengths: 1) as an approach suitable for statistical analysis and integration with spatially explicit and quantitative data in comprehensive landscape assessment; and 2) as a simplified version which can generate valuable data for exploratory or complementary uses.

Resilience-Based Perspectives to Guiding High-Nature-Value Farmland through Socioeconomic Change

Global environmental challenges require approaches that integrate biodiversity conservation, food production, and livelihoods at landscape scales. We reviewed the approach of conserving biodiversity on “high-nature-value” (HNV) farmland, covering 75 million ha in Europe, from a resilience perspective. Despite growing recognition in natural resource policies, many HNV farmlands have vanished, and the remaining ones are vulnerable to socioeconomic changes. Using landscapelevel cases across Europe, we considered the following social-ecological system properties and components and their integration into HNV farmland management: (1) coupling of social and ecological systems, (2) key variables, (3) adaptive cycles, (4) regime shifts, (5) cascading effects, (6) ecosystem stewardship and collaboration, (7) social capital, and (8) traditional ecological knowledge. We argue that previous conservation efforts for HNV farmland have focused too much on static, isolated, and monosectoral conservation strategies, and that stimulation of resilience and adaptation is essential for guiding HNV farmland through rapid change.

Exploring ecosystem-change and society through a landscape lens: recent progress in European landscape research

Landscapes are closely linked to human well-being, but they are undergoing rapid and fundamental change. Understanding the societal transformation underlying these landscape changes, as well as the ecological and societal outcomes of landscape transformations across scales are prime areas for landscape research. We review and synthesize findings from six important areas of landscape research in Europe and discuss how these findings may advance the study of ecosystem change and society and its thematic key priorities. These six areas are: (1) linkages between people and the environment in landscapes, (2) landscape structure and land-use intensity, (3) long-term landscape history, (4) driving forces, processes, and actors of landscape change, (5) landscape values and meanings, and (6) landscape stewardship. We propose that these knowledge areas can contribute to the study of ecosystem change and society, considering nested multiscale dynamics of social-ecological systems; the stewardship of these systems and their ecosystem services; and the relationships between ecosystem services, human well-being, wealth, and poverty. Our synthesis highlights that knowledge about past and current landscape patterns, processes, and dynamics provides guidance for developing visions to support the sustainable stewardship of social-ecological systems under future conditions.

Sustaining ecosystem services in cultural landscapes

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.

The farmer as a landscape steward: Comparing local understandings of landscape stewardship, landscape values, and land management actions

We develop a landscape stewardship classification which distinguishes between farmers’ understanding of landscape stewardship, their landscape values, and land management actions. Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted with small-holder (<5 acres), medium-holders (5–100 acres), and large-holders (>100 acres) in South-West Devon, UK. Thematic analysis revealed four types of stewardship understandings: (1) an environmental frame which emphasized the farmers’ role in conserving or restoring wildlife; (2) a primary production frame which emphasized the farmers’ role in taking care of primary production assets; (3) a holistic frame focusing on farmers’ role as a conservationist, primary producer, and manager of a range of landscape values, and; (4) an instrumental frame focusing on the financial benefits associated with compliance with agri-environmental schemes. We compare the landscape values and land management actions that emerged across stewardship types, and discuss the global implications of the landscape stewardship classification for the engagement of farmers in landscape management.

Fostering biocultural diversity in landscapes through place-based food networks: a “solution scan” of European and Japanese models

Many Japanese and European landscapes harbor biocultural diversity that has been shaped by human agency over centuries. However, these landscapes are threatened by widespread land abandonment, land-use changes, and urbanization. The aim of this study is to use a “solution scanning” method to identify place-based food networks in Europe and Japan that reinforce linkages between biological and cultural diversity in landscapes. In our analysis of 26 European and 13 Japanese cases, we find that place-based food networks are typically located in heterogeneous landscapes, are driven by civil society (and less by markets), and act at a local scale. Regional identity is the most frequently addressed societal issue. Scenery, rural tourism, and nature conservation are more important motivations in Europe, and physical well-being and revitalization of local economies are more relevant in Japan. European models are typically associated with achieving biodiversity conservation and socio-cultural tradition outcomes, and Japanese models more with public health and nutrition outcomes. We discuss the potential for transfer of approaches from Japan to Europe (e.g., models that tackle the aging of rural societies), and from Europe to Japan (e.g., models that build explicit connections between food production and biodiversity conservation). We conclude with a list of recommended policy measures, e.g., the creation of a flexible legal framework that protects the interests of and reduces political constraints for collaborative efforts to biocultural diversity in landscapes.

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.