A landscape-ecological appraisal of the diversity and relevance of cultural landscapes

Abstract

The term ‘cultural landscape’ is examined from the perspective of its generally accepted use in various parts of the world. Contrasts exist due to the different cultural histories, academic affiliations and to the practitioners of the concept. Presently the term appears to have greater currency and relevance to landscape planning in Europe. To provide a broad perspective, cultural landscapes are examined, from within the Eastern Deciduous Forest Biome of North America, with particular reference to the province of Ontario, Canada. Here the consequences of a landscape structure onto which human attributes of landscape have been imposed is used as a basis for comparison with the longer, organic evolution of landscape as manifest in Northwestern Europe. More specifically landscape processes are examined with respect to the traditional agricultural practices of the Mennonite community of Southern Ontario where many indicators of landscape sustainability show negative attributes. The potential for the application of the principles of landscape ecology to the issue of understanding the functional nature of landscapes is stressed, in particular, as a basis for initiating landscape-focussed policies.