Landscape Observatory of Catalonia. Challenges and perspectives

THE LANDSCAPE OBSERVATORY OF CATALONIA
Challenges and perspectives

Pere Sala. Coordinator of the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia
18 March 2016

Organised in the form of a consortium, with its own full legal identity, independent of its
members, and consisting of 52 public and private institutions, provided by the act 8/2005
of 8th of June for protection, management and planning of the landscape in Catalonia.

Advisory body of the Government of Catalonia and for awaking society in matters of
landscape.
LANDSCAPE OBSERVATORY OF CATALONIA

Its aim is to observe the landscapes of Catalonia; in other words to study, identify,
monitor, document and publicise Catalan landscapes and their transformations, without
ignoring other landscapes or ceasing to reflect on landscape in general.

Cooperates with the regional government (the Generalitat de Catalunya) and the local
authorities when it comes to implementing landscape policy.

Seeks to influence the definition and design of future trends, acting as a broad umbrella
under which anyone interested in landscape can find a place.

After eleven years of existence, the Observatory has become a meeting point between
the Government of Catalonia, local government, universities, professional groups and
social and cultural groups it has direct or indirect relations with concerning everything
referring to the management and culture of landscape.

Government of Catalonia
Departament de Territori i Sostenibilitat
Departament d’Economia i Coneixement
Departament d’Empresa i Ocupació
Departament de Cultura
Departament d’Agricultura, Ramaderia, Pesca,
Alimentació i Medi Natural
Departament de Governació i Relacions
Institucionals

Universities
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Universitat de Barcelona
Universitat de Girona
Universitat de Lleida
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Catalan Counties

Municipal associations of Catalonia

LANDSCAPE OBSERVATORY ORGANIZATION CHART
GOVERNING BOARD
Professional societies
Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya
Col·legi de Biòlegs de Catalunya
Col·legi de Geògrafs
Col·legi i Associació d’Enginyers de Forests de Catalunya
Col·legi d’Enginyers de Camins, Canals i Ports de Catalunya
Col·legi Oﬁcial d’Enginyers Agrònoms de Catalunya
Col·legi d’Ambientòlegs de Catalunya
Col·legi de Geòlegs de Catalunya
Col·legi Oﬁcial d’Enginyers Tècnics Agrícoles de Catalunya

Ajuntament d’Olot

Fundació Catalunya-La Pedrera

Consell General de Cambres de Catalunya

Institutions and scientific and research associations
Societat Catalana d’Ordenació del Territori; Societat Catalana de Geografia;
Institució Catalana d’Història Natural; Institució Catalana d’Estudis Agraris (ICEA)

Ecological, environmental and agricultural foundations and associations
DEPANA; Federació Ecologistes de Catalunya (EdC); Xarxa de Custòdia del Territori; Fundació Natura

Economic and business organisations
Associació Empresarial de Publicitat; Consell General de Cambres de Catalunya;
Associació de Promotors i Constructors d’Edificis de Barcelona i Província;
Foment de Treball Nacional; Federació Catalana de Pesca Esportiva i Càsting;
Federació Catalana de Caça; Reial Automòbil Club de Catalunya (RACC);
Gremi d’Àrids de Catalunya

Public bodies, public and private consortiums
Consorci Forestal de Catalunya; Institut del Paisatge Urbà i la Qualitat de Vida

Trade Unions
CCOO; UGT; Unió de Pagesos; Institut Agrícola Català de Sant Isidre; Joves Agricultors i Ramaders de
Catalunya (JARC)

Organisations for hiking and outdoor activities
Federació d’Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya; Centre Excursionista de Catalunya;
Unió Excursionista de Catalunya

Educational and cultural organisations
Consell Escolar de Catalunya; Unescocat
LANDSCAPE OBSERVATORY ORGANIZATION CHART
ADVISORY COUNCIL

SOME FEATURES OF THE LANDSCAPE OBSERVATORY
A bridge between civil society and the administration, connecting both people
and ideas, constructing dialogue between different categories of agents.

Little decision-making power, but with considerable capacity to generate
knowledge and create synergies, close relationships and interdependencies
based on closeness and everyday experience.

The Observatory’s structure and organization foster the spirit of cooperation.
Help make it a flexible, permeable, inclusive body encouraging the confluence
of different points of view about landscape.

Open to creative and imaginative initiatives; An incubator of innovative
projects, beyond the limits of
the administration’s activity.

Is able to move with a certain
agility and independence.

Catalan Parliament’s
adherence
(December 2000)
Creation of the
Landscape Observatory
of Catalonia
(2005)
Landscape Act
(2005)
Decree for de development
of the Landscape Act
(2006)
European Landscape Convention (ELC)
CONTEXT

adherence
(December 2000)
Creation of the
of Catalonia
(2005)
Landscape Act
(2005)
(2006)
CONTEXT
The law is a faithful reﬂection of the
aims and spirit of the European
Landscape Convention.
With the passing of the Landscape
Act, Catalonia became one of the
ﬁrst European regions to
institutionalise landscape after the
publication of the ELC.

adherence
(December 2000)
Creation of the
of Catalonia
(2005)
Landscape Act
(2005)
(2006)
CONTEXT
According the context, the Landscape
Observatory:
- Collaborates with the administration
for the implementation of the ELC.
- Makes society aware of the importance
of landscape and the right to enjoy it.
- Acts as a centre for research,
documentation, thought and action on
the landscape.

Implementation of landscape policies at regional planning
Energy policies
Cultural and heritage policies
Touristic policies
Education policies
Local level
International activity
Generation and exchange of knowledge
Information and awareness raising
Documentation

ACTIVITY

“Documents of a descriptive and prospective nature which deﬁne the various
types of landscapes in Catalonia, identify their values and state of preservation
and propose the landscape quality objectives which need to be met.”

Act 8/2005 for protection, management and planning of the landscape
ACTIVITY
LANDSCAPE CATALOGUES

Landscape Catalogues
Landscape quality
objectives and
landscape directives
Town and country planning
Knowledge is the basis for
being able to make decisions
on the landscape.

Landscape catalogues are
used for increasing
knowledge and for to the
introduction of landscape
quality objectives into town
and regional planning in
Catalonia, as well as into
sectorial policies (agriculture,
tourism…), with the
cooperation and participation
of the social agents

Seven Landscape Catalogues for the
seven Territorial Zoning Plans

ACTIVITY
Implementation of landscape policies at regional Planning

How can we translate the new philosophy that emanates from the European Landscape
Convention in speciﬁc proposals related to landscape managing and planning?
ACTIVITY

The preparation of the catalogues not only meant compiling information and data, but also
articulating processes of joint reﬂection with the agents in the territory so as to create new
knowledge and answers
ACTIVITY

How can we overcome the traditional sector logic and to articulate participative and
transversal ways of working and creating knowledge?
ACTIVITY

Objectives persued with participation
To remind citizens that they have a right to a quality landscape
To implicate society in identifying and assessing the landscape, and in
deﬁning the aims of landscape quality
To understand people’s perception of the landscape, especially in its
intangible aspects (sense of place, sensations and emotions produced by a
certain landscape)

Some tools used in public participation
Telephone/personal
survey
Internet survey
Discussion groups
Interviews to
stakeholders
Workshops
(stakeholders)
Workshops
(individuals)
Information
meetings

www.catpaisatge.net/eng
ACTIVITY

Based on the landscape character

Every single landscape is diﬀerent
from the rest (not better or worse
than the rest).

Each area, each landscapes -135-
shares the same landscape
character, and they are a reﬂection
of the natural, cultural, historic and
symbolic diversity.
Map of the Landscapes of Catalonia

The deﬁnition of the 135
landscapes integrates the
relationship developed between
the population and its landscape
(such as the feeling of closeness,
emotional links, the feeling of
belonging, etc.).

Names long-established between
the population and that belong to
collective memory

People feel closer to the
landscapes

Not just areas for the
comprehension and description of
particulars landscapes, but also as
areas for management, planning
and action

The map is something more than a
mere landscape map

Landscape units come to be
functional areas of reference for
moving from characterisation to
action and from the general to the
speciﬁc

Landscape units are not seen as
political/administrative entities but
rather as living spaces, meeting
places, containers of collective
memories or even ideal places for
rethinking the governance of
landscape

Patent and latent values attributed by
social agents and the public:
•  Aesthetic
•  Ecological
•  Historical
•  Social use
•  Spiritual
•  Symbolic and identity
Landscape values

Landscape dynamics
Natural and human activities and processes which aﬀect the present conﬁguration
of the landscape

Landscape
dynamics
Landscape
dynamics

Public participation
Principal routes and areas from which the landscape can be
observed

For a speciﬁc landscape, a landscape
quality objective is the formulation by the
competent public authorities of the
aspirations of the public with regard to the
landscape features of their surroundings.
Landscape quality objectives

Landscape quality objective:

Entrances to urban areas that are
orderly and designed in accordance
with the surrounding landscape,
recovering tree-lined promenades and
structuring them as a characteristic
feature of the landscape.

Landscape quality objective
Some cypress tree windbreaks and tree-
lined enclosures taken care of and
protected as structural and characteristic
components of rural heritage in Girona
area.

ACTIVITY

Landscape catalogues have become at
present the basis for many initiatives
carried out by institutions and NGOs at
regional and local level
ACTIVITY

Landscape quality
objectives and
Landscape Directives
Landscape directives are a tool
to allow for a better connection
between landscape quality
objectives and planning tools.

This connection is one of the
principal challenges at this time.
ACTIVITY
LANDSCAPE DIRECTIVES

Landscape quality
objectives and
Landscape Directives
When the landscape catalogues
have been approved by the
minister, the Government uses
the landscape quality objectives
and the proposals in order to
approve Landscape directives,
which will become obligatory
conditions in the context of
town and country planning, into
the territorial planning
ACTIVITY

Article 3.8
3. Urban development in settlements with tree-lined enclosures
will receive special treatment due to their landscape value.
These are located in Figueres, Vilabertran, (…) In these cases,
possible new expansion will be integrated harmoniously
Into pre-existing structures, while also respecting their uniqueness.
Therefore, municipal urban planning schemes in the aforementioned
settlements will have to protect and plan the heritage of cypress tree windbreaks and tree-lined enclosures
of greater landscape interest, in addition to planning, managing and recovering the rest of them.
ACTIVITY

Article 2.5

Many settlements and urban zones in the region have characteristic profiles that can be seen from
certain areas and routes and that constitute scenic landmarks. Urban development must respect this
imagery with regard to both expansion and renovation, and urban planning should block the
possibility of large-bodied elements that might mar these scenic profiles. Affirmation of this possibility
in current approaches to planning with respect to settlements that the Directives qualify as having
exceptional imagery provides sufficient argument for proceeding to modify said approaches.
ACTIVITY

Article 3.5

5. Conserve the heritage value of narrow and capillary-like stretches of road with historical roots
that unite small settlements and are integrated harmoniously into the landscape. This covers the
stretches of road in the Plana de la Selva area.
ACTIVITY

Article 3.6
3. Avoid constructing new specialised areas in agricultural zones of high productive value (Baix
Empordà, Alt Empordà, Vall d’en Bas), in unique agricultural areas (the Martís plain, along the Santa
Coloma stream, the Pals rice fields, the Fortià rice fields, Sant Pere Pescador, the Bellcaire d’Empordà rice
fields, Vall d’en Bas and Bianya) and in singular agroforestry sites (the zones of tessellated pavement at
Els Aspres, Terrades, Terraprims, Les Gavarres and Brunyola, and the Canet d’Adri plains), to which
reference is made in landscape quality objective (LQO) 14 (Article 3.16).
ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY
WINE TOURISM URBAN DEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN

Takes de landscape unit as a basis for the future regulation of
activities and infraestructures in the wine-growing landscapes.

ACTIVITY
WINE TOURISM URBAN DEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN

The landscape catalogues and landscape
directives are aﬀecting on smaller scale
instruments, such as municipal urban
development ones.
ACTIVITY
LOCAL PLANNING

ACTIVITY
LOCAL PLANNING
Some law-regulations of open spaces
are integrating the landscape values
identiﬁed at the landscape catalogues
(dimensions, textures, colors,
materials...)

ACTIVITY
Energy policies
WIND ENERGY AND LANDSCAPE
The Observatory has
drawn up guidelines for
wind generation aimed
at developers and
professionals to help ﬁt
these infrastructures
into the region in
accordance with the
diverse landscapes of
Catalonia and their
values recognised in
the landscape
catalogues.

ACTIVITY
Energy policies
WIND ENERGY AND LANDSCAPE

Pilot project on the evolution of
landscape in Catalonia.

Study of the landscapes and traces
of the past in order to provide
guidelines for spatial planning,
tourism, agriculture, heritage, or
education policies.

Joint project with the University of
Lleida (UdL).

Enormous potential of the historical
dimension of the landscape when
providing information relevant to
their future management and
planning.
ACTIVITY
PAHISCAT. HISTORIC EVOLUTION OF LANDSCAPES

ACTIVITY
PAHISCAT. HISTORIC EVOLUTION OF LANDSCAPES
Enormous potential of
the historical dimension
of the landscape when
providing information
relevant to their future
management and
planning.

The objective of
PaHisCat is not only to
understand better the
past, but to use this
knowledge as a useful
tool for managers and
planners, and as a
powerful way of
awareness.

ACTIVITY
ADAPTATION INTO THE CATALAN INSTITUTIONAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
OF THE SPANISH CULTURAL LANDSCAPE PLAN
The Department of the Department of Culture of the Government of Catalonia has taken
the basis of the map of landscape units to adapt the National Cultural Landscape Plan to
heritage and landscape policies in Catalonia.

ACTIVITY
WIKIPEDRA. THE PORTAL OF DRY STONE IN CATALONIA

Collaborative database on
dry stone huts and shelters
in Catalonia.

A project based on the
exchange of knowledge,
with trust, reciprocity, and
cooperation between
people with a common
interest: dry stone
landscapes.
ACTIVITY

Both the initiative and its
everyday operation are
exclusively from the civil
society.

Wikipedra has an inventory
of more than 12,000 dry
stone huts and shelters.

Average: 5 shelters/day

More than 150 voluntaries

ACTIVITY

Monistrol de
Calders
676
Pla de Santa
Maria
545
Sant Joan de
Mediona
263
La Bisbal del
Penedès
213
El Vendrell 191
Principales municipios
Shelters are already catalogued
in 296 out of 947 municipalities
of Catalonia.

ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY
Information used, among
other funcions, by:
-  Department of Culture
of the Government of
Catalonia,
-  Municipalities in their
respective landscape,
heritage or tourism
policies,
-  Private initiatives in
the areas of tourism
and publicity.

An example of the value of the
collaborative and collective
management of the heritage
and the landscape. This value
lies in the proximity, everyday
experience and direct contact
with the local realities.

An example of how landscape
values are linked with a new
collective values model
(cohesion, solidarity, diversity,
cooperation, integration,
tradition and innovation,
beauty..)
ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY
THE INTANGIBLE HERITAGE OF THE ROADS
There is high number of identifying and visual elements related to roads that are not
catalogued because untill now there were not considered of interest.
Joint collaboration of the Catalonia Science and Technology Museum and the
Landscape Observatory in the ‘catalogation’ of this heritage more related to the
landscape.
The result will be a collaborative website 2.0.

ACTIVITY
CREATION OF A NEW WEBSITE ABOUT LANDSCAPE AND ART

Commitment of the
Observatory with the
photography as a tool for
information, communication
and awareness raising.
ACTIVITY
CONTEMPORARY LANDSCAPE PHOGOGRAPHY

The website
www.catpaisatge.net
“exposes” landscape
photograhs provided by
renowned photographers
ACTIVITY
CONTEMPORARY LANDSCAPE PHOGOGRAPHY

ACTIVITY
Touristic policies
LANDSCAPE AND GASTRONOMY
The diversity of landscapes of
Catalonia has given rise to a
wide variety of cuisines.

The Directorate General of
Tourism of the Government
and the Landscape
Observatory want to analyse
the cuisines that have
generated the 135
landscapes, as a basis for
boosting tourism
experiences.

More than 400 viewpoints and 500
itineraries to interpret and
contemplate the landscape.
Results of the Landscape
Catalogues.

ACTIVITY
Touristic policies
VEWPOINTS AND ITINERIRES

ACTIVITAT
Touristic policies
INTEGRATION OF LANDSCAPE CRITERIA IN THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE TOURISTIC
RURAL HOUSES

ACTIVITY
Touristic policies
MAP OF LANDSCAPE AND TOURISTIC ACTIVITES

ACTIVITY
Education policies
SECUNDARY SCHOOLS

Joint project:
. Departments of Education
. Department of Land and Sustainability
. Landscape Observatory

The landscape catalogues are the basis for this innovative education project aimed at
pupils in compulsory secondary education

Established during the 2009-10 academic year in secondary schools to be used by 450,000
pupils

For formal and for non-formal education
Printed sheet
Website
ACTIVITY
Education policies
‘’CITY, TERRITORY AND LANDSCAPE’’

ACTIVITY
Education policies
‘’CITY, TERRITORY AND LANDSCAPE’’

ACTIVITY
Education policies
INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR “LANDSCAPE AND EDUCATION”

The local world is increasingly interested in
landscape.
The landscape is being seen as an essential
factor for the development of a region, a way
of increasing levels of public self-esteem,
identity and quality of life, and as a catalyst.
The public no longer wish to be a passive
spectator for transformations in their
nearest surroundings and want to become
a leading agent in decision-making.
ACTIVITY
Local level
New forms of governance of territories:
new spaces for dialogue, new agreement
between agents, and co-responsibility
with the application of landscape actions.

The Cross-border landscape plan for La Cerdanya promotes landscape as a factor
for increasing the feeling of belonging to a region and also as a factor for regional
competitiveness and the creation of economic opportunities.
ACTIVITY
Local level
CROSS-BORDER LANDSCAPE PLAN OF LA CERDANYA

Cerdanya Valley is a clearly recognisable landscape unit in both the Languedoc-
Roussillon Atlas des Paysages (France) and in the Pyrenees Landscape Catalogue
(Catalonia)
Atlas des paysages
du Languedoc-
Roussillon (2008)
Catàleg de
paisatge de
l’Alt Pirineu i
Aran (2012)
ACTIVITY
Local level

How to involve the social agents and economic sectors in the
improvement and management of a cross-border landscape?
ACTIVITY
Local level

The Cross-border landscape plan for La Cerdanya served as a stimulus for
Wikipedra to cross borders in 2015, and it is also being applied in a broad area
of the French department of Pyrénées-Orientales.
ACTIVITY
Local level

The Landscape Observatory is collaborating with the local administrations and
entities of Priorat in the preparation of the Landscape Management Plan of the
candidature of Priorat-Montsant-Siurana as a World Heritage UNESCO.
ACTIVITY
Local level
DOCUMENTS FOR THE UNESCO CANDIDATURE OF PRIORAT-MONTSANT-SIURANA

Publication in English and Catalan.

In collaboration with the Government
of Andorra.
ACTIVITY
Local level
LANDSCAPE PLANNING AT A LOCAL LEVEL

ACTIVITY
Local level
WEBSITE “LANDSCAPE FROM THE LOCAL PERSPECTIVE’’
Initiatives
Best practices
Criteria
Documentation
Landscape in he
press
Collection of resources
and guidelines related
to landscape
protection,
management and
planning at local level

The Landscape Observatory acts as a Catalan ‘antenna’ in Europe and as an European
‘antenna’ in Catalonia in matters of landscape policies.
ACTIVITY
EUROPE AND WORLD
Common objective of
disseminating the
principles and proposals
of the ELC and
exchanging information,
methodologies and
experiences or
promoting speciﬁc
actions.

The Observatory works at diﬀerent levels with European and international institutions and
associations, such as:
. Council of Europe
. Governments of diﬀerent States and regions (Ireland, Andorra, etc.)
. Fondazione Benetton Studi Ricerche (Italy)
. MedScapes project (East Mediterranean)
. East Mediterranean Landscape Observatory
. American University of Beirut
. Participation in UNISCAPE Seminars
. Honorary member of CIVILSCAPE
. Argentinean Landscape Network (RAP)
. Latin American Landscape Initiative (LALI)
. Landscape Charters at Latin American countries (Bolivia, Colombia...)
ACTIVITY
EUROPE AND WORLD

ACTIVITY
OWN AND JOINT PUBLICATIONS
Two collections of books ﬁnanced by institutions, foundations and private enterprises

ACTIVITY
OWN AND JOINT PUBLICATIONS
Other joint collections of books

ACTIVITY
ORGANISATION OF WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS

ACTIVITY
Year 2013
Year 2015

ACTIVITY
Year 2015

ACTIVITY
April 2016

In 4 languages: Catalan,
Spanish, English and French.

Visited from more than 100
countries.

www.catpaisatge.net
ACTIVITY
WEBSITE ON LANDSCAPE

Dry stone
Outstanding heritage trees
Gardens
Soundscapes
Industrial landscapes

ACTIVITY
DIGITAL DOSSIERS

Edition in Catalan, Spanish and
English.

Subscription through the website
(www.catpaisatge.net).
ACTIVITY
“LANDSCAP-E” NEWSLETTER

Selection of piece of news
in diﬀerent languages.

Weekly distribution.

Subscription through the
website (www.catpaisatge.net).
ACTIVITY
“DIETARI DE PAISATGE”

Activities and events in Catalonia,
Spain, and the rest of the world.

Edition in Catalan, Spanish,
English and French.

Subscription through the website
(www.catpaisatge.net).
ACTIVITY
“LANDSCAPE EVENTS”

ACTIVITY
SOCIAL NETWORKS

Increasing number of opinion articles, news, sections on landscape in mass
media which helps dissemination and raising awareness.
ACTIVITY
PRESS

ACTIVITY
PRESS

The landscape was also present in
photographic images in all sections of the
newspaper, from international politics to
sports, showing a broad representation of
the variety of landscapes in Catalonia.
ACTIVITY
PRESS

ACTIVITY
PRESS
The landscape was also present in
photographic images in all sections of the
newspaper, from international politics to
sports, showing a broad representation of
the variety of landscapes in Catalonia.

ACTIVITY
PRESS
Twenty landscapes during twenty weeks
at the weekly social and political
magazine El Temps

ACTIVITY
MEDIA

Exposició “País de paisatges” elaborada
juntament amb la Generalitat de Catalunya
ACTIVITY
EXPOSITIONS

Funds with more than 3.500 documents integrated
in the ‘Catàleg Col·lectiu de les Universitats de
Catalunya’.

Provides support for the tasks of the Landscape
Observatory and the research of the professionals
and students

Visits mainly from Catalonia, but also from the rest
of Europe and Latin America.

Agreement with the European network
CIVILSCAPE.

Digital copies (found at the website:
www.catpaisatge.net)
ACTIVITY
Documentation
LANDSCAPE DOCUMENTATION CENTRE

LANDSCAPE OBSERVATORY
CHALLENGES
Advice authorities (at all levels) and catalan
society in matters of landscape
Generate knowledge and methodologies, and to
promote their transfer and exchange among
Government, academia, professionals and the
society.
Promote the creation of spaces for dialogue and
cooperation between Government and civil
society, and between the public and the private
sphere.
Strengthen and support social initiatives and
institutional catalysts.

CHALLENGES
Detect and promote discussion on emerging issues
(Organizing seminars, conferences, preparing
publications, etc.).
Include landscape priorities on the political agenda.
Promoting social sensitization campaigns and
educative initiatives.
Becoming a center of research and documentation.
Supervise international initiatives and cooperate
with institutions and organizations

1. Internationalization from singularization
2. Living and producing within quality surroundings
3. Landscape, creativity and strategic sectors
4. Landscape and local development
5. The creation of new reference landscapes
6. Landscape, values and community
7. Landscape, employment and entrepreneurship
8. Climate change, energy and landscape
9. Research and innovation as growing values
10.Education, training and comunication

ROAD MAP: CATPAISATGE 2020. COUNTRY, LANDSCAPE, FUTUR

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Landscape Observatory of Catalonia. Challenges and perspectives

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