The Science and Practice of Landscape Stewardship

This book introduces the principles of landscape stewardship in relation to sustainability governance, applying them to a broad range of land-use systems.

Claudia Bieling (Edited by), Tobias Plieninger (Edited by)

9781107142268, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 29 June 2017

402 pages, 79 b/w illus. 16 tables
25.3 x 17.6 x 2.3 cm, 0.95 kg

'… the editors and their colleagues have achieved an eminently readable and absorbing book …' Geoffrey R. Dixon, The Biologist

Improving the dynamic relationship between nature and human well-being is a pressing issue of our time. Landscapes embody this tight interconnectedness and serve as unique sustainability learning hubs, showcased by the global rise of place-based and holistic landscape stewardship initiatives. Incorporating these exciting developments, this book explores the principles of landscape stewardship and their function in fields such as agriculture, ecological restoration and urban green infrastructure. It provides insights into the challenges and the potential of landscape stewardship and identifies future paths for the science and practice of landscape-related sustainability efforts. Aligning analytical perspectives with practical applications, it brings together contributions from leading scholars and innovative models of landscape stewardship from all around the world, making it an essential resource for anyone interested in developing sustainable human-nature relationships.

1. The emergence of landscape stewardship in practice, policy and research
Part I. Foundations of Landscape Stewardship: 2. Ecological foundations of landscape stewardship
Case 1. The Blackwater SAMOK project – a catchment management approach
3. Human and social dimensions of landscape stewardship
Case 2. Landscape observatory of Catalonia – a holistic documentation of the landscape
4. Building partnerships for landscape stewardship
Case 3. Olive farming on Lesbos – out of social capital emerges social enterprise
5. Citizen science tools for engaging local stakeholders and promoting local and traditional knowledge in landscape stewardship
Case 4. Citizen science – harnessing the expertise of farmers to monitor biodiversity in Austrian meadows
Part II. Landscape Stewardship on the Ground: Fields of Application: 6. Organising adaptive and collaborative landscape stewardship on farmland
Case 5. Arbratatouille – a participative project updating agroforestry techniques for modern times
7. Forest landscape stewardship for functional green infrastructures in Europe's West and East: diagnosing and treating social-ecological systems
Case 6. Wild birds in traditional orchards – testing strategies for biodiversity conservation
8. The future of the past: stewardship for cultural heritage in landscapes
Case 7. The whole village project – Saxon village restoration in rural Romania
9. Landscape stewardship in wind energy conflicts: between cultural myths and interests
Case 8. The Simmern solidarity pact – reconciling income imbalances between villages
10. Synergies between tourism, outdoor recreation and landscape stewardship
Case 9. Bun Tschlin – linking identity, community and landscape
11. Managed, mended, supported: how habitat conservation and restoration function as elements of landscape stewardship
Case 10. Landowners on Læsø – a cooperative approach to landscape management
12. Stewardship in urban landscapes
Case 11. Urban green infrastructure in Vienna – nature-based solutions to enhancing quality of life
13. Landscape stewardship and hunting, angling and gathering of wild products
Case 12. ØsterGRO rooftop farm – community supported agriculture in the middle of Copenhagen
14. Marine and coastal ecosystem stewardship
Case 13. The Firth of Clyde marine spatial plan – synergies and trade-offs in a diverse coastal environment
15. Landscape stewardship for rangelands
Case 14. Herding schools in France – supporting traditional landscape management techniques in modern times
Part III. Visions toward Landscape Stewardship: 16. Bridging new sustainable development goals, global agendas and landscape stewardship: the roles of politics, ethics and sustainability practice
Case 1.: Terre de Liens – facilitating access to land for farmers into the long-term
17. How landscape stewardship emerges out of landscape planning
Case 16. The Dartmoor vision – a long-term, participatory management process on the landscape scale
18. Art and responsible landscape development: a plea for landscape art
Case 17. One hut full – a multi-sensory journey turning threatened heritage into opportunity
19. Leveraging landscape stewardship: principles and ways forward.

Subject Areas: Horticulture [TVS], Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques [TVR], Sustainable agriculture [TVF], Agricultural science [TVB], Rural planning [RPG], Conservation of wildlife & habitats [RNKH], Environmental management [RNF], Environmentalist, conservationist & Green organizations [RNB], Plant ecology [PSTS], Forestry & related industries [KNAL]