Documentation / Legislative and administrative framework

" Council of Europe, Recommendation CM/Rec(2008)3 on the guidelines for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention: suggests setting up the relevant Landscape Observatories, Centres or Institutes to study and monitor the dynamics of the landscapes (Appendix 1, 10).


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G. Make use of public participation
All action taken to define, implement and monitor landscape policies should be preceded and accompanied by procedures for participation by members of the public and other relevant stakeholders, with the aim of enabling them to play an active role in formulating, implementing and monitoring landscape quality objectives.
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II.1. Division of powers and administrative arrangements
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Arrangements could also usefully be made for national, regional and local bodies of an advisory and guidance nature to provide assistance to the above-mentioned technical and administrative services (landscape observatories, landscape councils, landscape centres and institutes, etc.). These bodies could be composed of representatives of the administrative authorities, the scientific and professional communities concerned with landscape questions, and associations.
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Appendix 1. Examples of instruments used to implement the European Landscape Convention
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10. Observatories, centres or institutes
The strong forces surrounding contemporary landscapes and the many problems connected with landscape protection, management and planning necessitate continuous observation and a forum for exchanging information; the creation of landscape observatories, centres or institutes could prove useful for this purpose. Such observatories, centres or institutes would allow observation on the basis of appropriate study protocols employing a range of indicators; they would also allow for the collection and exchange of information on policies and experience. They could be independent or part of a broader observation system.
These landscape observatories, centres or institutes could be set up at various levels - local, regional, national, international - employing interlocking observation systems, and providing the opportunity for ongoing exchanges. Thanks to these bodies, it should be possible to:

    describe the condition of landscapes at a given time;
  • exchange information on policies and experience concerning protection, management and planning, public participation and implementation at different levels;
  • use and, if necessary, compile historical documents on landscapes which could be useful for knowing how the landscapes concerned have developed (archives, text, photographs, etc.);
  • draw up quantitative and qualitative indicators to assess the effectiveness of landscape policies;
  • furnish data leading to an understanding of trends and to forecasts or forward-looking scenarios.

Exchanges of information and experience between states, regions and territorial communities, which already take place, should be based on exemplarity but should always be set against the political, social, ecological and cultural context of the original landscape.
The choice of the composition of observatories is a matter for the administrative bodies concerned but should allow for collaboration between scientists, professionals and technicians from the public authorities and the public.


11. Report on the state of the landscape and of landscape policies
States and regions should draft a report on the state of landscapes in their territories at suitable intervals on the basis of the work of the landscape observatories, centres or institutes. The report should include a policy review in order to check the effectiveness of legislation and action taken.
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Council of Europe, Compendium on national data.

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