The LOD Project

The LOD (Landscape Observatory Documentation) website offers a platform for:

  • mapping Landscape observatories, centres and institutes,
  • linking people involved (scholars, public officials, citizens, etc.).
  • exchanging information among LO on key-issues
  • promoting shared initiatives

The project is open to anyone who wants to contribute as follows:

  • sending information and documentation,
  • joining the working groups.

Objectives and working method

The LOD Project aims at promoting the scientific cooperation among the existing LO. It gather universities, civil society and territorial public authorities in support of the ELC.

  • The first objective is mapping Landscape observatories, centres and institutes. The LOD website provides a tentative list, which possibly will be completed by users.
  • The second objective is promoting scientific exchange, linking LO and people for thematic interests. The LOD website proposes a list of working groups (WG) on selected issues.

Research Topics

The missions of existing “Landscape observatories, centres and institutes” (LO) are very varied, and hardly cover the entire range of activities which the ELC recommends. Thus, it is useful to compare experiences and to exchange information focusing on specific activities.

The following list of research topics is based, on one hand, on the Recommendation CM/Rec (2008)3 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the guidelines for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention, and on another hand, on discussions which take place in LO meeting occasions.

  • Awareness raising, education
  • Participation
  • Documentation
  • Assessment and monitoring
  • Relationships with landscape and spatial policies, planning, and design
  • Functioning and Institutional framework

Background and prospects

The LOD initiative is the outcome of a pair of Seminars, organized by UNISCAPE with a number of Partners, in 2013 and 2014. During the below mentioned seminars , the Charter of Florence and the Charter of Torino were signed, calling for the establishment of the Network of the European LO.

Dist © Politecnico di Torino