SUMMARY:

The target of this thesis is to define and test a methodology for analyzing, assessing and planning the landscape. The document produced following this methodology (Landscape Plan), should also support the integration of landscape into regional and town planning policies and in its cultural, environmental, agricultural, social and economic policies, as well as in any other policies with possible direct or indirect impact on landscape.

The thesis can be inscribed within the methodological and social context provided by the “European Landscape Convention” (2000), the “Valencian Act for Territorial Management and Landscape Protection” (2004) and the “Valencian Landscape Regulations” (2006). Additionally, the thesis considers the methodologies developed in other regions or countries were landscape policies have been put into practice.

After a bibliographic study of the main landscape planning concepts, the chapter 4 defines a methodology for the development of a “Landscape Plan”, adjusting for this purpose the indications of the “Valencian Landscape Regulations” about landscape characterization, landscape assessment, visual analysis, landscape quality objectives, public participation and the definition of actions for the protection, management and modification of the landscape.

This methodology is later tested in a particular scope (Natural Park of the Torrevieja and La Mata Lagoons, (Alicante, Spain)), that has been selected because of its environmental, cultural and visual resources, of the need to coordinate regional and local administrations, and, especially, because of the difficulties that are currently found to make compatible the before mentioned resources with the strong pressures to transform the landscape, mainly as a consequence of the development of new urban areas and infrastructures. This context can be considered characteristic of many territories and could provide a broader interest and applicability to the generic and methodological conclusions of the thesis.

The before described works are accompanied by a research about the use of economic variables in landscape planning. This aspect is considered essential to provide consistency and feasibility to the proposals included in the Landscape Plan, especially in productive territories, where the permanence or transformation of the landscape depends basically of economic factors.

VALORACIÓN Y GESTIÓN DEL PAISAJE SEGÚN EL CONVENIO EUROPEO DEL PAISAJE Y EL REGLAMENTO DEL PAISAJE DE LA COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA: APLICACIÓN MEDIANTE UN ESTUDIO DE PAISAJE A UN ESPACIO ABIERTO EN LA COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA
DOCTORANDO: JUAN JOSÉ GALÁN VIVAS