A Landscape Assessment Protocol

"Reading the landscape": LAP - a new assessment protocol 

Published in "Sustainability" April 2019

In a recent paper, we introduce an on-site field survey method to assess the conservation condition of landscapes, the LAP.

ASSESSING LANDSCAPES...a daunting task...

Using a popular rapid assessment format - scoring metrics from viewpoints - this study defines observable “stressed states” in each metric in order to gauge overall landscape degradation. Fifteen metrics within six thematic categories were selected through a literature review and extensive field trials.

The protocol effectively goes beyond a traditional visual aesthetic assessment; it can be used both by experts and non-scientists as a conservation-relevant procedure to support a holistic landscape diagnosis. The combination of an on-site experiential survey and its simple integrative format may be useful as a screening-level index, and for promoting local participation, landscape literacy and educational initiatives.

Please read at: Sustainability 11, 2019

The protocol sheet and criteria: 

Landscape_Assessment_Protocol-LAP

In the near-future we will present a how-to-guide on this protocol, for now any correspondence on the issue should go to Panayotis Dimopoulos (pdimopoulos@upatras) and Vassiliki Vlami (vas.vlami@gmail.com).

The LAP field form’s scoring card with the 15 metrics used to assess landscape conservation status (these are scored by the assessor using a 10-1 (Excellent-Bad) scale and guided by a detailed guidance narrative. 

Results of index calculation of 35 landscape sites on Samothraki, as assessed by a single expert.

Field tests on Samothraki show a positive correlation between a single expert’s scores and five assessor’s scores at 35 landscape sites.

Kozbeyli wind farm and the noticeable changes to landscape and ecosystems due to this ridge-line location site; typical of many wind turbine developments in Turkey and other areas (from paper on scoring wind park impacts, see: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032115014008). Photo curtesy of Serhat Kucukali.

This is a descriptive poster from an initiative that describes restoration actions and gives the impression that we are dealing with the landscape scale. It focuses on functions such as water cycles etc. (see: https://www.behance.net/gallery/73243657/Ecosystem-Restoration-Camps)

And finally, the much tweeted graphic showing that wildlife is a good indicator of landscape degradation (origins unknown, but definately a true graphic). Same could be said about flora and natural vegetation metrics.