34
M. García-Martín et al.
conceptualisations of human–environment interactions that can encompass the
full complexity of land use developments.
• Jointly analysing changes in the extent and intensity of land use and disparate
linkages. In an increasingly connected world, the already ongoing trend of
spatial disconnection between production and consumption landscapes will only
increase. This entails considerable challenges to sustainability understood as
imbalances in environmental degradation. Therefore, it is important to analyse
how spatial patters in changes in the extent and intensity of land use relate to
changes in distant places (Kuemmerle et al. 2016).
• Incorporating innovative approaches to evaluating landscape change, and
promoting the co-design of research to address societal problems. The importance of producing actionable knowledge in collaboration with stakeholders is
gaining significance across landscape research (Verburg et al. 2013a). For this, a
more participatory approach, in which local knowledge and perceptions are taken
into account, is needed. In that regard, previous authors have discussed the importance of combining information on land use changes derived from field and GIS
procedures with perceptions of the local population. This facilitated the development of mixed-method approaches and takes advantage of the complementarity
and the specific strengths of the inclusion of a variety of types of data sources
(e.g. Bürgi et al. 2017).
2.7 Conclusions
Land cover in Europe in the past few decades has remained relatively stable. In
those areas where it changed, it has predominately been towards the diminishing
of cropland area in favour of grasslands, and a general increase in urban areas. A
more nuanced perspective emerges when looking at how the intensity of landscape
management has changed. Here, two opposing but co-occurring processes can be
seen: the intensification of agriculture on the one hand, and the abandonment of
farming activities on the other. Both of these processes generally involve the loss of
biodiversity, an erosion of cultural heritage and a diminishing of landscape multifunctionality. These trends have pushed European social-ecological systems beyond
the boundaries of environmental and societal well-being. In order to change these
trajectories, it is crucial to identify and understand the factors that drive them. Political and institutional drivers seem to be the most prominent ones, but economic,
technological, cultural and natural aspects also play a very important role, and need
to be considered as well. In this sense, although European-scale studies provide
extremely relevant information to identify broad trends and drivers of land cover and
land use change, more place-based analyses are needed where different sources of
information are combined (by engaging with local stakeholders), various approaches
and disciplines are brought together and several temporal and spatial scales are taken
into account. This is necessary for a comprehensive understanding of how and why
landscapes are changing, and what the consequences of these changes will be.
M. García-Martín et al.
conceptualisations of human–environment interactions that can encompass the
full complexity of land use developments.
• Jointly analysing changes in the extent and intensity of land use and disparate
linkages. In an increasingly connected world, the already ongoing trend of
spatial disconnection between production and consumption landscapes will only
increase. This entails considerable challenges to sustainability understood as
imbalances in environmental degradation. Therefore, it is important to analyse
how spatial patters in changes in the extent and intensity of land use relate to
changes in distant places (Kuemmerle et al. 2016).
• Incorporating innovative approaches to evaluating landscape change, and
promoting the co-design of research to address societal problems. The importance of producing actionable knowledge in collaboration with stakeholders is
gaining significance across landscape research (Verburg et al. 2013a). For this, a
more participatory approach, in which local knowledge and perceptions are taken
into account, is needed. In that regard, previous authors have discussed the importance of combining information on land use changes derived from field and GIS
procedures with perceptions of the local population. This facilitated the development of mixed-method approaches and takes advantage of the complementarity
and the specific strengths of the inclusion of a variety of types of data sources
(e.g. Bürgi et al. 2017).
2.7 Conclusions
Land cover in Europe in the past few decades has remained relatively stable. In
those areas where it changed, it has predominately been towards the diminishing
of cropland area in favour of grasslands, and a general increase in urban areas. A
more nuanced perspective emerges when looking at how the intensity of landscape
management has changed. Here, two opposing but co-occurring processes can be
seen: the intensification of agriculture on the one hand, and the abandonment of
farming activities on the other. Both of these processes generally involve the loss of
biodiversity, an erosion of cultural heritage and a diminishing of landscape multifunctionality. These trends have pushed European social-ecological systems beyond
the boundaries of environmental and societal well-being. In order to change these
trajectories, it is crucial to identify and understand the factors that drive them. Political and institutional drivers seem to be the most prominent ones, but economic,
technological, cultural and natural aspects also play a very important role, and need
to be considered as well. In this sense, although European-scale studies provide
extremely relevant information to identify broad trends and drivers of land cover and
land use change, more place-based analyses are needed where different sources of
information are combined (by engaging with local stakeholders), various approaches
and disciplines are brought together and several temporal and spatial scales are taken
into account. This is necessary for a comprehensive understanding of how and why
landscapes are changing, and what the consequences of these changes will be.