114
C. Ronzani and A. Freytet
Fig. 7.11 Reference box of Port Cros Island land and sea chart. (sketch by Alain Freytet for Port
Cros National Park)
but has not extended to the landscape
35 . With its wealth of shapes, colours and
textures, the landscape is a sufficient medium in itself. But we often clumsily attempt
to replace it with explanatory buoys and boards, designed to be adequate educational
projects, whereas they should simply be supporting tools. The landscape is sufficient
as it is the message to be conveyed: a natural space capable of arousing emotion
and therefore of value. It is both medium and message
36 . This analysis is valid
both for images of landscape (on documents
37 ), and the actual landscape, the best
“representative” of natural areas in our eyes. A choice made by Emmanuel Lopez,
former director of Port Cros National Park, provides a good example of the first
aspect. To illustrate the island’s landscapes on the reference box of Port Cros sea
and land chart, he opted for a drawing done underwater along the underwater trail.
Regarding the second aspect, more points of contact with the water should be created
to reveal the “underwater landscape”. Rather than relying on heavy scuba-diving
equipment, snorkelling offers much easier and more affordable access. Underwater
trails appear to be less complicated and very effective creations to encourage this
change. They often consist of small changing facilities on the shore, some prior
guidance to dispel any fears, and a water trail (which may or may not be marked out)
revealing the full diversity of landscapes beneath the surface (Fig. 7.11).
35 Cf. Florence Baelen, “L’immersion comme nouveau mode de médiation au musée des sciences.
Étude de cas: la présentation du changement climatique”, in Sciences, médias et société, and
“L’immersion dans les musées de science, culture ou séduction?” in Cultures et Musées no. 5,
2005. Also “Les expositions, une technologie de l’immersion” in Mediamorphoses.
36 According to the phrase coined by media thinker Marshal Mc Luhan, i.e. the self-referential aspect
of a medium. In semiology or information theory, we would refer more precisely to equivalence
between message and channel.
37 What Alain Roger calls the “in visu” landscape, particularly in his Court traité du paysage,
Gallimard 1997.
C. Ronzani and A. Freytet
Fig. 7.11 Reference box of Port Cros Island land and sea chart. (sketch by Alain Freytet for Port
Cros National Park)
but has not extended to the landscape
35 . With its wealth of shapes, colours and
textures, the landscape is a sufficient medium in itself. But we often clumsily attempt
to replace it with explanatory buoys and boards, designed to be adequate educational
projects, whereas they should simply be supporting tools. The landscape is sufficient
as it is the message to be conveyed: a natural space capable of arousing emotion
and therefore of value. It is both medium and message
36 . This analysis is valid
both for images of landscape (on documents
37 ), and the actual landscape, the best
“representative” of natural areas in our eyes. A choice made by Emmanuel Lopez,
former director of Port Cros National Park, provides a good example of the first
aspect. To illustrate the island’s landscapes on the reference box of Port Cros sea
and land chart, he opted for a drawing done underwater along the underwater trail.
Regarding the second aspect, more points of contact with the water should be created
to reveal the “underwater landscape”. Rather than relying on heavy scuba-diving
equipment, snorkelling offers much easier and more affordable access. Underwater
trails appear to be less complicated and very effective creations to encourage this
change. They often consist of small changing facilities on the shore, some prior
guidance to dispel any fears, and a water trail (which may or may not be marked out)
revealing the full diversity of landscapes beneath the surface (Fig. 7.11).
35 Cf. Florence Baelen, “L’immersion comme nouveau mode de médiation au musée des sciences.
Étude de cas: la présentation du changement climatique”, in Sciences, médias et société, and
“L’immersion dans les musées de science, culture ou séduction?” in Cultures et Musées no. 5,
2005. Also “Les expositions, une technologie de l’immersion” in Mediamorphoses.
36 According to the phrase coined by media thinker Marshal Mc Luhan, i.e. the self-referential aspect
of a medium. In semiology or information theory, we would refer more precisely to equivalence
between message and channel.
37 What Alain Roger calls the “in visu” landscape, particularly in his Court traité du paysage,
Gallimard 1997.