Authorship, the fundamental base for a Landscape Biography, can be identified, analysed, and visualised in landscape stories and narratives in a theoretical framework. These can vary from the stories of the longue durée to the historic events (Braudel 1966) and the stories connected to the local communities of daily use to the overarching narratives of the authorised or a minority group influencing the sites. This framework can be used to identify and analyse the myriad of landscape stories which we can identify in our landscapes. To improve inclusivity in the redesign of our landscapes and urban public spaces, the variety of human and more-thanhuman voices needs to be taken into account. When these voices are different or even dissonant, these landscapes become landscapes of trauma, neglect and pain. Turmarkin (2005) called these places Traumascapes, places that bear the physical traces and symbolic representations, as well as the associated collective memories and socio-psychological effects of trauma, human conflict, violence, and loss. These Traumascapes do not only refer to great trauma, like World War 2, the Holocaust or colonisation, but might be referring to a layered site of more personal trauma or pain. Our (historic) military landscapes bear a wide diversity of these stories and narratives, which reflect shifting values and perspectives through time and show community trauma. This contribution discusses a framework of narratives and stories in a landscape biography and various methods to describe and visualise these various landscapes of dissonant or even contested sites. ... Read more

Examining the interconnections between natural water cycles and human processes shaped over time by social, cultural, religious, historical, political and economic influences offers valuable insights into traditional and present-day water systems. Often, these insights lie beyond visible water structures and require in-depth site investigations to bring them to light. Three cases that do not have distinguished names, unlike the more widely recognised water-rich systems, are explored in semi-arid landscapes: the Jaguaribe River Basin, Brazil; the Communal Fountain System in Cyprus; and the Water System in Heraklion, Crete, Greece. The micro stories approach reveals lesser-known and often overlooked dimensions of water use and stewardship in these regions. These narratives offer fresh perspectives on large-scale water management, uncovering the hidden human flows that shape invisible water systems. By tracing wetness in addition to mapping water, we discuss the added value of bridging knowledge gaps through diverse storytellers, inspiring water-sensitive approaches attuned to local contexts. ... Read more

Historically, the Menderes (Maeander) River has played a crucial role in the development of settlements and cultures, shaping the natural, social, cultural, economic, and governmental dynamics of western Anatolia. Known as the “Valley of Civilizations,” its delta contains water-related heritage, knowledge, and traditions, encompassing agricultural and urban development as well as industrial and technological innovation. Today, the river’s layered landscape reflects a centuries-long history of water management and infrastructure. While the river remains critical to the continuity of life in the region, communities along its course have lost many sociocultural connections and meaningful relationships with water and the river. This article reports on research that aims to restore those connections by using water as a unifying element and catalyst, applying a “landscape biography” approach to promote the holistic and sustainable heritage conservation and management of the Menderes River landscape and its communities. ... Read more

Voor een duurzame toekomst van het landelijk gebied, is het noodzakelijk dat landbouw diversifieert in innovaties en innovators. Uit het Horizon Europe project FLIARA blijkt dat vrouwelijke innovators vaker kiezen voor een aanpak met meer aandacht voor sociale en culturele ontwikkelingen en mogelijkheden. Landbouw is nog steeds een mannenbolwerk. Vrouwen lopen nogal eens op weerstand en onbegrip. In dit artikel introduceren we zeven verschillende netwerken als analytisch kader voor beleidsverandering, om vrouwen volwaardig en gelijkwaardig mee te kunnen nemen in nieuw landbouwbeleid. ... Read more

Landscape biography began as an innovative approach that tells a landscape’s layered ‘life story’ and how it evolved through an ongoing interaction between humans and their environment in the 20th century. Although Landscape Biography became influential in the Netherlands, scholars in other countries analysed landscapes, cities, or even industrial ensembles similarly, using different names and tools. During the double session at the PECSRL 2024 conference in Poland and the Lorentz workshop in the Netherlands in the same year, the discussions on the future of landscape biography resulted in a list of new themes and attention towards a methodological approach. During both meetings, there was an overriding consensus that an expansion of Landscape Biography’s conceptual and geographical boundaries was crucial—both as a methodology and in practice—to ensure that it remains a valuable tool PECSRL2026 – Ghent & Spa 75 for addressing pressing contemporary issues, including the “wicked problems” of climate change, renewable energy, biodiversity, discussions on how and the increasing recognition of non-human agents in shaping landscapes and addressing multivocality in cases of trauma and contested opinions. Understanding how the concept can be adapted on a wider international scale is essential to allow it to grow and develop its practical relevance, building on its solid Dutch roots to wider Europe and beyond, in which its application to diverse regions facing additional challenges such as dispossession, decolonisation, and conflict can be explored and addressed. In this paper, the authors of the session will summarise the main outcomes as a conclusion on how landscape biography can be developed for the future. ... Read more

Rivers, as powerful natural agents, have historically been not only sources of life and sustenance but also the creators and connectors of culture. From ancient civilizations that shaped agricultural lands and built their cities along riverbanks to the modern landscapes that have developed around them, rivers have always been central to the identity, sustainability, and evolution of human societies. The Menderes (Maeander) River in southwestern Anatolia presents a unique case of how a river can shape both natural and cultural landscapes. This river basin, often called the "Valley of Civilizations”, has played a crucial role in settlement development and cultural shaping throughout Anatolia's history. As the landscape evolved, its water-related relationships—marked by the river's fluctuating presence, scarcity, and abundance—have given rise to new heritage forms, further complicating management of this multi-layered landscape. Addressing this complexity requires a heritage information management and decision support system capable of integrating multi-scale, multi-faceted data for sustainable management. In this regard, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have proven to be valuable tools, creating comprehensive, interdisciplinary platforms to understand, analyze, and manage diverse layers of complex landscapes. Thereupon, MeRiΔGIS, a GIS-based heritage information management and decision support system, is established to understand and assess the multi-dimensional characteristics of the Menderes River Delta for its conservation and sustainable management. MeRiΔGIS provides a comprehensive understanding of the ongoing transformations in the riverine landscape, emphasizing the interaction between natural and cultural components, as well as the key human and more-than-human agents shaping its evolution. Ultimately, the MeRiΔGIS serves as a tool to re-establish fragmented relationships between the river, its surrounding communities, and the landscape. This interdisciplinary, GIS-based approach offers a model for managing other riverine and water-linked landscapes, integrating heritage conservation with modern information management technologies to address the complexities of the natural-cultural nexus. ... Read more

This deliverable focuses on 20 national case studies that shed light on 200 women who spearhead unique innovations in the realm of rural areas and farming across ten European countries. The innovations led by the women are centred around four pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, economic, and cultural. They span across three distinct rural typologies: rural areas close to a city, rural villages, and remote rural regions. This comprehensive study provides a rich tapestry of female-led ingenuity and resilience in rural Europe.

The case study reports on 100 women-led farming innovations revealing a diverse, unique, and dynamic set of innovations. However, the rural location’s impact on these innovations is debated, with some countries finding that the type of innovation or regional differences within a country are more significant than the rural typology. The women have introduced farming innovations that vary in scale, duration, and ownership structure, with many based on organic, biodynamic, and agroecological farming. Women engaged in farming innovation often face challenges due to patriarchal social norms, with many feeling that they are not being taken seriously, particularly those without a family farming background. Despite these challenges, which include motherhood, financial constraints, bureaucratic hurdles, and infrastructural issues, many women gain community respect and inspire others by successfully managing their farming projects. Despite challenges, women engaged in farming innovation are combining domestic and care work with business, and leveraging support from partners, family, and friends. They also benefit from financial grants, strong local and international networks, technology, visibility through media, and support from local governments, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in their endeavours.

The case study also reports on 100 female-led rural innovations, which vary greatly across and within countries, with many recent initiatives in the past four years. These innovators, ranging in age from 26 to 78 and often highly educated, lead these initiatives either individually or in groups, and operate through registered businesses, associations, or informally, demonstrating the diversity and adaptability of women in this sector. The innovations are mostly related to environmental activities, community engagement, rural job creation, tourism, and training and education initiatives. The impact of the rural location on these innovations varies, with some countries finding that the type of innovation or other characteristics like local culture and religiosity are more significant than the rural typology. Despite these challenges, women innovators leverage their rural environments, integrating community needs, utilizing local resources, and creating urban-rural connections, demonstrating adaptability across different rural typologies. Support from intimate social circles, including partners and family, is essential for women-led innovations in rural areas, though work-life balance can be a challenge, particularly in relation to childcare. Local communities can provide resources and support, but gaining trust can be difficult, and infrastructure constraints, such as public transport and broadband, can impact innovation. Financial constraints are common, with complex regulations and bureaucracy posing additional challenges, yet public funds and alternative funding routes can provide crucial support. Despite these challenges, favourable conditions such as technical and business support systems, passion for their innovations, supportive networks, and geographical circumstances can offer opportunities for innovative solutions.

Drawing together female-led farming and rural innovations we can see that they are both diverse and have a high degree of adaptability. The importance of local and international networks, financial grants, and support from local governments are emphasized in fostering these innovations. Also, the role of and support from partners, family, and friends in these innovations are significant in both female-led farming and rural innovations. The challenges the women face include patriarchal social norms, financial constraints, bureaucratic hurdles, and issues related to infrastructure. The impact of rural location varies, with some countries finding that factors other than the rural typology, such as the type of innovation or regional differences within a country, are more significant. ... Read more

The Water Triangle forms an important area of ​​the maritime heritage of the province of South Holland. This area faces the choice of how the charm of this dynamic maritime landscape—with its alternation of wide rivers, large shipyards, and the (visual) openness and small-scale nature of the intervening buildings—can be utilized as a spatial quality. It is precisely here that population decline, dike heightening due to climate change, and, among other things, ever-rising apartment buildings determine the spatial challenges. The maritime heritage can be decisive in creating a future, attractive landscape near Rotterdam. The first steps consisted of a broad definition of a maritime landscape in four zones, featuring tangible and intangible traces. But equally important is broad interest from the local community, in which the stories are captured. This exhibition presents a series of maps as part of a landscape biographical study that showcased the great maritime richness of the area, together with various landscape biographical artifacts representing the essence of the maritime landscape. These objects were created by landscape architecture students from the Landscape Architecture master's track at TU Delft. Students from the Heritage and Architecture master's track created redesigns of various places to illustrate their development potential. ... Read more

Tijdens de Open Bunkerdag op 2 en 3 juni 2023 zijn toekomstplannen voor diverse bunkerlocaties tentoongesteld op 4 locaties: De Fuhrer der Schnellboote bunker (Van der Stolkpark), Seys-inQuart bunker (landgoed Clingendael), Atlantikwall museum Noordijk en Atlantikwall museum Katwijk (Duinweg). Op de locatie Fuhrer der Schnellboote bunker zijn enkele studenten in gesprek met bezoekers gegaan naar hoe zij de Atlantikwall zagen. ... Read more

Throughout history, fresh water supply has been an issue of political, social, economic, and cultural importance to cities. Istanbul and its hinterland have a rich water heritage of more than 1,500 years. This includes dams, tunnels, aqueducts, distribution stations, water towers, reservoirs, fountains, and baths, as well as the social and cultural traditions that go with them. Many of these remains are protected by cultural heritage regulations but also suffer from neglect, uncontrolled urban development, and deliberate destruction. At present, planners, policymakers, and the public are insufficiently aware of the value and potential of this heritage. The Netherlands Institute in Turkey (NIT) Urban Heritage Lab was set up in 2021 to address urban sustainability challenges through heritage-focused education programs. It operates from the basic notion that contemporary urban issues require (conservation) architects, planners and heritage professionals that are trained in multi-disciplinary approaches. To address the challenges and possibilities for the transformation and reuse of water heritage from a multi-disciplinary perspective, the Urban Heritage Lab offered a post-graduate course in the autumn of 2022. The course took place partly online (lectures and discussions), partly on-site in Istanbul (field trips, study groups, and workshops), and was open to early-career professionals and graduate students of any discipline from higher education institutions in the Netherlands and Türkiye. We will show that our course ‘Water Heritage for Sustainable Cities’ explored water heritage by approaching it as a complex network of material and immaterial remains - not as isolated historical relics - in a modern urban setting. With a focus on Istanbul’s water heritage and discussing case studies from elsewhere, the course participants investigated how water heritage can be employed to raise awareness of worldwide historical and contemporary water issues. In this way, the course relied on constructive and inquiry-based pedagogical approaches as the participants developed group projects to enable the community to re-valorise Istanbul’s water heritage through its transformation and reuse. Scholars and experts from the Netherlands and Türkiye (two countries with a rich history in water-related developments) contributed with presentations and discussions of historical and contemporary water-related topics. The course participants investigated the material and immaterial history and aspects of the ancient Valens Aqueduct (Bozdogan Kemeri) in today’s Istanbul, as an example of a water heritage object that underwent many transformations over the centuries and lost its original function. To deal with the challenges of studying water heritage in education, the course introduced “landscape biography” as a methodology for understanding heritage places with multiple narratives and layers. In this presentation, we will discuss the potential, limitations, and outcomes of the course by assessing the proposals for action that the participants developed in a multi-disciplinary design studio which utilized research-by-design as a tool to stimulate social and active learning, thereby focusing on sustainable development and/or increasing public awareness of contemporary and future water issues. ... Read more

This books describes from multiple perspective the importance of planted avenues ... Read more

This article describes the four most important locations of avenues and design principles. Planted avenues were created on and next to country estates, in cities (as part of the urban fabric), along main roads through the open landscape, and in reclaimed landscapes. ... Read more

This article describes the definition of planted avenues with it's seven perspectives on the influence of planted avenues. ... Read more

This article describes how students’ landscape architecture made objects to 'describe' the history of a part of Midden-Delfland. These objects could be models, series of drawings, films, websites, et cetera. ... Read more

This article describes the discussion about the felling of planted avenues due to road safety. ... Read more