The landscape in town and country planning. The experience of landscape in the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia

Abstract

Given the progressive degradation of our landscapes there is a need, on the one hand, to include the landscape in planning and, on the other, to raise public awareness of landscape values. To achieve this double goal, the year 2005 saw the creation of the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia, an independent public consortium that simultaneously acts as both an advisory body to the public authorities and an organisation that aims to raise society’s awareness of landscape-related issues. One of its main functions is to draw up landscape catalogues of Catalonia, an innovative tool for incorporating the landscape into planning and an element of town and country planning with regard to the implementation of landscape policy. The catalogues define the strategic lines and specific directives that can help improve landscape policy and, in short, the public’s quality of life.