Abstrakt
Enclosed landscapes are a major feature in the European landscape. This topic is still insufficiently researched, although there is strong international and interdisciplinary consensus on their multi-dimensional values and need for preservation.
In this paper, enclosed landscape is defined as agro-silvo-pastoral used land surrounded by hedges, earthen banks or dry-stone walls. The aim of this paper is to give an overview about enclosed agricultural landscapes in Europe with particular emphasis on its diversity, genesis and presentday use.
It is achieved through synthesis of existing international/ regional case studies and a number of national case studies collected through the group work of the authors. The methodology used was developed during the EUCALAND project where a unified questionnaire was established in order to collect and transmit the information on particular agricultural landscape types per country.
Using questionnaires the following data is collected: (1) general facts on distribution, genesis, local names, awareness and related national legislation, (2 and 3) functional and structural typology, (4) present-day use, and (5) its relation to various natural, cultural, aesthetic and economic assets. The result indicates that different types of enclosed landscape can be found in every country whereas the dispersion of 'open' and 'enclosed' landscapes is often described as a long-term characteristic of the European landscape.
However, distribution changed during history as a result of processes such as the need for firewood, agrarian specialisation, land reclamation and consolidation. Since the late Middle Ages, new enclosed landscapes developed through reclamation, but also by replacing former open arable landscapes.
The density of field walls and hedges probably reached its peak around 1900, after which the modernisation of agriculture (scale enlargement, mechanisation, introduction of barbed wire) diminished the number of these elements. Many efforts of preservationists aim at the protection and management of field walls and hedges.
Awareness about these landscapes is growing. All over the world, national and international associations, initiatives and congresses try to collect knowledge and share it not only among lay people but also professionals.
In 2018, 'The Art of dry stone construction: know-how and techniques' was inscribed as an intangible heritage of UNESCO. Eight countries have worked commonly on the dossier: Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland.
However, this study concludes that still much is unknown. For example, it is extremely difficult to get a picture of the distribution of open and enclosed landscapes and even harder to find data about the individual types.
The paper concludes with some ideas for future research.