Cultural landscape in the times of sustainable development

Abstract

The article refers to the present day landscape policy, which has been coded in the European Landscape Convention. It discusses relations between the landscape policy and the ideas of sustainable development. It discusses factors and stages of transformation of cultural landscapes. Cultural landscape is considered as a whole, as the basis and background for human activities, and a peculiar palimpsest – the source of meanings and symbols. Ecological ethics is the reflection of contemporary aware attitude of the man towards the environment. It is also expressed in sustainable development of landscape. It the times of continuous consumption of landscape, the author gives reasons why it is necessary to expand the activities related to sustainable development on the physiognomy of the environment, that is the cultural landscape. Sustainable landscape management should take into consideration multiple areas where eco-development is carried out: ecological, social, economic, technical, legal, political and ethical areas. These issues concern not only the need to work out mechanisms and tools for effective protection, but first of all appropriate landscape design and management, and, more and more frequently, social participation.