Landscape Policy in Ireland insights from the Heritage Council

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1 Landscape Policy in Ireland insights from the Heritage Council Ian Doyle Head of Conservation

2 What am I going to talk about? What is landscape? European Landscape Convention Local landscape projects Methods and tools - Historic Landscape Characterisation, Landscape Character Assessment etc Ireland s National Landscape Strategy

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5 (Jim Sugar 1969)

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7 What is landscape? It is this...equable marriage between the geographic country and the country of the mind...that constitutes the sense of place... Seamus Heaney European Landscape Convention landscape is an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors

8 P. Selman Landscape planning preservation, conservation and sustainable development. Centenary Paper. Town Planning Review, 81(4),

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10 Some key issues Landscape is about all landscapes, not just special ones or designated places Four strategies: conserve, restore, reinforce or create Landscape is as much about the future as the past Landscape is urban as well as rural Structures to involve landowners, residents, public Role of technology and development in transforming our understanding

11 Ireland s emerging National Landscape Strategy Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht The objectives of the NLS are to prepare a framework to: Implement the ELC in Ireland recognise the importance of all landscapes in Ireland promote sustainable development, protect and enhance the environment, positively manage change provide the framework and context for appropriate development. provide a high quality environment for people to work, live and play.

12 The Heritage Council contribution - Six Key Messages 1 Effective and meaningful public participation is at the very core of the European Landscape Convention. 2 The European Landscape Convention brings a clear requirement for an integrated approach to landscape planning and management across all areas of government policy formulation and implementation. In Ireland today, a plethora of State bodies operates at various levels to influence and impact upon landscape. 3 The landscape is multifunctional and constantly evolving. We use the landscape to produce food and other economic resources, as well as to support settlements and transport, yet it also supports a variety of environmental public goods, including the maintenance of valuable cultural landscapes and the ecosystems and historic features they support. 4 Tools such as Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) can inform planning for sustainable development. The consistent use of this technique would facilitate greater consideration of historic landscapes, habitats and ecosystem functions and services and would lead in turn to better management and quality of life. 5 One of the most critical aspects for increasing our consideration of landscape, and its constituent parts in decision-making, is the availability and accessibility of high-quality information. 6 While a variety of initiatives targeted at different ages and sectors ought to take place in terms of landscape education and awareness, the ultimate goal must be to increase overall understanding of the significant contribution a quality landscape can make to our daily lives and to our health.

13 The Heritage Council proposed the following actions: Establishing a Landscape Observatory of Ireland (LOI). Introducing a Landscape Ireland Act. Landscape-proofing existing primary legislation, government programmes and policies. Promoting a vibrant research and learning culture on landscape. Increasing public participation, accessibility and the use of local knowledge in landscape management.

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15 Other models - Bere Island Conservation Plan 2003 The diverse cultural and natural heritage of the island should be managed as collections of sites and habitats rather than focusing on individual sites. The current extensive nature of agricultural and other land use practices on the island should be maintained. An inshore fisheries management programme should be implemented to limit fisheries activities to within the carrying capacity of the island s waters. Maintenance/preservation measures should be put in place to halt the deterioration and maintain the material integrity of the archaeological and built heritage of the island. Islanders should be encouraged to develop a sense of pride of place and personal responsibility with regard to caring for the island environment.

16 Other models Wicklow Uplands Council Burren Charter/Burren Beo/Burren Farming for Conservation Aran Life Project Rindoon, Co Roscommon

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18 P. Selman Community participation in the planning and management of cultural landscapes, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 47, no

19 Landscape Character Assessment Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) has been used throughout Europe since the early 1990s to assess landscapes Landscape Character is the recognisable pattern of physical elements which makes an area distinct from other types of landscape and gives it is particular sense of place. It is a combination of geology, landform, soils, vegetation, land-use, field patterns and human settlement that creates landscape character

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21 Food Harvest 2020 The FH2020 Environmental Assessment (2013) refers to the Draft Landscape and Landscape Assessment Guidelines (Department of Environment 2000) and points out that : While landscape character assessments have been completed on a county by county basis, with no overall National Landscape Character Structure, they are often inconsistent and generally there is a lack of clarity on the role of landscape character assessment in statutory planning and legislation.

22 Historic Landscape Characterisation Devised in Cornwall during early 1990s Historic Landscape Characterisation involves taking an area of landscape or townscape and dividing it up into the smallest consistuent parcels HLC then attributes each parcel to one of a series of predetermined types: enclosed land, woodland, Characterisation is now an established part of heritage management practices in Wales, Scotland, England and the Netherlands Limited application in Ireland Fingal, Offaly, Westmeath, Laois, Roscommon

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24 HLC Balbriggan, North Dublin

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28 Getting close to a conclusion... What is landscape? European Landscape Convention Landscape areas - Tara Skryne Landscape others ongoing learning Methods and tools - Historic Landscape Characterisation, Landscape Character Assessment etc National Landscape Strategy still in development

29 A National Landscape Strategy what might it achieve? Articulate a vision Build support Data sharing to inform better policy Training Support for local landscape initiatives Improvement of characterisation frameworks Policy proofing Ongoing review and refinement

30 To succeed... Broadly based coalition Political leadership Good support within wider government so as not to be seen solely as a heritage issue but also to ensure implementation Small steps / quick wins to show momentum Cross-border element?