ABSTRACT
Landscape is a concept most commonly understood at the local scale. The regional and national scales, however, have traditionally been important in safeguarding fine scenery: this approach continues today, and is complemented by more sophisticated methods of defining and managing landscape character. Moreover, our understanding of landscape has progressed beyond the purely visual, to include ecosystem functions, as well as a range of other natural and human factors. In addition to policies specifically for landscape at the larger scales, it is important also to recognize the contribution which landscape makes to other fields of national and regional policy, most notably those associated with liveability, biodiversity and prosperity.
