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Envisioning Future Landscapes in the Environmentally Sensitive Areas of Scotland
Author(s) -
Simpson Ian A,
Parsisson David,
Hanley Nick,
Bullock Craig H
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
transactions of the institute of british geographers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.196
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1475-5661
pISSN - 0020-2754
DOI - 10.1111/j.0020-2754.1997.00307.x
Subject(s) - environmental planning , foundation (evidence) , environmental policy , environmental resource management , cover (algebra) , landscape assessment , environmental impact assessment , geography , political science , landscape design , environmental science , archaeology , engineering , mechanical engineering , law
Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) designated under EC Structure Regulation 797/85 now cover 1.4 million ha of the Scottish countryside and are likely to make a substantial contribution to the regulation of landscape change. Visual changes to landscapes with (policy on) and without (policy off) the ESA programme in two Scottish ESA areas, Breadalbane and the Machair, are predicted through impact‐assessment procedures and computer manipulation of photographic images. The methodological requirements for such predictions are outlined and substantial differences in landscape characteristics under policy on/off scenarios are revealed. Such approaches to landscape change are an essential foundation for the development of environmental cost‐benefit analyses and will contribute to public consultation processes.