IS HISTORICAL LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT FOCUSED ON THE LANDSCAPE ITSELF OR THE HISTORY OF LANDSCAPE?

Under the European Landscape Convention (ELC), each country is required to identify, classify, plan, protect, and manage its landscapes while analyzing the pressures causing changes. Landscape assessment studies have primarily focused on existing natural and cultural landscapes. However, evaluations that reveal historical identity, historical value, and trace their development and transformation processes are insufficient. Specifically, the historical and heritage dimensions of landscapes are often inadequately addressed in landscape planning. In this context, the Historical Landscape Assessment (HLA), which analyzes long-term interactions between human activities and natural processes, and examines the traces left by human influence, has gained significant importance. According to ELC, landscape is an area perceived by people, shaped by the interaction of natural and/or human factors, and is closely related to HLA. The aim of this study is to highlight common misunderstandings about HLA. By discussing landscape assessment methods focused on the past, present, and future, this study emphasizes the importance of HLA, which defines the biography of historical landscapes that have endured over time, possess temporal depth, and demonstrated resilience to change. HLA evaluates the temporal depth of landscapes that have survived to the present day, focusing on more than just their history. Addressing the similarities and differences between HLA and landscape character assessment, this study proposes an integrated and holistic approach to landscape evaluation. By contributing to the correction of misunderstandings, this study can set an example approach for promoting a different perspective on HLA.