El paisaje en sus mapas

Abstract

Landscape, as suggested by the “European Landscape Convention”, is a combination of natural and/or human factors on a given area, being the result of complex interactions along time of geological (territory), biological (ecosystems) and human (visual and perceived) pro- cesses. Thus, it has three main parameters: territory (area), perception and valuation. Each of these parameters has a very wide field of variability and subjectivity, in which each person, group or branch of knowledge can prioritize some parameters over the others. In addition, more or less intangible cultural components, not clearly visible on the territory, are usually incorporated in the “landscape” concept. The different approaches to landscape mapping can be summarized in four types: Physiographic, Landscape Ecology, Visual Landscape and Perceived Landscape. Most of the landscape maps presents a taxonomic classification that usually includes different levels of organization of their elements. There is a lack, however, of a unified terminology in relation to landscape units, and a variety of terms have been used for them, with some common elements among different mapping approaches. In Spain, there is a lack of official cartographic series that map in detail the landscapes of large areas of the country. In spite of this, many landscape maps have been edited and published (both in paper and in digital formats), both by the Environment Ministry and all the Autonomous Communities. They have institutional, online, open access, and free information on landscape and landscape maps and mapping that are discussed in the paper.