Exploring Landscape Character: A Socio Ecological Analysis of the High Weald Area Outstanding Natural Beauty

The concept of landscape character in creating local distinctiveness has long been recognised in the UK. Only recently, however, has it come to define a research agenda that examines both the causes and consequences of landscape change. In this study, a transdisciplinary approach was used to investigate the character and qualities of two agricultural landscapes and to understand past and future changes. Through farm-based assessments, landscape character was analysed in terms of landscape coherences. Semi-structured interviews with farmers enabled these coherences to be related to their activities and management motivations. 'Leitbilder' were developed at both the local and farm levels, and the link between farm and locality was explored. A clear relationship was identified between farmers' attitudes towards the landscape and their farms' contribution to the local landscape. The 'Leitbild' approach elaborated in this research offers new opportunities for agricultural policy development and future landscape planning.