Physiognomic landscape mapping in The Netherlands

Abstract De Veer, A.A. and Burrough, P.A., 1978. Physiognomic landscape mapping in The Netherlands. Landscape Plann. , 5: 45–62. Although physiognomic landscape studies have been used for 10 years by planners in The Netherlands, there have been few comparisons of the various methodologies. Also, publication of the methods in English has been rare. A brief description of the most important visible aspects (physiognomy) of Dutch landscapes is followed by a review of techniques used from 1966–1976 for classifying and mapping landscapes for planning purposes. Three main approaches have been recognized — “compartment”; “breadth of view”; and “grid cell”. The findings of a recent study comparing the results and techniques of different Dutch landscape classification methods are summarized and discussed in the light of the stated requirements of users of landscape data. As no single extant technique satisfies all the users' requirements, future developments in landscape mapping should adopt a more flexible approach. Recent experience in using computer-assisted mapping methods in soil science and geology suggests that these techniques can be adapted profitably to classify and map landscapes from elementary data according to users' needs.