A conceptual framework of integrated landscape policy

Abstract

Due to the diversity of landscapes and the complexity of landscape policies, integration principle plays a very important role in formulating a conceptual framework for effective landscape policies. This is often overlooked in normal practice of landscape related policy making, as a result of overemphasizing development and economic growth by local government. If the integration principle could be taken into account sufficiently, a consciously more responsive approach for landscape policy making could be formulated with higher effectiveness and less uncertainty. This thesis seeks to contribute to the system of landscape policy that integrates multiple environmental and spatial planning concerns into its processes and structures. This thesis has combined landscape planning and policy theories to analyze landscape policies currently in force in cities of Asia to demonstrate the complexity of landscape policies and the importance of integration in policymaking process. While there are few approaches in landscape policy studies except the European Landscape Convention which is a continental scale treaty with focus on environmental and cultural conservation within the context of Europe, there are widespread research on public policies particularly in urban planning, environmental protection, and sustainable development which provided plentiful sources as references. To apply integration principle in policymaking on the basis that landscape policy of nowadays is even important than before, a conceptual framework of landscape policy is established to gauge impacts and changes, as well as to inform planning, and implementation progressively. After providing a combined literature review of landscape architectural theories, landscape policy related areas, and practices of current landscape policymaking, this thesis discusses the importance of integrated approach in landscape policymaking due to the complexity and multidisciplinarity nature of landscape architecture discourse, and sets a two-way action between theory and practice as research strategy. After an overview of current landscape policies of Europe and Asia, this thesis has summarized four types of landscape policies based on its administrative level to reflect the hierarchical structure of landscape policy, from European Landscape Convention at global level to Hong Kong’s Greening Master Plan at project scale. This thesis further looks into two best practices of landscape policymaking in Japan and Singapore, to further elaborate the conceptual basis of the research and analyze the gap between current landscape policies and its urban development practice context. Case studies of Japan and Singapore are employed as references for both discussion and comparative purpose, aiming to demonstrate different ways in which integration principle could be utilized and interpreted with coherent consistency across policy levels and different government sectors, so as to clarify implications of integration principle in policymaking, implementation, and the following continuous improvement processes mainly at city level. The study is concluded by highlighting key issues of conceptual framework with recommendations for further research on integrated landscape policymaking, by applying Grounded Theory as main research method through collection and analysis of qualitative data, with the use of both explorative and interpretive approaches.