This paper addresses current changes in the highly diverse European landscape, and the way these transitions are being treated in policy and landscape management in the fragmented, heterogeneous and dynamic context of today’s Europe. It appears that intersecting driving forces are increasing the complexity of European landscapes and causing polarising developments in agricultural land use, biodiversity conservation and cultural landscape management.

Natural areas are essential for species conservation and outdoor recreation. Where conservation and recreational values are under threat, site managers need to take measures to protect them. Scientific knowledge and tools might help them to predict the outcomes of planned measures and create support amongst stakeholders. To be accepted by all stakeholders the knowledge and tools must possess three attributes credibility, salience and legitimacy.

This thesis investigates the communicative qualities of visual landscape design representations. The main subjects of inquiry were (1) visual design representations in their many forms and appearances; (2) the meanings that are attributed to, or derived from, those representations by designers, planners, and project stakeholders; (3) the participatory planning and design processes of the multifunctional flood defence landscape projects wherein those representations are used.

Considering the importance of visual representations for communication between stakeholders in landscape planning and design processes, the authors identify a lack of critical visual research methods supportive of the disciplines involved. As part of such a method, they have developed an analytical framework based on semiotic and iconographic theory that enables a visual content analysis and iconographic interpretation of landscape design representations.

Industrial land is under transition globally. Insights into this transition are important to plan a sustainable future. Since industrial land follows parcel shapes and the transition process requires multi-year data to observe the impacts of such changes, multi-year vector data should be used to analyse industrial land transition. This paper presents a framework to analyse path-dependent regional industrial land transition processes using vector data. A step by step instruction is presented.

Designing land use plans for areas with multiple stakeholders is becoming an increasingly complex task. This paper presents a method to interactively develop land use plans with multiple stakeholders and conflicting objectives. In this method, spatial information plays a central role. Maps are used to communicate and exchange knowledge among policy-makers and stakeholders. This is done through a series of interconnected workshops, where interaction between stakeholders is prompted through the use of maps, decision support tools and an instrument called the 'touch table'.

Underrepresentation of women in senior positions is a persistent problem in universities worldwide, and a wide range of strategies to combat this situation is currently being contemplated. One such strategy is the introduction of a tenure track system, in which decisions to promote scientific staff to higher ranks are guided by a set of explicit and transparent criteria, as opposed to earlier situations in which decisions were based on presumably more subjective impressions by superiors.

Propelled by rapid urbanization, city administrations in low-and middle-income countries face a raft of challenges to secure food and nutrition for its poor urban dwellers. Urban agriculture (UA) seems a viable intervention to address urban food insecurity, however, experience has shown that urban gardens do not expand at the expected rate. Tackling this issue requires a deeper understanding of the main constraints that block UA expansion. Benin is not an exception; the country witnesses a breathtaking growth of its main cities that is in synchronization with a mounting food insecurity.

Doel van dit project is om aan de hand van twee pilots te bepalen wat de mogelijke economische en ecologische meerwaarde is van natuur-inclusieve oplossingen voor waterveiligheidsopgaven uit het Deltaprogramma en wat de meerwaarde van de TEEB-aanpak is in het planvormings- en besluitvormingsproces over deze maatregelen. Dit rapport handelt over de pilot “hoogwatergeul Varik-Heesselt”. De pilot was gericht op toepassing en evaluatie van de TEEB-methode. Het project is in nauw contact met de projectleider van de provincie Gelderland van het lopende planproces uitgevoerd.

Nederland staat de komende jaren voor forse opgaven op het gebied van waterveiligheid, zoetwatervoorziening, waterkwaliteit en natuur. Daarbij is het belangrijk bij deze investeringen ambities te laten ‘meekoppelen’ om zo meer maatschappelijk rendement te halen. In opdracht van het ministerie van Economische Zaken heeft Alterra een onderzoek uitgevoerd naar de succesfactoren en belemmeringen van het mee-koppelen van water- en natuuropgaven.

In the effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to food, health, water, and climate, an increase in pressure on land is highly likely. To avoid further land degradation and promote land restoration, multifunctional use of land is needed within the boundaries of the soil-water system. In addition, awareness-raising, a change in stakeholders' attitudes, and a change in economics are essential. The attainment of a balance between the economy, society, and the biosphere calls for a holistic approach.

There is increasing recognition of the need for society to adapt to the impacts of climate change, especially in the water sector. Adaptation to climatic impacts involves both infrastructural adjustments, such as reinforcing dykes or creating water storage capacity, and broader processes of societal change, such as adjusting land use planning, more efficient water use or agricultural transitions. The aim of this special issue is not to ‘assess’ the current state of play for adaptation strategies and policies in Europe.