I chose to use as the title of this article a phrase taken from the European Landscape Convention, on the tenth anniversary of its adoption (Florence, October 20, 2000) by the Council of Europe.
There is a growing necessity to reflect on environmental issues and the perspective of sustainable development, not through fragmentation but rather by building connections and exploring relationships between different aspects—ranging from clearly environmental issues to those more deeply rooted in social and cultural dimensions.
In this context, the concept of landscape can play a significant role, moving beyond the reduction of landscape to a mere “postcard” and instead recovering its original meaning as a “frame of synthesis”—or better yet, considering it as the embodied expression within a given territory of the relationship between humans and their environment.
From this viewpoint, the district of Vlora is indeed extremely rich—due to its great environmental diversity and the various ways through which, over the course of history, different cultures (starting from Roman civilization) have left their marks.
But the concept of landscape tends to go beyond the idea of mere synthesis; it is capable of encompassing both “reality” and the “image of reality,” referring to both a material and immaterial dimension. It is worth stating that the landscape is: the totality of meanings and values that individuals and/or the community attribute to their living environment (cultural and environmental values, aesthetic indicators, spiritual connections, identity references, etc.).
Considering the landscape means accounting not only for supposedly neutral, “objective” data, but also for all the assets that emerge from the subjective attribution of value—through different perspectives. In fact, these subjective attributions of value, produced by various dynamics and processes, have the power to alter environmental and territorial assets: actions that transform the landscape range from the smallest individual actions to broader, planned decisions.
The landscape changes that have occurred over the past decades (in Vlora perhaps more than anywhere else) often reflect a depletion of the capacity to attribute protective environmental and cultural values to our territory. Over these past 20 years, the balance of landscape planning has been disappointing. Biodiversity in this area, as elsewhere, has suffered a drastic decline. The plains and forests have been the most affected areas. In addition to the bare hills, the clearest example is found next to the city, in the forest of Sodë. During this period, territories rich in biodiversity have been lost under asphalt and concrete.
To the efforts of Vlora’s citizens and civil society in defense of the Bay of Vlora, I would personally add the landscape dimension.
Opening a debate on the conservation and management of landscapes should mark the beginning of a new era in territorial planning and programming—capable of ensuring the protection and sustainable enhancement of our territory. Today, landscape holds a central place in territorial policy debates, due to its irreplaceable value.
This role has been sanctioned in the European Landscape Convention, a normative document promoted by the Council of Europe and ratified by 30 European countries. It is a fundamental and innovative document, and a reference point for landscape policies across the continent—including in Albania, even though it has not yet been ratified.
The text of this document, as binding as a law, presents a series of important implications that have fueled, over the years, an intense debate at the European level—both in scientific discourse and practical applications. (Unfortunately, this debate is still largely absent in our country.)
The Convention opens with a lengthy preamble, which places the issue of landscape within the broader theme of sustainable development. It affirms the value of landscape as a natural and cultural heritage of Europe and underlines its importance as a key element of the quality of life of the respective populations. In this way, landscape is recognized as a space of rights—but also of responsibilities.
A central element is the precise definition of “landscape” as “an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors” (Article 1a).
Landscape—meaning the totality of nature and culture—is constructed and transformed by multiple factors, and above all, it is a product of the population’s perception and representation. This structural involvement of the population thus becomes a foundational element of the entire Convention.
Particularly important are the landscape quality objectives—a key concept in landscape policy (for all landscapes, including those deprived of essential value or degraded)—which should respond to the aspirations of people regarding the landscape characteristics of their environment (Article 1c).
The Convention emphasizes the need to establish procedures for public participation (Article 5c) and to consider the specific values attributed by the individuals and populations concerned (Article 6c). For this reason, the first measures to be implemented by signatory countries include awareness-raising, education, and training—not only of experts and technicians but also of the general public.
The European Landscape Convention thus affirms that landscape is a common good—for everyone and belonging to all—placing meaningful emphasis on its democratization and a departure from elitist approaches.
In this light, it becomes crucial to engage with landscape transformation processes (not just those already realized in the past, but also those currently being added artificially). On one hand, these processes reflect a continuous dialectic between humans and nature; on the other, they demand greater respect from those entrusted with stewardship of the landscape.
“In some cases,” the Convention states, “it is necessary to react through preservation methods; in others, to identify the best ways for balanced transformation that respects existing values; and in yet others, it may be necessary to have the courage to design new landscapes to recover degraded places.”
Sharing chosen values is today a fundamental challenge—without which any territorial policy risks losing its effectiveness. This collective ownership must begin with attention to the aspirations of the entire population (as implied by the Convention) and in respect of the diverse roles and responsibilities of decision-makers—who are called upon to define the rules of the game—and of experts and technicians, whose roles are crucial in recognizing the values of various stakeholder categories.
Everyone must have a voice—not only those who shout the loudest—but the broader population, who every day shape and view the landscape as a living environment, a place where they can “feel at home.”
The challenge of participation remains open, alongside the need for awareness-raising and consciousness-building that landscape is a shared common good.
The European Landscape Convention represents a tangible change in ideas and norms. It may serve as a powerful instrument for. The European Landscape Convention is thus a concrete shift in ideas and norms. It can represent an important tool for recognizing the identity of places and for improving the quality of life of the people who live there, providing a new framework for territorial policies and planning.
The invitation is clear: to share responsibility, to view the landscape not only as a scenic background or a mere environmental component, but as a common good, shaped and reshaped every day by the actions, perceptions, and desires of the people. A good that demands care, reflection, and co-participation.
In this context, the challenge for the territory of Vlora is to acknowledge and embrace this European vision:
"A landscape of everyone, a landscape for everyone."
It is a challenge that involves citizens, institutions, professionals, and civil society, in building a new pact for the territory—one that is aware, inclusive, and sustainable.
Author: Luiza Hoxhaj
Place and Date: Tiranë, më 20.04.2010
Published: Tirana Observer, 24.04.2010, Opinion Section, p. 9
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento