1 LANDSCAPES THE CONCEPT OF LANDSCAPE When do you think it is necessary to modify a landscape? Cultural Landscapes Video posted by European Landowners Organization - ELO Netherlands comes from nether ( lower ) + lands, the country being very low-lying, with a great part below sea level. What is a landscape? A landscape is part of the Earth s surface that can be seen at one time from one place. It consists of the geographic features that are characteristic of a particular area. The term comes from the Dutch word landschap, the name given to paintings of the countryside in the 16th century. Geographers have borrowed the word from artists. Natural and cultural landscapes A natural landscape is made up of different landforms, such as mountains, hills, plains and highlands, lakes, streams, soils, and natural vegetation. ONLINE RESOURCES Transforming the landscape: Freshkills Park, NYC to affect: influenzare cactus-dotted: punteggiato di cactus cattle: bestiame dam: diga deciduous: caducifoglio ditch: fossato hilly: collinoso neighbourhood: circondario to pump out: estrarre con una pompa sandy: sabbioso reclamation: bonifica, recupero 58 1300 Land reclamation in the Netherlands 1900-2000 BIO AND MAN-MADE CONSTRUCTIONS The Mojave Desert A desert landscape, for instance, usually indicates sandy soil and few deciduous trees, but even desert landscapes can vary: the hilly sand dunes of the Sahara Desert landscape are very different from the cactus-dotted landscape of the Mojave Desert of the American Southwest, for instance. A landscape that people have modified is called a cultural landscape . People and the plants they grow, the animals they care for, and the structures they build make it up. Cultural landscapes can be as different as a vast cattle ranch in Argentina or the urban landscape of Tokyo, Japan. Human impact on landscape The growth of technology has increased our ability to change a natural landscape. An example of human impact on landscape can be seen along the coastline of the Netherlands . Water from the North Sea was pumped out of certain areas, revealing the fertile soil below. Ditches and dams were built to keep water from these areas, now used for farming and other purposes. By studying natural and cultural landscapes, geographers learn how peoples activities affect the land. Their studies may suggest ways that will help us protect the delicate balance of Earth s ecosystems.