Concept of Landscape
- A landscape is defined as:
The character of an area, resulting from the action and interaction of natural and human elements
- A landscape's character will depend on its initial geology, which gives a landscape its relief, which in turn attracts human action/interaction, for example:
- Slate, (a type of resistant rock) found in the mountains of North Wales, attracted people to quarry for roofing material. The area generated over four-fifths of all British slate during the Industrial Revolution
- Very few landscapes are totally natural, as people have usually had some form of impact - planted trees on a mountain for instance
- The UK's landscape is 'dynamic', which means it is constantly changing
- Glaciers once covered the majority of the country
- The sea surrounds the land, making the UK an island with a changing coastline
- Rivers flow across the land from their sources to the seas
Elements of a landscape
- There are 4 'elements' of a landscape:
Natural Physical | Human | Biological | Variable |
Physical features such as mountains or coastlines etc. Water - lakes, rivers, ponds etc. |
Human aspect - farmland or buildings etc. Infrastructure - pylons, fences etc. Landscaped - road verges, gardens etc. |
The living element - trees, grass, animals Habitats - marshlands, hedges etc. |
Temporary - seasonal or weather dependent such as a frozen lake or thunderstorms etc. Weather and cloudscape Smells and sounds etc. |