A digitised Mini-Landscape created at Bellever Forest, Dartmoor.
Mapping Landscape Values (MLVs) is a value based data visualisation service. It supports the provision of agricultural perceptual data.
The need to gather, present and store value based data; this presents a challenge for landowners within the agricultural sector as there are very few tools that assist with gathering value based data.
Designer and artist Dominica Williamson from Ecogeographer joined up with cartographer Shaun Lewin over a period of 8 weeks to create a prototype project which demonstrated unique visual measurable value based data. The aims of the project were to:
1. Make a permanent record of perceptual data previously gathered from participants (through a project called Mini-Landscapes). Covid-19 has increased the number of people wanting to use green spaces, however, their knowledge of such areas is limited which often causes problems for landowners and caretakers of land. Understanding how people value these spaces can help landowners manage these problems. Government landscape monitoring targets and ELMS has increased the need for perceptual workshops with geographer Dr. John Martin.
2. Carry out dominant colour analysis and landscape scale visibility analysis as perceived by participants.
3. Present the outcomes as a prototype in order to co-develop it with relevant stakeholders.
The outcome is that novel measurable perceptual data can now be compared to previously collected textual and spoken perceptual data. In the long run, combinations of these data sources can contribute to the forming of a perceptual indicator to help monitor landscape and steer value based input into ELMS applications. In the short term, Ecogeographer can work to test the prototype in connection to ELMS trials in Cornwall and connected landscape projects and activities such as “RURITAGE” and “landscape of landscape monitoring” with Dr. John Martin. A webzine and research paper will fully document results.
Mapping Landscape Values received a Grant from the Agritech Cornwall Innovation Scheme, part of the ERDF’s European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. This part funded costs towards specialist research to convert, store and analyse novel perceptual landscape data collected from the general public with the purpose of developing it within the agricultural sector.
