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THE STATE OF SCOTLAND'S FARMED ENVIRONMENT 2005

5. LANDSCAPE

INTEREST IN SCOTTISH LANDSCAPE OVER TIME

For over a century, amenity bodies have been actively concerned for the care of Scotland 's landscape. A broader statutory approach had to await the post-war emergence of the Town and Country Planning system. 1967 saw the founding of the former Countryside Commission for Scotland (CCS), with a responsibility for the conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside and its enjoyment. Legislation also placed a duty on all public bodies to have regard to natural beauty and amenity (Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967, sections 1 and 66) (SNH, 2003).

In 1992, CCS and NCCS (Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland ) were dissolved and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) established with the aim to achieve sustainable land management for both landscape and wildlife in areas termed Natural Heritage Areas.

The Government is currently deliberating on whether to ratify the European Landscape Convention (ELC), a Council of Europe initiative. It applies to all landscapes and is thus not just a traditional designation-based approach. Its aim is the promotion of landscape protection, management and planning, with the concerns of people and communities central to its working (Thomson, 2004). Ross Finnie stated in March 2005: "I recently gave my consent to the proposal from UK Ministers that the UK should sign and ratify the European Landscape Convention. The main aims of the convention are compatible with our approach to landscape policy and will bring many advantages for Scotland."

Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) >>