Tijdschrift voor Historische Geografie - Volume 11, Issue 1, 2026

25 years Council for Europe’s European Landscape Convention and how do we proceed with this?

Last year, the Council for Europe’s European Landscape Convention celebrated its 25th anniversary. In this article we highlight the achievements and describe the renewal this convention has undergone as a result of the Reykjavik Declaration. We then analyze how the principles of this convention are reflected in the National Spatial Planning Memorandum presented this autumn, which offers a glimpse into how we intend to integrate major spatial issues into the landscape. The Memorandum also marks the return of landscape policy in the national spatial planning of the Netherlands.

Retrogressive approach to landscape research

In the Netherlands, the retrogressive approach to landscape research, as described by Vervloet, involves analyzing landscapes from a more recent or present situation back into the past. This approach contrasts with the retrospective method, which moves from the past towards the present. Retrogressive research focuses on studying physical relics and landscape elements identified in historical documents, maps and stories, rather than examining the present landscape itself. The method is particularly relevant for historical geographers, aiming to trace the evolution of cultural landscapes over time. Despite its historical significance, retrogressive research has been overshadowed by the rise of more interdisciplinary methods, such as landscape biography, which integrates archaeology, geography and cultural heritage studies. The retrogressive method has also been criticized for its reliance on incomplete or inaccurate sources and the difficulty of interpreting older periods with scarce documentation. However, it remains vital in reconstructing historical landscapes, especially when direct written evidence is scarce. This makes the retrogressive method certainly also important for the landscape biographical approach.

Recent research into the villages of Lith and Lithoijen using this method has revealed detailed landscape changes from the late medieval period onward, demonstrating its value in uncovering previously unknown developments in land use, infrastructure, and settlement patterns. The study highlights the potential for digital tools to enhance and expand retrogressive research in the future.