Research into Rural Landscape Planning and Design

Rural landscapes are dynamic socio-ecological systems shaped by agricultural transformation, urban expansion, climate change, natural resource management, and cultural processes. Their planning and design require integrated perspectives that consider environmental sustainability, land-use dynamics, landscape resilience, and the conservation of natural and cultural values. Research into Rural Landscape Planning and Design brings together interdisciplinary perspectives on the planning, management, conservation, and transformation of rural and rural–urban landscapes. The chapters address a broad range of themes, including sustainable land use, agricultural policies, agroecology, peri-urban transitions, climate resilience, green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, forestry governance, cultural heritage conservation, and the reclamation of degraded landscapes. A central theme of the volume is the relationship between landscape transformation and environmental resilience.

Although the chapters differ in their research focus and analytical approaches, they share a common concern with the processes that shape landscapes and the challenges involved in managing them sustainably. Their collective value lies in bringing environmental, spatial, historical, institutional, and design-oriented perspectives into dialogue, thereby encouraging a broader understanding of rural landscapes and their connections with surrounding territories. This volume is intended for researchers, academics, postgraduate students, landscape architects, urban and regional planners, geographers, environmental scientists, and policymakers working in landscape planning, rural development, climate adaptation, agricultural systems, forestry, and heritage conservation.