On March 26, the book Landscapes of the Netherlands: Handbook for the History of Our Living Environment was presented. The book is the result of collaboration between the Knowledge Center Landscape - University of Groningen, Publisher Matrijs, and the Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE). Arjan de Zeeuw (director of knowledge and advice RCE): The book provides the most current knowledge about the structure and history of all our landscapes and is therefore an indispensable guide for anyone interested in our living environment.
Cultural Treasure of the Dutch Landscape
The Dutch landscape is one of the most valuable cultural treasures of our country. From the Drenthe esdorpen landscape to the Zeeland sea clay polder, from Holland peat meadows to Limburg loess plateau: the landscape tells everywhere the richly layered story of dozens of generations of people who have gradually shaped their living environment and left their numerous traces.
Issues of Our Time
Knowledge about the landscape is not only historically interesting but also plays a crucial role in dealing with all important issues of our time, such as climate change, the energy transition, the sustainability of agriculture, and housing challenges.
Seventeen Characteristic Landscapes
The Netherlands is divided into seventeen landscapes in the handbook. The authors show for each of these landscapes which characteristic patterns and elements are present and what fascinating history lies behind them. Fixed elements include the formation of the substrate, the prehistoric landscape, the history of settlement and reclamation, modern landscape development, and the characteristic place and field names in each landscape.
(Online) Maps
The book includes many new, often specially created maps, including a map that shows the distribution of historical landscapes in the Netherlands as they existed until around 1900 in rural areas. Many of these areas still show the typical characteristics of the respective historical landscape to this day. On the other hand, many areas have changed significantly since 1900 due to urbanization, infrastructure construction, and land consolidation.
The map Cultural Landscapes of the Netherlands is also available online. Professionals can also download the map in their own GIS (Geographic Information System) via the National Geo-register.
Availability of the Book
Those who learn to read the Dutch landscape discover an unexpectedly large and valuable treasure. The book Landscapes of the Netherlands is available at Publisher Matrijs.