Visual Landscape Quality Research Articles

Fusion of Hyperspectral and LiDAR Data for Landscape Visual Quality Assessment

Landscape visual quality is an important factor associated with daily experiences and influences our quality of life. In this work, the authors present a method of fusing airborne hyperspectral and mapping light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data for landscape visual quality assessment. From the fused hyperspectral and LiDAR data, classification and depth images at any location can be obtained, enabling physical features such as land-cover properties and openness to be quantified. The relationship between physical features and human landscape preferences is learned using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. The proposed method is applied to the hyperspectral and LiDAR datasets provided for the 2013 IEEE GRSS Data Fusion Contest. The results showed that the proposed method successfully learned a human perception model that enables the prediction of landscape visual quality at any viewpoint for a given demographic used for training. This work is expected to contribute to automatic landscape assessment and optimal spatial planning using remote sensing data.

Consensus in landscape preference judgments: The effects of landscape visual aesthetic quality and respondents' characteristics

Landscape's visual aesthetic quality (VAQ) has been widely regarded as a valuable resource worthy of protection. Although great effort has been devoted to determining the factors driving aesthetic preferences, public consensus in judgments has been neglected in the vast majority of such studies. Therefore, the aim of our study was to analyze three main possible sources of judgment variance: landscape VAQ, landscape type, and variability among respondents. Based upon an extensive perception-based investigation including more than 400 hikers as respondents, we found that variance in respondents' judgments differed significantly among assessed landscape scenes. We discovered a significant difference in judgment variances within each investigated respondent characteristic (gender, age, education level, occupational classification, and respondent's type of residence). Judgment variance was at the same time affected by landscape VAQ itself – the higher the VAQ, the better the consensus. While differences caused by characteristics indicate subjectivity of aesthetic values, the knowledge that people better find consensus for positively perceived landscapes provides a cogent argument for legal protection of valuable landscape scenes.

Assessment of visual landscape quality using IKONOS imagery

The assessment of visual landscape quality is of importance to the management of urban woodlands. Satellite remote sensing may be used for this purpose as a substitute for traditional survey techniques that are both labour-intensive and time-consuming. This study examines the association between the quality of the perceived visual landscape in urban woodlands and texture measures extracted from IKONOS satellite data, which features 4-m spatial resolution and four spectral bands. The study was conducted in the woodlands of Istanbul (the most important element of urban mosaic) lying along both shores of the Bosporus Strait. The visual quality assessment applied in this study is based on the perceptual approach and was performed via a survey of expressed preferences. For this purpose, representative photographs of real scenery were used to elicit observers' preferences. A slide show comprising 33 images was presented to a group of 153 volunteers (all undergraduate students), and they were asked to rate the visual quality of each on a 10-point scale (1 for very low visual quality, 10 for very high). Average visual quality scores were calculated for landscape. Texture measures were acquired using the two methods: pixel-based and object-based. Pixel-based texture measures were extracted from the first principle component (PC1) image. Object-based texture measures were extracted by using the original four bands. The association between image texture measures and perceived visual landscape quality was tested via Pearson's correlation coefficient. The analysis found a strong linear association between image texture measures and visual quality. The highest correlation coefficient was calculated between standard deviation of gray levels (SDGL) (one of the pixel-based texture measures) and visual quality (r = 0.82, P < 0.05). The results showed that perceived visual quality of urban woodland landscapes can be estimated by using texture measures extracted from satellite data in combination with appropriate modelling techniques.

Visual quality: An examination of a South American Mediterranean landscape, Andean foothills east of Santiago (Chile)

This study assessed landscape visual quality in a sector of Andean foothills, east of Santiago, Chile. Sample photographs were taken in four dominant native landscape types that were systematically selected on the basis of four categories of vegetation density. Visitors (n=180) were randomly sampled from among the residents of Santiago. The results showed that native vegetation has a positive impact on visual quality. Sclerophyllous shrublands and ravines (associated with semi-arid forests) are rated higher than savannahs of “espinales” and shrublands with succulent plants (associated with semi-arid grassland with shrubs). Findings also indicate that landscape scenes with high-vegetation density have a positive effect on visual quality, while those with a low density have a negative one. The key is the amount of visual access, which also increases people's perceptions of safety and orientation. Finally, results showed that information variables are associated with people's visual appreciation. Two preference factors were found to be consistent with the model of spatial information of Kaplan and Kaplan (1989). The implications of the results for the enhancement of public consensus in the planning and management of the Andean foothills, east of Santiago, are also discussed.

Analysing the provision of agricultural public goods: The case of irrigated olive groves in Southern Spain

Analysis of the joint production of private and public goods (PGs) by farming activities is a fertile research field. These joint production processes are typically characterised by a high level of complexity derived from the intense relationship between the production of both kinds of outputs. An integrated approach is strongly recommended for the study of the provision of agricultural PGs and the design of public intervention in this sector. Here, we propose a theoretical framework to apply an integrated approach using the analytic network process (ANP) to analyse the production of PGs by agricultural systems to support public decision-making concerning the design and implementation of agricultural policies. We introduce a novel approach in applying ANP along both directions of the influences among elements, allowing us to identify the most influenced PGs and the farmers’ most influential decisions. This methodological approach is empirically applied to a particular farming system: the irrigated olive groves (IOG) of Southern Spain. Results show that the PGs most influenced by olive growers’ decisions are soil fertility, the visual quality of agricultural landscapes and farmland biodiversity. In addition, the most influential factors affecting the provision of PGs are the structural ones, namely farm size and tree density, and, to a lesser extent, management factors dealing with fertilisation, soil and irrigation management. These results are useful for supporting agricultural policy decision-making to enhance adequate management of this farming system regarding PGs production.

Aesthetics and Safety of Road Landscape: are they Related?

The problem of unsafe roads is very actual in Lithuania. The solution of the problem is usually found in construction of road equipment. The paper covers another solution: the authors analyze road safety through aesthetic features of landscape. The identification of relations between safety and landscape aesthetic features will enable us to enhance safety by modeling road landscape. This untypical approach would lead to both achievements: decrease of road traffic accidents and increase of visual quality of road landscape. The correlation analysis enabled us to identify weak relations between the quantity of car accidents and some aesthetic properties of road landscape. Regression analysis revealed the factors described by aesthetic properties which influence the quantity of car accidents on Lithuanian roads.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.sace.1.1.2613

Mapping Rural Areas with Widespread Plastic Covered Vineyards Using True Color Aerial Data

Plastic covering is used worldwide to protect crops against damaging growing conditions. This agricultural practice raises some controversial issues. While it significantly impacts on local economic vitality, plasticulture also shows several environmental affects. In the Apulia Region (Italy) the wide-spreading of artificial plastic coverings for vineyard protection has showed negative consequences on the hydrogeological balance of soils as well as on the visual quality of rural landscape. In order to monitor and manage this phenomenon, a detailed site mapping has become essential. In this study an efficient object-based classification procedure from Very High Spatial Resolution (VHSR) true color aerial data was developed on eight test areas located in the Ionian area of the Apulia Region in order to support the updating of the existing land use database aimed at plastic covered vineyard monitoring.

Using GIS in the Assessment of Landscape visual quality: a Methodological Approach Applied to Piatra Neamt, Romania

This study demonstrates the feasibility of using GIS in the assessment of landscape visual quality. Based on the digital elevation model achieved by processing the 1:5000 scale topographic plans, Viewshed analysis application was performed for 5 observation points of the territory, which were selected by objective criteria. We tried to quantify the landscape values of Piatra Neamt administrative territory through an objective analysis of the reality on the ground reflected from the observation points, taking into consideration also the human perception regarding these aspects (a hardly accepted domain by the scientific community). The analysis can lead to precise values of the landscape, yet the only element more difficult to quantify remains human perception. The application was possible starting from the mathematical interpretation of the landscape proposed by Neuray G. in 1987, but a great importance in achieving the expected results is held by the specific GIS techniques mentioned above. The main purpose is to highlight the landscape potential of the area of study, noting that this analysis can be applied to any other area.

During the sustainable physical planning processes, the visual landscape quality of Turkish provinces (Ağrı and Iğdır)

In Turkey, landscape planning has no legal status within the physical planning processes. Landscape planning approaches were used in some environment plans, long-term national park development plans, and sectoral plans like Wetland Management plans. Works on the assessment of visual landscape quality (VLQ) are required for both landscape planning and the determination of landscape quality following the European Landscape Convention. In this study , maps of visual landscape quality were produced at sub-regional scale by using visual resource management model by using geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) data. Within the scope of preparation of the environment plan at a scale of 1/100000 in the area of study, some suggestions were put forward on strengthening the protection status of the areas with very high visual landscape quality by using visual landscape quality classes, and making some uses available for the areas with low visual landscape quality. In conclusion, the importance of landscape planning studies for natural resource management and physical planning was emphasized. Key words: Landscape assessment, land use, visual quality, Turkey, environmental plans.

Value of Nature in Life: Landscape Visual Quality Assessment at Rainforest Trail, Penang

Interest in recreational activities such as visiting the trail, observe nature and meditation has increased in the Rainforest Trail of Penang Botanical Garden recently. Previous research found that the landscape visual quality is the main reason why people visit the place. A survey was undertaken on visitors to the Rainforest Trail for this purpose. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, correlations and significant differences tests. This study found that the man-made landscape can be considered contrary to the intended natural characteristic of the Rainforest Trail even despite, attempts to blend in the man made changes with original natural appearance.

Visual preferences for wind turbines: Location, numbers and respondent characteristics

There is a dichotomy in the view of wind farms among members of the public: on one hand, there is a desire for renewable energy sources, and on the other hand, there is a major concern about the visual impact of wind turbines used for power production. This concern for visual impact is a major factor in the reaction of the public to the development of new wind farms. Our study aims to objectify this influence and to establish the factors that determine how people evaluate these structures. We tested the visual quality of landscapes in which these structures are to be placed, the number of structures and their distance from the viewer, and various characteristics of our respondents. We found that the physical attributes of the landscape and wind turbines influenced the respondents’ reactions far more than socio-demographic and attitudinal factors. One of the most important results of our study is the sensitivity of respondents to the placement of wind turbines in landscapes of high aesthetic quality, and, on the other hand, a relatively high level of acceptance of these structures in unattractive landscapes. Wind turbines also receive better acceptance if the number of turbines in a landscape is limited, and if the structures are kept away from observation points, such as settlements, transportation infrastructure and viewpoints. The most important characteristic of the respondents that influenced their evaluation was their attitude to wind power. On the basis of these results, recommendations are presented for placing wind turbines and for protecting the character of the landscape within the planning and policy making processes.

Exploring public preferences for traditional farming landscapes

Given that an increasing share of budgetary resources are now being spent on measures aimed at protecting the visual quality of agricultural landscapes it will be important to better understand individuals’ landscape preferences and the factors that influence those preferences. Within this context, using a nationally representive survey of Irish residents, the central aim of this study was to gain more insight into people's preferences regarding traditional farming landscapes. Individuals rated agricultural landscapes in terms of beauty quite highly but given a choice prefer traditional more extensive farming landscapes over more modern intensive farming landscapes. Moreover, the results suggest that there are systematic differences in preferences for traditional farm landscapes between different demographic groupings and also depending on individuals’ environmental value orientations. Accordingly, in studying preferences for agricultural landscapes in particular areas it will be necessary to consider the social and demographic characteristics of the population as well as the physical aspects of the landscape.

Análisis de la demanda de bienes y servicios no comerciales procedentes de la actividad agraria: El caso del olivar de montaña andaluz

Agricultural multifunctionality is the recognition of the joint exercise of economic, environmental and social functions by this sector. In order to make this concept operative for the design of public policies, it is necessary to estimate the social demand for such functions. The main objective of this article is to present an empirical application in this line. For this purpose we have taken the agricultural system of mountain olive groves in Andalusia (Southern Spain) at risk of abandonment after the decoupling of the EU subsidies as a case study. The economic valuation technique used is the Choice Experiment. According to the results, there is a different contribution of each attribute to the improvement of the Society level of utility. Thus, and taking into account its WTP for each attribute, keeping rural population in their villages and fighting soil erosion seem to be the most valued functions by Andalusian citizens. It follows the improvement of the visual quality of the rural landscapes and the reduction of food residuals. Finally, although the results suggest a significant demand for the different functions, this demand is heterogeneous, depending on the socio-economic characteristics of the individuals.

Visual preferences for physical attributes of mining and post-mining landscapes with respect to the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents

Our study presents a method for assessing the visual quality of post-mining landscapes, empowering the residents of these areas, or a wider range of experts, to take part in the design of new landscapes. The goal of this study was to evaluate respondents’ visual perception of selected relevant physical attributes of mining and post-mining landscapes and to determine the influence of certain sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents on their visual preferences. Based on a spatial image analysis of ground photographs of landscapes included in a questionnaire determining the respondents’ visual preferences, we found that active, non-reclaimed mines contributed fundamentally to a negative evaluation of whole landscape scenes. Built-up areas, another form of human impact on the landscape, did not significantly lower the respondents’ ratings for the scenes. The study confirmed a major positive influence of reclamations in post-mining areas, including those in early successional stages. This effect was increased in reclamations containing mature woody communities. The most important sociodemographic factor proved to be the professional field or study focus of the respondents, which significantly influenced their evaluation of most of the selected physical attributes of the landscape. Visual preferences were also significantly affected by the respondents’ gender and education.

Visual landscape quality in landscape planning: examples of Kars and Ardahan cities in Turkey.

Together with European landscape convention, it is required that studies related to landscape planning should be integrated with the sectors such as department of urban and regional planning, industry, agriculture and forestry. Visual landscape analysis has an important position in landscape planning. In this study, it is aimed that a method for visual landscape quality which is one of the researches of landscape analysis is developed in a physical planning workout that is to be carried out in Kars and Ardahan. The data that is to represent the seven factors are: Landform, vegetation, water, color, influence of adjacent scenery, scarcity, cultural modifications, in practicing the visual source management method has been constructed in the environment of geographical information systems by making use of the databases of Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Corine land cover. The accuracy of visual landscape quality maps has been proved by practicing the method in site conditions and in twenty three different points. This situation proves that the method can safely be practiced in the studies such as sub-regional scales, planning and strategic environmental assessment. Key words: Ardahan, Kars, landscape planning, visual quality.

Determining visual beauties of natural waterscapes: A case study for Tortum Valley (Erzurum/Turkey)

Water is one of the most important landscape element of urban and rural ecosystem. Water included in natural and cultural elements of the landscape, attracts and bewitches humans together with meeting their basic needs. The purpose of this study is to reveal the visual quality of diverse water landscapes in a valley by displaying different water forms. In this study, visual quality assessment method was used and six waterscapes were assessed by 120 University Students were included in a visual quality survey. As researches demonstrates, in Tortum Valley (an important waterscape diversity) the most preferred waterscape is Waterfall Scenery 5 (WS5 VQP Mean = 6.5333) (Mean is the mean of visual quality points of scene). It is respectively followed by Lake Scenery 2 (LS2 VQP Mean = 6.1000), Mountain Lakes Scenery 3 (MLS3 VQP Mean = 5.6583), Landslide Lakes Scenery 5 (LLS5 VQP Mean = 5.083) and River Scenery 2 (RS2 VQP Mean = 4.8500). In line with the relationship between landscape parameters and visual quality of waterscapes, it is seen that parameters of fascinaty, being interesting and vividness have highly significant effect upon preference. It is also determined that all waterscapes in the valley have very important visual value. Some suggestions were made regarding the use of waterscapes’ visual value for landscape planning and designing in the valley and protection of waterscape diversity. Key words: Visual quality assessment, valley waterscapes, waterscape diversity, Tortum, Turkey.

Determination of waterscape beauties through visual quality assessment method

Besides being an indispensable life element, water is also in the first rows among the most important landscape elements that have the visual reserve value in both natural and cultural environments. In this study, the aim was to present suggestions about the use of waterscapes in landscape design and planning attempts by determining the water types bearing high visual reserve values among different types of waterscapes bearing high visual reserve values. The visual quality assessment method was used in this study. One hundred and twenty eight university students ranked the six waterscapes in a visual quality survey. The results showed that urban waterscape scenery [visual quality point (VQP) = 6.0391], was the most preferred category, whereas, river scenery (VQP = 3.5547) was the least preferred. The second preferred waterscape was waterfall (in rural landscape) scenery (VQP = 5.8594) and the third was standing water scenery (SWS; VQP = 5.3672). The relationships between landscape parameters and visual quality of landscape indicated that vividness and fascinaty parameters had a significant relation with preference. Some suggestions were made regarding the use of wa terscapes visual value in planning and designing of the landscape.

Determination of landscape beauties through visual quality assessment method: a case study for Kemaliye (Erzincan/Turkey)

Kemaliye (Erzincan/Turkey) is the member of European Association of Historic Towns and Regions. The aim of this study was to reveal the visual richness of the town; to identify the relationship between landscape spatial pattern and visual quality of the landscape and to offer some suggestions for the future planning in regarding to these visual beauties. The visual quality assessment method was used in this study. The results of the study revealed three landscape types that have the highest visual quality. Among those, the highest one is urban scenery 3 (US3; VQP = 5.9400), the second is geological structure scenery 5 (GSS 5; VQP = 5.9200) and the third natural scenery 3 (NS3; VQP = 5.9133). Visual quality assessment showed that urban pattern, geological structure and natural resources of the region also have visual value. The relationships between landscape spatial pattern and visual quality of landscape indicated that certain characteristics of landscape affected the quality. For instance, as the texture level decreased in natural landscapes and as the green areas increased in geological structure, visual preferences ratio increased. Some suggestions were also made regarding the visual resources use in the region.

Assessing the Visual Quality of Rural and Urban-fringed Landscapes surrounding Livestock Farms

This study concentrated on main concerns and preferences relating to the visual quality of rural and urban-fringed landscapes together with livestock farms and their surroundings, and assessed negative or positive effects of existing natural and cultural features on the landscape in visual context. The study area covered seven rural or urban-fringed districts of İzmir province, situated in the western end of Turkey. A panel of 30 viewers was asked to evaluate a total of 116 min of footage. This comprised viewing 58 min of video and a 58 min evaluation of 58 slides of 250 images. The selection represented a myriad of rural and urban-fringed landscapes and livestock farms with their surroundings across the province. The study clearly identified that rural landscapes were relatively rated with higher scores than urban edge landscapes. Natural features provided positive effects on the visual quality of landscapes whereas some cultural features sharply decreased. Rural landscapes in some districts achieved relatively the highest degree of visual quality but farms and their environs remained of poor quality. In contrast, the gap between landscapes and farms in some others which are completely under heavy pressure from densities of settlements, increasing urban and industrial sprawl besides poor visual quality and insufficient construction techniques of farms. However, modern and well-managed farms enhance visual appeal of landscapes as well. As a conclusion, livestock farms usually did not adapt or correspond well visually with landscapes. To compete with this challenge, land should be allocated provisionally for new livestock farms in rural landscapes without charging for environmental problems or visual intrusions, managed visual adjustment between existing farms and their environs, and surfaced detrimental effects of natural and cultural landscape features explicitly.

Relationships between visual landscape preferences and map-based indicators of landscape structure

There is increasing awareness of the need to monitor trends in our constantly changing agricultural landscapes. Monitoring programmes often use remote sensing data and focus on changes in land cover/land use in relation to values such as biodiversity, cultural heritage and recreation. Although a wide range of indicators is in use, landscape aesthetics is a topic that is frequently neglected. Our aim was to determine whether aspects of landscape content and configuration could be used as surrogate measures for visual landscape quality in monitoring programmes based on remote sensing. In this paper, we test whether map-derived indicators of landscape structure from the Norwegian monitoring programme for agricultural landscapes are correlated with visual landscape preferences. Two groups of people participated: (1) locals and (2) non-local students. Using the total dataset, we found significant positive correlations between preferences and spatial metrics, including number of land types, number of patches and land type diversity. In addition, preference scores were high where water was present within the mapped image area, even if the water itself was not visible in the images. When the dataset was split into two groups, we found no significant correlation between the preference scores of the students and locals. Whilst the student group preferred images portraying diverse and heterogeneous landscapes, neither diversity nor heterogeneity was correlated with the preference scores of the locals. We conclude that certain indicators based on spatial structure also have relevance in relation to landscape preferences in agricultural landscapes. However, the finding that different groups of people prefer different types of landscape underlines the need for care when interpreting indicator values.