Bridging the gap between landscape theory and planning: The GTP model in a Pyrenees mountain area

The concept of landscape in Europe has moved from a scale analysis towards a holistic concept defined by laws and a European directive. In economically depressed mountain areas, the landscape represents both a resource and an opportunity for development, and the task facing managers of natural parks is not easy. The present study applied a geographic model that interprets landscape holistically using three subsystems (G-T-P): Geosystem or natural environment (G), Territory or socioeconomic environment (T) and Landscape or symbolic perceptions and values (P). We apply this methodology to possible rural development in a Pyrenean valley within a Natural Park. We showed that livestock and crop production activities have a significant role in the forest environment of the valley with no significant landscape impact. Overall, we show that GTP model enables to work within the legal definition of landscape and also identify landscape-friendly development strategies. Further research should focus on the interaction between these subsystems from the managers' perspectives.