Landscape Indicators Bridging Nature and Man – Structure, Function and Value of an Agricultural Landscape

Rural history and implementing agri-policy are mirrored in an agricultural landscape. No doubt, the basic structure and composition of agricultural landscape depends on local climatic and natural conditions. There is a close connection between agricultural landscape management and biodiversity management at the gene, species and habitat level. The purpose of this paper is to present four ways to measure agricultural landscapes according to OECD landscape work and its definition of agricultural landscape context divided into themes of agricultural landscape structure, function and value. However, the main emphasis has been laid here on the Finnish agricultural landscape scale. It is proposed here that the structure of agricultural landscape is measured based on ecological value assessment and especially on the edge lengths of ditch boundaries that are located closest fields. Field margins are suggested to be of great importance to maintaining species diversity in the ordinary agricultural landscapes. Secondly, the functionality of agricultural landscape can be assessed considering the amount of open and managed cultivated areas. Maintaining the openness of agricultural landscapes is one of the targets of the Finnish Agri-Environmental Programme and also cultivating according to good local agricultural practices. In addition landscape values are becoming more and more important. Agricultural landscapes are places for food and fibre production but also areas for recreation and gaining rural experiences and other public commodities; amenity values of landscapes. It is proposed that they are measured by analysing the utilisation rate of rural farm tourism accommodation and by numbers of building permits in rural areas.