Landscape Observatory in Alqueva, Alentejo Region (Portugal). Why It Matters?

Abstract

Landscape Observatories are important for the continuous and systematic observation of landscape, so as to provide information and design guidelines for landscape protection, management and planning. In Portugal, various institutions have recently created landscape observatories. The Alqueva Dam, located in Portugal on the Guadiana River in the Alentejo Region, was built for multiple purposes in 2002. The dam changed the landscape, land use and the way of working and managing the land in a way that must be monitored and evaluated, which underlies the importance of studying the region and assessing its economic, ecological, environmental, socio-cultural and aesthetic domains. A landscape observatory for the Alqueva Region would constitute a fundamental platform for understanding its landscape dynamics in space and time and support public policies and strategies for regional landscape and territorial planning. It must involve central and regional institutions, public and private organizations, the University of Évora and other research centres such as the Alqueva Development Company (EDIA).