Methodological Issues in the Assessment of Landscape Quality

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of contemporary landscape-quality assessment methods. Several reviews of the pertinent literature are available (Arthur, Daniel, & Boster, 1977; Brush, 1976; Fabos, 1971; Feimer, 1983; Palmer, 1981; Redding, 1973; Wohlwill, 1976). However, research and application in landscape assessment is a very active field and new issues and methods appear frequently. Furthermore, the field has matured to a point where several different underlying conceptual models can be identified as a means for organizing and evaluating the growing number of specific methods and techniques.