Introduction to Part III

Abstract

The nature and landscape qualities of our future rural environment will be the result of various present-day developments in society as well as in nature itself. In densely populated parts of Europe, increasing urbanization and the associated needs of infrastructure have been threatening the natural values of landscapes for a long time. Reductions in the total area of agricultural land, due to increasing agricultural production surpluses in the European Union and environmental problems, will in the near future change some of the more vulnerable cultural landscapes. Recent political issues, such as sustainable exploitation of natural resources and biodiversity, will enhance the opportunities for the future expansion of natural areas to ecological networks. And, global climatic change accompanied by a rise in sea level will, in the long run, lead to changing patterns in natural processes and land use. The outcome of these different developments is, however, uncertain. Therefore, scenario studies incorporating nature development and landscape quality aspects are useful tools for policy makers in the decision making process.