The rural landscapes of Europe

Urban Emanuelsson is a professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and for many years has been the director of the Swedish Biodiversity Center. He is a plant ecologist specializing in the cultural landscape and issues involving historical ecology. He also works with environmentally sensitive social planning and with international nature stewardship in various regions of the world.

Sheep in Lipova Valley in Montenegro. In early May the sheep graze small patches down in the valley. They are gathered together every night for protection against wolves. In June the sheep are driven up to pasturelands above the valley and guarded by herders.

A Polish landscape southeast of Warsaw, May 2004. Primarily in eastern Poland there remains a field structure that was previously typical of major parts of Europe’s temperate plains.

Botitza in northwestern Rumania. The cultural landscape is ancient, something not in evidence in many other places in Europe today. Hay meadows make up some 90 percent of the lands closest to the village. In 2004 nearly all hay-making in Botitza was done by hand.