The aim of the study course is to enhance students' understanding of landscape as a result of natural and human interaction, regarding the historical one, as well as current processes of landscape management and change in Latvia and Europe. Course tasks: to introduce to the etymology and semantics of landscape concept, landscape science development during the 20th century and the contexts of European Landscape Convention; to introduce to the main processes of landscape formation in relation to natural conditions and man-made spatial structures, as well as land use in Latvia; to discuss landscape change as one of the major topics in landscape research today (path dependency, landscape driving forces); to characterize historical and modern agricultural practices in landscapes; to analyze the nature of Latvia's landscape during various socio-political periods in Latvia, by developing awareness of the relationship between human activity and the landscape’s spatial structures, processes of change in landscape; to learn the basic principles, methods, and techniques of landscape research. The course is taught in Latvian and English.
Results Knowledge 1. explain the multidimensional understanding of the concept of landscape, describe the context of contemporary landscape policies; 2. explain the main spatial relationships between nature and human interaction, the drivers of landscape change; 3. explain the main characteristics of the formation of Latvia’s landscape. Skills 4. debate and discuss individually and in groups landscape formation, change and drivers of change, 5. use GIS to identify spatial structures and changes in landscape, 6. present individually and in groups results of research on the historical and current processes of landscape change. Competence 7. capable of obtaining, selecting and analysing independently the information necessary for the interpretation of landscape, 8. evaluate the character of natural and historical processes in landscape development, as well as the main aspects of today's landscape processes.
