Hans Renes
Utrecht University, Human Geography and Planning, Department Member
- Historical Geography, Heritage Studies, Landscape History, Historical Geography of Europe, Landscape History And Conservation, Medieval Archaeology, and 35 moreMedieval rural settlement, Historical Archaeology, Landscape and Land-use-history, Landscape Archaeology, Environmental History, Early Medieval And Medieval Settlement (Archaeology), Early Medieval Archaeology, Rural History, Landscape, Cultural Heritage, Cultural Landscapes, Landscape History, Settlement Patterns, Cultuurhistorisch Landschap, Pastoralism (Archaeology), Historical Ecology, Settlement archaeology, Cultural Historical Geography, Rural Archaeology, Dutch archaeology, Post-Medieval Archaeology, Agricultural landscapes, Cultural Heritage Management, Historical Landscape, Rural Settlement, Cultural Heritage Conservation, Archéogeographie, Landscapes in prehistory, Roman rural settlements, Water History, Historische Geografie, Archaeogeography, Conflict Archaeology, Historical maps, and Toponymyedit
Graaf, A. de, G.J. Hospers, M. Péro, H. Renes, E. Stegmeijer & F. Strolenberg (P.P. Witsen, ed.) (2014). Attract and connect; population decline and [the] heritage in Europe, with practical examples from Germany, the UK, France and the... more
Graaf, A. de, G.J. Hospers, M. Péro, H. Renes, E. Stegmeijer & F. Strolenberg (P.P. Witsen, ed.) (2014). Attract and connect; population decline and [the] heritage in Europe, with practical examples from Germany, the UK, France and the Netherlands. Cultural Heritage Agency, Amersfoort [Webpublicatione]. Avec Résumé en français.
Danner, H.S., J. Renes, B. Toussaint, G.P. van de Ven & F.D. Zeiler (eds.). Polder pioneers; the influence of Dutch engineers on water management in Europe, 1600-2000. Royal Dutch Geographical Society/Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht... more
Danner, H.S., J. Renes, B. Toussaint, G.P. van de Ven & F.D. Zeiler (eds.). Polder pioneers; the influence of Dutch engineers on water management in Europe, 1600-2000. Royal Dutch Geographical Society/Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht (Netherlands Geographical Studies 338).
Gorp, B. van, M. Hoff & J. Renes (eds) (2003). Dutch windows; cultural geographical essays on the Netherlands. Faculteit Ruimtelijke Wetenschappen, Utrecht
Climate change poses worldwide challenges, perhaps most in coastal areas. Governments on different scales respond with planning and policy measures, many with drastic impact. In this paper we assess the role of cultural heritage in... more
Climate change poses worldwide challenges, perhaps most in coastal areas. Governments on different scales respond with planning and policy measures, many with drastic impact. In this paper we assess the role of cultural heritage in planning for climate change on the former island Goeree-Overflakkee in the Netherlands. We do so by exploring the theoretical discourse on the nexus of climate change and heritage discourses and relating these to an analysis of mitigation and adaptation measures on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee in the Dutch river delta. It appears that the scale and political urgency of climate change induces involvement of many different governments, resulting in an inconsistent integration of cultural heritage in these plans and policies. These outcomes demonstrate that in order to integrate heritage in climate adaptation and mitigation planning, governments cannot rely on established planning traditions for other spatial challenges.
ABSTRACT Many former ports have been transformed into consumption spaces for the experience economy or into attractive environments for the creative class. In Europe and North America, port heritage has been a major asset in these... more
ABSTRACT
Many former ports have been transformed into consumption spaces for the experience economy or into attractive environments for the creative class. In Europe and North America, port heritage has been a major asset in these processes, adding reusable buildings as well as narratives to these new developments. In Asia, similar processes are taking place, but have attracted less attention. This paper looks at heritage conservation in four Asian port cities: Macao, Hong Kong, Qingdao and Taipei. These cities share a colonial past and cultural background, but nowadays operate in different political-administrative systems and economic contexts, offering interesting opportunities for comparison.
Conservation of port heritage is challenging as port buildings may lack architectural value, or prove hard to reuse for their size, lay out, or location. The limited access to port areas in the past may mean the public has little knowledge of, or connection with, this heritage. The main challenge for conservation is to move beyond a mere facelift of the waterfront and to preserve a coherent port landscape that tells the story of the port and its relation to the development of the city. Such an integral vision is hampered [1] by poor communication and cooperation between different government levels and agencies, [2] by different agendas of stakeholders and conservationists and [3] because public participation, although often mentioned, proves hard to establish in practice.
https://portusplus.org/index.php/pp/article/view/187
Many former ports have been transformed into consumption spaces for the experience economy or into attractive environments for the creative class. In Europe and North America, port heritage has been a major asset in these processes, adding reusable buildings as well as narratives to these new developments. In Asia, similar processes are taking place, but have attracted less attention. This paper looks at heritage conservation in four Asian port cities: Macao, Hong Kong, Qingdao and Taipei. These cities share a colonial past and cultural background, but nowadays operate in different political-administrative systems and economic contexts, offering interesting opportunities for comparison.
Conservation of port heritage is challenging as port buildings may lack architectural value, or prove hard to reuse for their size, lay out, or location. The limited access to port areas in the past may mean the public has little knowledge of, or connection with, this heritage. The main challenge for conservation is to move beyond a mere facelift of the waterfront and to preserve a coherent port landscape that tells the story of the port and its relation to the development of the city. Such an integral vision is hampered [1] by poor communication and cooperation between different government levels and agencies, [2] by different agendas of stakeholders and conservationists and [3] because public participation, although often mentioned, proves hard to establish in practice.
https://portusplus.org/index.php/pp/article/view/187
Research Interests:
Hay-making structures are part of the agricultural landscape of meadows and pastures. Hay meadows are still used and found all over Europe, but their distribution patterns as well as their characteristics and regional features depend on... more
Hay-making structures are part of the agricultural landscape of meadows and pastures. Hay meadows are still used and found all over Europe, but their distribution patterns as well as their characteristics and regional features depend on geographical area, climate, culture, and intensity of agriculture. Intensively used hay meadows are the most dominant, using heavy machinery to store hay mostly as rounded or square bales. Traditional hay-making structures Sustainability 2019, 11, 5581 2 of 19 represent structures or constructions, used to quickly dry freshly cut fodder and to protect it from humidity. The 'ancient' forms of traditional hay-making structures are becoming a relic, due to mechanisation and the use of new technologies. Both the need for drying hay and the traditional methods for doing so were similar across Europe. Our study of hay-making structures focuses on their current state, their development and history, current use and cultural values in various European countries. Regarding the construction and use of hay-making structures, we have distinguished three different types, which correlate to natural and regional conditions: (1) temporary hay racks of various shapes; (2) hay barracks, a special type of shelters for storing hay and (3) different types of permanent construction and buildings for drying and storing hay. Hay-making structures have been mostly preserved in connection with traditional agricultural landscapes, and particularly in the more remote regions or where associated with strong cultural identity.
Kolen, J., H. Renes & K. Bosma (2018). The landscape biography approach to landscape characterisation; Dutch perspectives.
The Wadden Sea region is a typical example of what is often called a 'maritime cultural landscape', a landscape that is shaped by the forces of nature and culture and also a landscape in which the livelihood of the population is built on... more
The Wadden Sea region is a typical example of what is often called a 'maritime cultural landscape', a landscape that is shaped by the forces of nature and culture and also a landscape in which the livelihood of the population is built on the use of resources from the land as well as from the sea. The author looks at the complex relation between nature and society in the Wadden Sea region in the past as well as in the present. For the sustainable management of this region, an integrated approach combining developments in nature and society is necessary. The artificial border between nature and culture introduced by some ecologists and authorities (the most notorious example being the inscription of the Wadden Sea as a World Heritage Site) is a source of conflict and complicates an integral management of the Wadden Sea region. The author is convinced that the Wadden Sea should be seen as a cultural landscape.
Heritage has become a major theme in Dutch spatial planning. A number of recent Dutch urban extension projects offer interesting case studies on the integration of heritage into planning. The projects were part of a large housing... more
Heritage has become a major theme in Dutch spatial planning. A number of recent Dutch urban extension projects offer interesting case studies on the integration of heritage into planning. The projects were part of a large housing programme, known as the Vinex programme, which was initiated by the Dutch national government but executed by local authorities. They therefore provide interesting cases for comparison. This paper presents a number of these projects, focusing on the use of heritage, which allows us to classify different ways of incorporating heritage into plans: integration, embeddedness and isolation. Another classification involves different views and interpretations about heritage, and describes diminishing degrees of authenticity entailed in preservation, transformation and inspiration. Combining both types of classification may offer a framework for further research on the relationship between heritage and planning.
In the recent extensive literature on European cultural landscapes, much attention is given to regional variation. Less interest seems to be given to history. Ecologists in particular often use the ‘traditional landscapes’ model, which... more
In the recent extensive literature on European cultural landscapes, much attention is given to regional variation. Less interest seems to be given to history. Ecologists in particular often use the ‘traditional landscapes’ model, which suggests a slow and gradual development of the man-made landscape, leading to a ‘climax’ during the 19th century. In that vision, landscape change sped up around 1900, after which time most landscapes underwent a process of rapid transformation. In this paper, I criticise the distinction between a stable pre-1900 and a dynamic post-1900 history, particularly by emphasising the flawed vision of a stable past. Developments in the past could be—and have often been—quick and intensive. The paper highlights the importance of historical research in landscape studies.
[Abstract] Landscape history is still mainly studied in local or regional projects and within national research traditions. However, an international perspective becomes ever more necessary, not just for scientific reasons, but also in... more
[Abstract] Landscape history is still mainly studied in local or regional projects and within national research traditions. However, an international perspective becomes ever more necessary, not just for scientific reasons, but also in the light of the increasingly internationalisation of landscape politics; see for example the European Landscape Convention. The present article will focus on one particular type of landscape: the open fields, the grain-growing landscapes that were the backbone of medieval European agriculture. The landscape of open fields can (or at least could) be found over large parts of Europe in regions with very different legal and organizational structures, soil conditions and agricultural systems. Some of the lengthiest and most thorough discussions in landscape history were on the origin of the open fields. The present article stresses the necessity to treat the different components of open fields (land use, landownership, agrarian techniques) separately. Many of the explanations offered are based on research in limited areas. An international perspective is helpful, by putting local developments into a broader perspective. Since the Late Middle Ages, the open field landscapes have moved north-eastwards, following the moving geography of grain cultivation. Whereas open fields gradually disappeared through enclosure in Britain, Scandinavia and other regions, elsewhere, especially in the Eastern Baltic, new open fields were being developed during the sixteenth century. This changing geography of open fields is probably related to changes in the European economy, in which the regional markets for grain gave way to a pan- European market during the sixteenth century and to a world market in the last decades of the nineteenth century. Each phase offered new opportunities, as well as threats, to the open field regions.
Islands are interesting subjects for study, with their frequent fluctuations in population size and economic activities, and their propensity for being at once both isolated from and dependent on the outside world. They are often seen as... more
Islands are interesting subjects for study, with their frequent fluctuations in population size and economic activities, and their propensity for being at once both isolated from and dependent on the outside world. They are often seen as metaphors – for human societies faced with environmental dangers and limitations, and (on a larger scale) for the world as a whole. Using examples from different parts of Europe, and with a focus on the Wadden Sea, this article analyses the specific ‘island-ness’ of their landscapes’ character. In periods of population pressure, islandscapes developed into ‘pressure-cooker’ landscapes, with very intensive agriculture and extremely small-scale field patterns. In these situations, the sea acted as a safety valve: many islands typically show mixed economies of agriculture combined with shipping or fishing. In other periods, migration led to much lower population numbers, and some islands even became unpopulated. In the present phase of globalisation, many have ceased their agricultural activities, but others manage to continue cultivation by specialising in specific crops, and yet another group now use their landscapes for that other major global industry, tourism, very often capitalising on their ‘heritage landscape’ character that is a result of the alternating periods of activity (creation) and stagnation or desertion (preservation) that appear to be characteristic of islands in the first place.
In the Netherlands, most high and dry land was settled and cultivated as early as the prehistoric period. Many lowlands, on the other hand, remained essentially unreclaimed until well into the Middle Ages. Since then these areas, too,... more
In the Netherlands, most high and dry land was settled and cultivated as early as the prehistoric period. Many lowlands, on the other hand, remained essentially unreclaimed until well into the Middle Ages. Since then these areas, too, have witnessed rapid change, physically as well as socially. Usually in medieval reclamation areas, under frontier-like conditions, settlers managed to become free farmers. This paper discusses the interesting twofaced character of the social developments in some of the ‘outlands’ along the margins of the ‘civilised world’. In some areas elite groups emerged or expanded, and castles and castle-like dwellings were shooting up far and wide, while wilderness areas were rapidly being transformed into highly productive arable land. Elsewhere smallholders and paupers settled, or were forced to settle involuntarily. In the latter cases the local economy was largely based on peat cutting and small-scale subsistence agriculture. Socially, outlands (reclamation areas) therefore took very different paths, which is still recognisable today. The history of these social contrasts is complex and deserves more research. Different opportunities as well as the ability and freedom to exploit them seem to have been key factors.
This paper presents the outlines of a new EU-funded research program for the long-term history, present-day management and further development of the European landscapes, including their natural and cultural heritage: HERCULES. One of... more
This paper presents the outlines of a new EU-funded
research program for the long-term history, present-day
management and further development of the European
landscapes, including their natural and cultural heritage:
HERCULES. One of the subprojects of this program
(Work Package 2) links archaeological, historical and
historical ecological data to the analysis of geo-information
in order to develop models of long-term landscape change
in three carefully chosen study regions in the Netherlands,
Sweden and Estonia. This is framed theoretically by
integrating insights from landscape biography, historical
ecology and complex systems theory. The linking and
analysis of data will be done using a Spatial Data
Infrastructure and by means of dynamic modelling.
research program for the long-term history, present-day
management and further development of the European
landscapes, including their natural and cultural heritage:
HERCULES. One of the subprojects of this program
(Work Package 2) links archaeological, historical and
historical ecological data to the analysis of geo-information
in order to develop models of long-term landscape change
in three carefully chosen study regions in the Netherlands,
Sweden and Estonia. This is framed theoretically by
integrating insights from landscape biography, historical
ecology and complex systems theory. The linking and
analysis of data will be done using a Spatial Data
Infrastructure and by means of dynamic modelling.
Research Interests:
In recent years, the separation of heritage conservation concerns and spatial planning concerns – a spectre of post-war modernism – is being criticised. Numerous commentators argue that heritage conservation needs to rethink its purpose... more
In recent years, the separation of heritage conservation concerns and spatial planning concerns – a spectre of post-war modernism – is being criticised. Numerous commentators argue that heritage conservation needs to rethink its purpose and role if it is to maintain its place in the planning system specifically and urban and rural development more generally. This paper analyses the Belvedere Memorandum and its incentive programme (1999–2009) by which the Dutch government actively encouraged the integration of heritage conservation with spatial planning. It is a first attempt to identify the impact of Belvedere on Dutch heritage planning practises. We argue that Belvedere has contributed to a reorientation of heritage conservation. At the same time, however, heritage conservation now faces new challenges as a result of the fact that the government is reducing its involvement in spatial planning, of a turn-around in socio-economic and demographic development (from growth to shrinkage) and of a crisis in property development. We believe Belvedere can be called a success only if the heritage sector manages, under these changed circumstances, to actively respond to spatial challenges and forge links with social actors.
Research Interests:
[Abstract] The large-scale wetland reclamations from the middle of the 20th century are usually described mainly as agricultural and technical success stories. They also however had a large symbolic value. In this paper, large-scale... more
[Abstract] The large-scale wetland reclamations from the middle of the 20th century are usually described mainly as agricultural and technical success stories. They also however had a large symbolic value. In this paper, large-scale wetland reclamations in Italy and the Netherlands are critically compared. Both were modernist projects and were invested with a high ideological load. As symbols for national recovery and national pride in a period of crisis, both were intensively documented by journalists, writers, film-makers. Both also show an interesting mixture of economic and utopian aspirations and a combination of both modernist and traditionalist styles of planning. In both countries, the polders were planned to the smallest details by the national planning agencies. In Italy, these polders show Fascist ideals, whereas in the Netherlands they reflect the ideas and values of a ‘pillarised’ society.
[Abstract] During the last ten years, the aesthetic qualities of rural areas have become a growing concern among Dutch policy-makers as well as among the general public. Especially the ribbon-like development of industrial estates along... more
[Abstract] During the last ten years, the aesthetic qualities of rural areas have become a growing concern among Dutch policy-makers as well as among the general public. Especially the ribbon-like development of industrial estates along the main motorways attracts attention. In August 2008 the Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning proposed the designation of nine so-called national motorway-panoramas to safeguard a number of the most characteristic views from the motorways. These panoramas are situated where motorways cross the National Landscapes that were designated some years earlier. They strengthen the case of the national landscapes, but at the same time illustrate the weakness of this type of area proving it insufficient to stop developments. This paper focuses on the national landscapes and gives a critical overview of the aims and limitations of this concept.
Research Interests:
Résumé La nombreuse bibliographie sur la propriété et l'usage des terres collectives ('commons') donne généralement une image très simplifiée de l'évolution historique. Les données sur les Pays-Bas révèlent clairement que la réalité était... more
Résumé La nombreuse bibliographie sur la propriété et l'usage des terres collectives ('commons') donne généralement une image très simplifiée de l'évolution historique. Les données sur les Pays-Bas révèlent clairement que la réalité était complexe et dynamique. Les territoires à usage collectif pouvaient être la propriété des pouvoirs publics régionaux ou locaux, des communautés rurales ou des groupements de paysans. Les droits d'usage différaient également: parfois, tous les habitants d'un territoire jouissaient de ces droits, parfois une partie d'entre eux seulement. De plus, les droits de propriété et d'usage ont évolué avec le temps.
[Summary] Some of the most characteristic landscapes in Europe are the result of specialised types of agriculture. Although these landscapes are often cherished by the local population, they tend to be overlooked by most regional... more
[Summary] Some of the most characteristic landscapes in Europe are the result of specialised types of agriculture. Although these landscapes are often cherished by the local population, they tend to be overlooked by most regional landscape classifications. This article, extending on the results of the EucaLand project, focuses on the historic landscapes of agricultural specialisation. It presents the history (main periods, life cycles) as well as the geography of these landscapes.
This article focuses on the impact of the ecological networks (NEN) on cultural landscapes. It states that the landscape is often wrongly neglected in discussions on the NEN, in favour of ‘new nature’. The old, ecologically rich cultural... more
This article focuses on the impact of the ecological networks (NEN) on cultural landscapes. It states that the landscape is often wrongly neglected in discussions on the NEN, in favour of ‘new nature’. The old, ecologically rich cultural landscapes, once the basis of the protection movement, are situated both inside and outside the NEN. However, over the last fifteen years the landscape part of the NEN has been very disappointing, partly because nature development projects (new nature). He advocates a careful assessment of landscapes values before starting new nature development. Agriculture can become a partner in landscape management
Nature and landscape preservation in the Netherlands during the last century shows development as well as continuity. A few themes stand out. One theme is the relation between nature and landscape; the two terms have sometimes been used... more
Nature and landscape preservation in the Netherlands during the last century shows development as well as continuity. A few themes stand out. One theme is the relation between nature and landscape; the two terms have sometimes been used as synonyms, at other times as opposites. For most of the time, nature has been regarded as part of the agrarian landscape, enabling coalitions between nature and landscape conservationists. The strong emphasis in ‘real nature’ during the 1990s has been exceptional. Second, the protection of agrarian landscapes has always been difficult in the Netherlands, mainly due to the intensity of agriculture. Only in recent years has this been changing. An example is the recent designation of twenty ‘national landscapes’. Third, the chronology in the development of the heritage sector shows growth in periods of economic prosperity and stability or decline in periods of economic or political problems. Fourth, academic discussions on identity and dissonance do not seem to have any bearing on the practice of heritage management.
Do the people in the European Union share a cultural identity? One important aspect of cultural identity is shared histories or common memories. Such histories can be presented by heritage. Heritage are those traces of the past a society... more
Do the people in the European Union share a cultural identity? One important aspect of cultural identity is shared histories or common memories. Such histories can be presented by heritage. Heritage are those traces of the past a society chooses to preserve. Heritage is therefore also a way of defining oneself. To this day, the European Union has not yet compiled its own list of heritage. This article analyses the World Heritage Sites of EU member states, sites that are considered to be of universal value. When taken together, what image of European history do these sites represent?
Research Interests:
In the western section of the town of Utrecht, the Netherlands, 30000 houses have been planned within a region that, almost 2000 years ago, was part of the frontier (the “Limes”) of the Roman Empire. Much effort is being put into the... more
In the western section of the town of Utrecht, the Netherlands, 30000 houses have been planned within a region that, almost 2000 years ago, was part of the frontier (the “Limes”) of the Roman Empire. Much effort is being put into the excavation and identification of parts of the buildings, roads and other objects belonging to the Limes. At the same time, in the south-eastern corner of the Netherlands, near the city of Maastricht, archaeologists, historical geographers and planners are discussing ways to visualise the long-lost Roman road from Boulogne to Cologne. Both projects take place in multi-layered historic landscapes that are characterised by medieval and more recent structures. The emphasis on Roman structures that have almost completely vanished underlines the continuing interest in the Roman Period. The present article shows that this fascination with the Romans has a long history and has influenced the cultural landscape during different periods.
Research Interests:
Selection is daily practice in planning. The field of applied historical geography has developed methods to evaluate historic landscapes and landscape features. The most widely used criteria are age, rarity, specificity/identity,... more
Selection is daily practice in planning. The field of applied historical geography has developed methods to evaluate historic landscapes and landscape features. The most widely used criteria are age, rarity, specificity/identity, completeness/authenticity, and context. Of these, the criterion of age is problematic, but the other criteria prove to be useful. This paper offers some critical remarks, definitions, and operationalizations for these criteria. Clarity and simplicity are important when combining the criteria and presenting the final results of an evaluation.
[Summary: Open field landscapes in Europe] The open, grain-producing arable fields are among the most characteristic historic landscapes of Europe. They experience strong growth from the 9th or 10th century onwards, to reach their highest... more
[Summary: Open field landscapes in Europe] The open, grain-producing arable fields are among the most characteristic historic landscapes of Europe. They experience strong growth from the 9th or 10th century onwards, to reach their highest extension in the early 14th century. In the core regions of central England and northern France, Central Europe and southern Scandinavia, they were highly organised, with three-field rotations operated at the level of the village. Elsewhere, however, the management of open fields organised on a much more individual basis.
The 14th-century population decline was the first step in a series of reorganisations of the European agrarian landscape. In England it marked the start of a conversion from open arable fields to sheep pasture (an aspect of the so-called enclosure) that continued in later centuries. Open fields declined in Central Europe too, but the core region continued to produce grain.
The Early Modern period brought further changes, when ever more agricultural regions became part of a European economic system that was organised around an economic core in north-western Europe. Again some regions turned from arable or mixed farming towards specialisation on animal husbandry or specialised crops (wine, hops, etc.). Grain production moved further east, with new (partly planned) open fields developing in the eastern Baltic region.
In the course of the 18th century another phase of development began, which saw the ‘modernisation’ of even more of the remaining open fields. In some regions, most clearly in Southern Scandinavia around 1800 among the collective farms of central-eastern Europe after 1945, this was systematically undertaken by national governments; elsewhere this was a more gradual or more individual process of transformation towards large-scale exploitation.
The open field landscapes are an interesting part of European landscape heritage. However, as most research is carried out at a national level and often within different research traditions, instances of international comparative research are still quite rare.
The 14th-century population decline was the first step in a series of reorganisations of the European agrarian landscape. In England it marked the start of a conversion from open arable fields to sheep pasture (an aspect of the so-called enclosure) that continued in later centuries. Open fields declined in Central Europe too, but the core region continued to produce grain.
The Early Modern period brought further changes, when ever more agricultural regions became part of a European economic system that was organised around an economic core in north-western Europe. Again some regions turned from arable or mixed farming towards specialisation on animal husbandry or specialised crops (wine, hops, etc.). Grain production moved further east, with new (partly planned) open fields developing in the eastern Baltic region.
In the course of the 18th century another phase of development began, which saw the ‘modernisation’ of even more of the remaining open fields. In some regions, most clearly in Southern Scandinavia around 1800 among the collective farms of central-eastern Europe after 1945, this was systematically undertaken by national governments; elsewhere this was a more gradual or more individual process of transformation towards large-scale exploitation.
The open field landscapes are an interesting part of European landscape heritage. However, as most research is carried out at a national level and often within different research traditions, instances of international comparative research are still quite rare.
Development of settlement and cultural landscape of the sandy areas in the Southern Netherlands with regard on settlement models.
Desertion processes in the Netherlands between AD 1000 and 1800. In the Netherlands little research into settlement desertions has been done. The present paper gives an introduction to the theme. In the first part the main terms for... more
Desertion processes in the Netherlands between AD 1000 and 1800. In the Netherlands little research into settlement desertions has been done. The present paper gives an introduction to the theme. In the first part the main terms for classification (deserted settlements or fields, complete or partial desertions, permanent or temporary desertions), the causes (environmental factors, socio-economic factors, incidental causes) and the sources for desertion studies (archaeology, written documents, maps, place-names and field names, soil characteristics) are reviewed. The second part contains a regional survey of desertion processes in different parts of the Netherlands: the Holocene north-western half of the country (the fenlands, coastal change, the marshes and the riverine area) and the Pleistocene south-eastern half. In each region recent research has made clear that the development of the settlement pattern has been very dynamic. The reasons for change were varied, but in many cases environmental change, usually at least partly man-induced, provided part of the explanation. Many settlements have moved over a short distance. It is argued that these processes deserve to be part of deserted-settlement research. Such research, although often done as a fairly isolated occupation, should be seen as part of a broader research into migration and settlement dynamics.
The Limburg coalfield consists of the Dutch and Belgian provinces of Limburg. According to the development of the coal mining industry, five regions can be distinguished. - The old mining region (Middle Ages - 1969), in the... more
The Limburg coalfield consists of the Dutch and Belgian provinces of Limburg. According to the development of the coal mining industry, five regions can be distinguished.
- The old mining region (Middle Ages - 1969), in the south-eastern part of Dutch Limburg, centred on the village of Kerkrade. Here, coal mining existed in medieval times. Mining gradually developed from humble beginnings to the modern 20th-century mining business.
- The Eastern Mining District (1899-1974), west of the old mining region and centred around the town of Heerlen (Dutch Limburg). Here, several attempts to found coal mines failed because of lacking infrastructure and, especially, technical problems. Only during the 1890s, in a period of rising coal prices, these difficulties were overcome and mining started. In 1901 the Dutch government decided that future concessions would remain state-owned. For the exploitation a State Mining Company (DSM) was founded.
- The Western Mining District (1923-1967), around the towns of Sittard and Geleen (Dutch Limburg). Here, mining started during the 1920s with one, very large and modern, coal mine. Around the coal mine, DSM built up an extensive chemical industry. An intended second coal mine was never realised.
- The Kempen Mining District (1918-1992; Belgian Limburg) was developed from the beginning of the 20th century.
- During the 1960s, attempts were made to develop a new mining district east of Roermond (central Dutch Limburg). A state owned mine was founded, but never produced any coal.
The Eastern, Western and Kempen Districts were all characterized by a very rapid development in predominantly rural regions. Mining companies, housing associations and private firms started building houses, mostly within garden villages, on a large scale.
Most of the private mining companies were tied to firms in the old coal mining districts of Germany, Wallonia and France. Especially a number of large French and Wallonian iron and steel producing firms improved their resource base by investing in the Limburg coal basins. Only the Dutch state-owned mining company DSM developed a coal-based industry in the mining district itself.
During the 1960s, the future prospects for the coal mining industry became less promising. In the Netherlands the cheap imports of coal an the newly discovered natural gas resources made Limburg coal uncompetitive. Within a few years all mines were closed. The DSM chemical industry survived the closure of the coal mines. In Belgian Limburg, the mines survived for a number of years. Here, the last coal mine was closed in 1992.
- The old mining region (Middle Ages - 1969), in the south-eastern part of Dutch Limburg, centred on the village of Kerkrade. Here, coal mining existed in medieval times. Mining gradually developed from humble beginnings to the modern 20th-century mining business.
- The Eastern Mining District (1899-1974), west of the old mining region and centred around the town of Heerlen (Dutch Limburg). Here, several attempts to found coal mines failed because of lacking infrastructure and, especially, technical problems. Only during the 1890s, in a period of rising coal prices, these difficulties were overcome and mining started. In 1901 the Dutch government decided that future concessions would remain state-owned. For the exploitation a State Mining Company (DSM) was founded.
- The Western Mining District (1923-1967), around the towns of Sittard and Geleen (Dutch Limburg). Here, mining started during the 1920s with one, very large and modern, coal mine. Around the coal mine, DSM built up an extensive chemical industry. An intended second coal mine was never realised.
- The Kempen Mining District (1918-1992; Belgian Limburg) was developed from the beginning of the 20th century.
- During the 1960s, attempts were made to develop a new mining district east of Roermond (central Dutch Limburg). A state owned mine was founded, but never produced any coal.
The Eastern, Western and Kempen Districts were all characterized by a very rapid development in predominantly rural regions. Mining companies, housing associations and private firms started building houses, mostly within garden villages, on a large scale.
Most of the private mining companies were tied to firms in the old coal mining districts of Germany, Wallonia and France. Especially a number of large French and Wallonian iron and steel producing firms improved their resource base by investing in the Limburg coal basins. Only the Dutch state-owned mining company DSM developed a coal-based industry in the mining district itself.
During the 1960s, the future prospects for the coal mining industry became less promising. In the Netherlands the cheap imports of coal an the newly discovered natural gas resources made Limburg coal uncompetitive. Within a few years all mines were closed. The DSM chemical industry survived the closure of the coal mines. In Belgian Limburg, the mines survived for a number of years. Here, the last coal mine was closed in 1992.
Cultural heritage and planning in The Netherlands. In the relation between cultural heritage and planning in The Netherlands, two developments are interesting. The first is a growing cooperation between heritage disciplines, in particular... more
Cultural heritage and planning in The Netherlands. In the relation between cultural heritage and planning in The Netherlands, two developments are interesting. The first is a growing cooperation between heritage disciplines, in particular archaeology, architectural history and historical geography. This cooperation partly takes place in universities, where integrated courses on cultural heritage, landscape and planning were started during the last few years. Furthermore, the national institutes for the protection of archaeological and architectural monuments (ROB and RDMZ, respectively) will merge in 2006 into a new State Service for Archaeology, Cultural Landscape and Monuments (RACM, based at Amersfoort). The author sees the cultural landscape as the ideal platform for cooperation between different disciplines within the new institute. The second development is a closer relationship between heritage specialists and planners. During the last few years cultural heritage received a growing interest from planners. In a few projects it has been possible to integrate heritage and planning in early stages of planning processes. It will be necessary for heritage specialists to develop their own ideas for the future, instead of just reacting on other’s plans.
Janssen, J., E. Luiten, H. Renes, J. Rouwendal, O. Faber, C.-J. Pen & E. Stegmeijer (red. P.P. Witsen) (2013). Karakterschetsen; Nationale Onderzoeksagenda Erfgoed en Ruimte; deel 1 Kennisagenda. Netwerk Erfgoed & Ruimte / Rijksdienst... more
Janssen, J., E. Luiten, H. Renes, J. Rouwendal, O. Faber, C.-J. Pen & E. Stegmeijer (red. P.P. Witsen) (2013). Karakterschetsen; Nationale Onderzoeksagenda Erfgoed en Ruimte; deel 1 Kennisagenda. Netwerk Erfgoed & Ruimte / Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, Amersfoort.
lexicon van landschapselementen. Zie ook de latere website met die naam: www.leestekensvanhetlandschap.nl
Research Interests:
Janssen, J., E. Luiten, H. Renes & J. Rouwendal (2013). Oude sporen in een nieuwe eeuw; de uitdaging na Belvedere. Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed / Netwerk Erfgoed en Ruimte, Amersfoort.
Zie voor korte publieksversie: Graaf, A. de, G.J. Hospers, M. Péro, H. Renes, E. Stegmeijer & F. Strolenberg (P.P. Witsen, eindred.) (2014). Werven en verbinden; krimp en erfgoed in Europa, met praktijkvoorbeelden uit Duitsland, Engeland,... more
Zie voor korte publieksversie: Graaf, A. de, G.J. Hospers, M. Péro, H. Renes, E. Stegmeijer & F. Strolenberg (P.P. Witsen, eindred.) (2014). Werven en verbinden; krimp en erfgoed in Europa, met praktijkvoorbeelden uit Duitsland, Engeland, Frankrijk en Nederland. Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, Amersfoort.
Korte versie van: Graaf, A. de, G.J. Hospers, M. Péro, H. Renes & E. Stegmeijer, met bijdragen van M. Woestenburg en P.P. Witsen (H. Renes & E. Stegmeijer, red.) (2014). Krimp en erfgoed in Noordwest-Europa; verkenning van een uitdagend... more
Korte versie van: Graaf, A. de, G.J. Hospers, M. Péro, H. Renes & E. Stegmeijer, met bijdragen van M. Woestenburg en P.P. Witsen (H. Renes & E. Stegmeijer, red.) (2014). Krimp en erfgoed in Noordwest-Europa; verkenning van een uitdagend probleem. Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, Amersfoort [Webpublicatie]. Ook Engelse versie: Graaf, A. de, G.J. Hospers, M. Péro, H. Renes, E. Stegmeijer & F. Strolenberg (P.P. Witsen, ed.) (2014). Attract and connect; population decline and [the] heritage in Europe, with practical examples from Germany, the UK, France and the Netherlands. Cultural Heritage Agency, Amersfoort.
Rapport dat de grondslag vormde voor het boek: Menke, H., H. Renes, G. Smid & P. Stork m.m.v. J. Meijer (2007). Veluwse beken en sprengen; een uniek landschap. Matrijs, Utrecht. Hierin: H. Renes: deel 1 (hoofdstukken 2-6, pp. 16-125).
Het standaardwerk over beheer van historische landschapselementen
Research Interests:
Het Midden-Nederlandse rivierenland, waarvan het Kromme Rijngebied een uitloper vormt, is het belangrijkste fruitteeltgebied van Nederland (de tweede en derde plaats worden ingenomen door Zuid-Limburg en de Zak van Zuid-Beveland). In deze... more
Het Midden-Nederlandse rivierenland, waarvan het Kromme Rijngebied een uitloper vormt, is het belangrijkste fruitteeltgebied van Nederland (de tweede en derde plaats worden ingenomen door Zuid-Limburg en de Zak van Zuid-Beveland). In deze bijdrage kijken we naar de ontwikkeling van de fruitteelt van een kleinschalige naar een beeldbepalende activiteit, waarbij we laten zien dat het een mooi voorbeeld is van de ontwikkeling van een specialistische vorm van landbouw.
Research Interests:
In het landgoederenlandschap van Langbroek nemen bossen een belangrijke plaats in. De bossen werden lange tijd geëxploiteerd als hakhout, waarbij de cyclus naar gelang de vraag varieerde. Sinds het midden van de vorige eeuw zijn de meest... more
In het landgoederenlandschap van Langbroek nemen bossen een belangrijke plaats in. De bossen werden lange tijd geëxploiteerd als hakhout, waarbij de cyclus naar gelang de vraag varieerde. Sinds het midden van de vorige eeuw zijn de meest hakhoutbossen omgezet in opgaand bos. Foto Albert Speelman Klimaatverandering is een van de grote thema's van onze tijd. De stijgende zeespiegel bedreigt lage gebieden op de wereld zelfs in hun voortbestaan. Dat geldt ook voor delen van Nederland. Zelfs als we erin slagen de zee buiten te houden, hebben de veran deringen grote gevolgen voor het landschap. Ook voor landgoederen zal het thema in de komende jaren steeds meer aan belang winnen.
The map of Juinen by Arthur Steegh. In 1984, the historical-geographer Arthur Steegh (1946-2005) drew a fictive map that included most landscape types of the Netherlands. The map could be used to simulate the effects of planning... more
The map of Juinen by Arthur Steegh. In 1984, the historical-geographer Arthur Steegh (1946-2005) drew a fictive map that included most landscape types of the Netherlands. The map could be used to simulate the effects of planning procedures on landscapes and was part of a report on the use of landscape data in Environmental Impact Assessments. Steegh situated his map in the municipality of Juinen, which was the – again fictive – location for a popular satirical programme on Dutch television.
Asperen, an agro-town on the Linge river The small-town of Asperen is the best example in the Netherlands of a medieval town that used to be almost completely agrarian. The pre-urban core consisted of farms along two roads (the Voorstraat... more
Asperen, an agro-town on the Linge river The small-town of Asperen is the best example in the Netherlands of a medieval town that used to be almost completely agrarian. The pre-urban core consisted of farms along two roads (the Voorstraat and the Minstraat) on both sides of the river Linge. During the Early Middle Ages, the river made a new bend, providing a triangular area that, shortly before 1314, was used for the layout of an ambitious new town by
one of the branches of the aspiring Van Arkel family. A new street with farms was laid out, the Achterstraat (backstreet), parallel to the older village streets. Back alleys, the Achterwal and the Broeksteeg, connected the backsides of the farms with the lands. Later, the Broeksteeg (nowadays known as the Middelweg, middle road) attracted ever more non-agrarian houses
one of the branches of the aspiring Van Arkel family. A new street with farms was laid out, the Achterstraat (backstreet), parallel to the older village streets. Back alleys, the Achterwal and the Broeksteeg, connected the backsides of the farms with the lands. Later, the Broeksteeg (nowadays known as the Middelweg, middle road) attracted ever more non-agrarian houses
Village centres in medieval fenland reclamations. Between the 10th and 14th centuries, the large fenlands in the Netherlands were reclaimed. Particularly in the flat eutrophic fenlands, these reclamations were extremely regular, with a... more
Village centres in medieval fenland reclamations. Between the 10th and 14th centuries, the large fenlands in the Netherlands were reclaimed. Particularly in the flat eutrophic fenlands, these reclamations were extremely regular, with a row of farms that each received a standard-sized amount of land. In some of the new villages that were planned to become parishes, a village centre with a rectangular green was planned. The present article is the first systematic review of this group of green villages.
A new series: village structures. Village structures have been a research theme in geography for a long time. In recent decades, historical geographers and an increasing number of historians and archaeologists have taken up this theme.... more
A new series: village structures. Village structures have been a research theme in geography for a long time. In recent decades, historical geographers and an increasing number of historians and archaeologists have taken up this theme. For real progress, interdisciplinary cooperation is necessary. To stimulate further research, the Tijdschrift voor Historische Geografie starts a series of short articles on (groups of) villages.
3e ed. van het boek. De 1e ed. van het boek verscheen in 2004 onder de titel ‘Europa: ruimtelijke samenhang en verscheidenheid in de Europese Unie’.
The ‘geesten’ in Holland. Present state of knowledge with respect to the old agricultural complexes on the coastal ridges (‘strandwallen’) of the provinces of North and South Holland It is almost 50 years now since Dr J.K. de Cock... more
The ‘geesten’ in Holland. Present state of knowledge with respect to the old agricultural complexes on the coastal ridges (‘strandwallen’) of the provinces of North and South Holland
It is almost 50 years now since Dr J.K. de Cock (1918-1991) published his dissertation on the historical geography of Kennemerland. This book still counts as a standard work on the history of the settlements in of the coastal region of Holland. De Cock described settlements comprising a loose group of farms around an oval open field – a shape that was derived from the shape of elongated ‘geests’, ridges of the so-called old dunes. This work is still the basis for studies on settlement morphology. Small settlements of non-agrarian parts of the population developed around churches and chapels.
During recent decades, archaeological research has made clear that this type of settlement may date back to the High Middle Ages, but differs from an earlierpattern of settlement of a more scattered and dynamic character.
This article, based on a symposium in 2013, summarizes the present state of knowledge. It includes a new map of ‘geest’ settlements. A short biography of Dr De Cock is added as well.
It is almost 50 years now since Dr J.K. de Cock (1918-1991) published his dissertation on the historical geography of Kennemerland. This book still counts as a standard work on the history of the settlements in of the coastal region of Holland. De Cock described settlements comprising a loose group of farms around an oval open field – a shape that was derived from the shape of elongated ‘geests’, ridges of the so-called old dunes. This work is still the basis for studies on settlement morphology. Small settlements of non-agrarian parts of the population developed around churches and chapels.
During recent decades, archaeological research has made clear that this type of settlement may date back to the High Middle Ages, but differs from an earlierpattern of settlement of a more scattered and dynamic character.
This article, based on a symposium in 2013, summarizes the present state of knowledge. It includes a new map of ‘geest’ settlements. A short biography of Dr De Cock is added as well.
Vouwblad met routebeschrijving van Wageningen naar De Wildenborch, samengesteld voor het vijfjarig bestaan van het DLO-Staring Centrum in 1994
Historical transformations of agricultural landscapes in Europe. The agricultural landscapes of Europe vary greatly and are the result of complex historical processes. More insight into these histories is necessary in the light of... more
Historical transformations of agricultural landscapes in Europe. The agricultural landscapes of Europe vary greatly and are the result of complex historical processes. More insight into these histories is necessary in the light of forthcoming landscape transformations and increasing awareness of landscape values by the general public. Dangers are [1] the simplistic and historically inaccurate distinction between heritage landscapes and modernised landscapes and [2] the fragmentation of European historic landscape studies into numerous local case studies. The author of the present article argues in favour of a systematic approach, in which local case studies are integrated by classifying them in models on the basis of demographic and economic tides, stages in economic integration and Von Thünen-like geographical patterns.
"The Dutch fenlands: future for a historic landscape. The fenlands belong to the most characteristic of Dutch landscapes. They are part of the Delta of Rhine and Meuse, a complex landscape with interesting man-land relations. Since the... more
"The Dutch fenlands: future for a historic landscape. The fenlands belong to the most characteristic of Dutch landscapes. They are part of the Delta of Rhine and Meuse, a complex landscape with interesting man-land relations. Since the Iron Age, the fenlands have been inhabited in times of population pressure, but have also been deserted a number of times. During the late Middle Ages, problems connected with (man-induced) subsidence of the land almost caused a new period of desertions.. However, the towns that had sprung up in the centuries before, now were dependent on the continuous functioning of the agrarian landscape. They invested, but also became a market for dairy farming and other agricultural products.
In the present period, agriculture is again under pressure, but the landscape values can only be retained by continuous agricultural use. As a cultural landscape, the fenlands are interesting in a national and even international perspective, as centers of historic innovations in land reclamation and drainage and as the basis for systems of military defenses that even have World Heritage status. The Green Heart, the central open space within the Randstad ring of towns that consists mainly of fenlands, has been a key concept in Dutch planning between the 1950s and 2011. Nevertheless, the future of the fenland landscapes is again uncertain. "
In the present period, agriculture is again under pressure, but the landscape values can only be retained by continuous agricultural use. As a cultural landscape, the fenlands are interesting in a national and even international perspective, as centers of historic innovations in land reclamation and drainage and as the basis for systems of military defenses that even have World Heritage status. The Green Heart, the central open space within the Randstad ring of towns that consists mainly of fenlands, has been a key concept in Dutch planning between the 1950s and 2011. Nevertheless, the future of the fenland landscapes is again uncertain. "
Farmer's fortifications in the central part of the province of Limburg (The Netherlands). In the southern provinces of the Netherlands and the neighbouring parts of Belgium traces have been discovered of an interesting group of 'farmers'... more
Farmer's fortifications in the central part of the province of Limburg (The Netherlands). In the southern provinces of the Netherlands and the neighbouring parts of Belgium traces have been discovered of an interesting group of 'farmers' entrenchments', small fortifications from the Early Modern Period. Between the sixteenth and eighteenth century, a period of frequent warfare, many villages and hamlets built simple fortifications as refuges for the population and their cattle. Some of these refuges were located close to the villages, other examples were built in less accessible terrains such as stream valleys. In this article, an inventory of these small fortifications for one of the core regions, the central part of the Dutch province of Limburg, is presented. Two examples are studied in some more detail: the refuges of Boshoven and Laar (municipality of Weert). At Boshoven, part of the archive still exists. This object is remarkable, as the oldest cadastral map (c. 1830) still shows how every inhabitant of the village owned a tiny plot within the refuge. At Laar, a small archaeological survey was executed, following a request from the village for input for a planned restoration project.
Giving the Hedwigepolder 'back to nature'? History and heritage of a 'young' landscape. Under the title 'Landscapes in the News', the Historisch-Geografisch Tijdschrift wants to present data on the history and heritage of landscapes that... more
Giving the Hedwigepolder 'back to nature'? History and heritage of a 'young' landscape. Under the title 'Landscapes in the News', the Historisch-Geografisch Tijdschrift wants to present data on the history and heritage of landscapes that are under threat. The present article describes the efforts to compensate the loss of ecological values in the Westerschelde estuary, that is being deepened to allow the ever larger containerships to reach the harbour of Antwerp. One of the proposals is to 'de-polderise' (or, as ecologists say: 'to give back to nature') the Hedwigepolder, a polder that was diked and reclaimed between 1904 and 1907. This article concludes not only that the present landscape has some heritage values, as a little changed early 20th-century reclamation with a layout that shows a remarkable mixture of agricultural and hunting interests. More important, the seemingly young landscape hides a complex layered landscape: under the present surface traces are hidden of an earlier short-lived 17th-century reclamation, of a medieval fenland landscape that was settled and reclaimed from the 10th-centurr onwards but was lost by 16th-century floodings and, deep below the surface, of a sandy landscape that was used by Mesolithic and Neolithic peoples.
The fenlands around the north sea: landscape history and landscape research. Wetlands can be found in many coastal regions around the North Sea. Most of these consist of fenlands and, sometimes, raised peat-bogs, lying between a coastal... more
The fenlands around the north sea: landscape history and landscape research. Wetlands can be found in many coastal regions around the North Sea. Most of these consist of fenlands and, sometimes, raised peat-bogs, lying between a coastal barrier (dunes or marshes) and the higher grounds further inland. The development of these wetlands has been studied in the Low Countries, Germany and the UK, but it proves difficult to combine the different results of these studies into one synthesis. Especially the continental and the British studies have different research questions and research traditions. In this article, it is argued that these differences are partly due to differences in the history of the landscape itself.
"Landscape as cultural heritage; historical processes and layered landscapes. During the twentieth century, the man-made landscape was gradually discovered as cultural heritage. At first, the leading idea was. That the man-made landscape... more
"Landscape as cultural heritage; historical processes and layered landscapes. During the twentieth century, the man-made landscape was gradually discovered as cultural heritage. At first, the leading idea was. That the man-made landscape was the result of a slow process leading up to a ‘climax’ in the nineteenth century. Since then, landscapes have been changing at an increasing speed. Conservation aimed at protecting the ‘traditional’ landscapes that had more or less survived the twentieth century.
During the 1980s new research showed that many landscapes had a dynamic and often troubled history. Mapping methods were developed, showing the landscape as a collection of objects, each with its own history. Although these methods saw landscape history as dynamic, they were at the same time reductionist visions, losing sight of the landscape as a whole.
In recent years new methods, such as the ‘biographical’ approach, have opened new perspectives on the management of landscapes with complex histories. A special tool for research as well as planning is the metaphor of historical layers in the landscape. It is evident that layers do not only exist in the archaeological sense (vertical layers, that can be peeled off to reach older traces), but also in a geographical sense (horizontal patterns as a result of, for example, innovation-diffusion). In other cases, traces of different periods are intermixed, when different activities took place on the same surface, each development erasing most earlier traces but at the same time leaving traces as a ‘palimpsest’. Moreover, ‘intellectual layers’ can be distinguished where older periods are reactivated. Lastly, even objects that seem unchanged for many centuries, have received different functions and meanings in the course of time, making it possible to distinguish ‘layers of meaning’."
During the 1980s new research showed that many landscapes had a dynamic and often troubled history. Mapping methods were developed, showing the landscape as a collection of objects, each with its own history. Although these methods saw landscape history as dynamic, they were at the same time reductionist visions, losing sight of the landscape as a whole.
In recent years new methods, such as the ‘biographical’ approach, have opened new perspectives on the management of landscapes with complex histories. A special tool for research as well as planning is the metaphor of historical layers in the landscape. It is evident that layers do not only exist in the archaeological sense (vertical layers, that can be peeled off to reach older traces), but also in a geographical sense (horizontal patterns as a result of, for example, innovation-diffusion). In other cases, traces of different periods are intermixed, when different activities took place on the same surface, each development erasing most earlier traces but at the same time leaving traces as a ‘palimpsest’. Moreover, ‘intellectual layers’ can be distinguished where older periods are reactivated. Lastly, even objects that seem unchanged for many centuries, have received different functions and meanings in the course of time, making it possible to distinguish ‘layers of meaning’."
Paper presented June 16, 2011, Cultural Heritage Agency, Amersfoort
Paper presented at the Permanent European Conference for the Study of the Rural Landscape, September 2014, Gothenburg/Mariestad. Special session ‘CAP and landscape’.
Bijdrage aan debat Werelderfgoed en topsectoren, 7 februari 2012, Wageningen
Dames en heren, Het systeem van Nationale Parken is in Nederland voorgesteld in 1975 en is in de decennia daarna uitgevoerd. Dat ging met weinig spektakel gepaard, wat een van de redenen zal zijn dat weinig Nederlanders weten dat er... more
Dames en heren, Het systeem van Nationale Parken is in Nederland voorgesteld in 1975 en is in de decennia daarna uitgevoerd. Dat ging met weinig spektakel gepaard, wat een van de redenen zal zijn dat weinig Nederlanders weten dat er twintig Nationale Parken bestaan. Pas de laatste jaren is er discussie, die vooral een impuls kreeg door een groot artikel van de ecoloog Stefan Pasma in het dagblad Trouw (13-9-2013). Dat werd gevolgd door Kamervragen en een Commissie onder leiding van prof. Pieter van Vollenhoven, waarna nieuwe nota's en onderzoeken volgden. Van een daarvan horen we straks meer. Ik wil vanmiddag wat met u kijken naar twee onderwerpen: 1 De relatie tussen natuur en cultuur in Nationale Parken 2 Het belang van continuïteit in het beleid Maar laat ik beginnen met een kort historisch overzicht. Het idee van nationale parken begon in de Verenigde Staten. Die werden in de loop van de negentiende eeuw steeds verder in kaart gebracht, vooral vanuit de behoefte om een eenheid te smeden van een statenbond die bestond uit een aantal territoria aan de Atlantische Oceaan en enkele gebieden die net op Spanje waren veroverd en die aan de Stille Oceaan lagen. Het tussengelegen gebied was nog nauwelijks in kaart gebracht en vormde het territorium van de oorspronkelijke bevolking.
[Abstract] The Wadden Sea region is a typical example of what is often called a 'maritime cultural landscape', a landscape that is shaped by the forces of nature and culture and also a landscape in which the livelihood of the population... more
[Abstract] The Wadden Sea region is a typical example of what is often called a 'maritime cultural landscape', a landscape that is shaped by the forces of nature and culture and also a landscape in which the livelihood of the population is built on the use of resources from the land as well as from the sea. In this presentation we will look at the complex relation between nature and society in the past as well as in the present. For sustainable management of the Wadden Sea regions, an integrated approach, combining developments in nature and in society, is necessary. The artificial border between nature and culture that are introduced by some ecologists and by many authorities (the most notorious example being the inscription of the Wadden Sea as a natural site on the World Heritage List) is a source of conflicts and complicates an integral management of the Wadden Sea region. Ladies and gentlemen, Firstly, I want to thank the organisation for the invitation to present this lecture. In this presentation, I want to stress the importance of seeing the Wadden Sea region as a cultural landscape. Therefore I start with some introductory remarks on the concepts of nature and landscape and on the relation between them. In the second part I look at the history of the Wadden Sea region, focusing on the land-water interface. I finish with a few remarks on the Wadden Sea as World Heritage.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In the Netherlands, much lowlands remained essentially untouched until well into the Middle Ages. Since then these areas changed rapidly, both physically and socially. Reclamation areas took very different paths, which is still... more
In the Netherlands, much lowlands remained essentially untouched until well into the Middle Ages. Since then these areas changed rapidly, both physically and socially. Reclamation areas took very different paths, which is still recognizable today. In some cases elite groups emerged or expanded, and castles and castle-like dwellings were shooting up far and wide. Wilderness was rapidly being transformed into highly productive arable land. Elsewhere smallholders and paupers allowed to settle, or were forced to settle involuntarily. ‘Pauper’ hamlets developed and extensive re-education institutions (‘colonies’) were founded Economy was largely based on peat cutting and small-scale subsistence agriculture. The history of these marked contrasts is complex. Key factors include:
• geographical position
• proximity of towns
• socio-economic position settlers
• local social network settlers
• agricultural potential
• (other) economic options.
• geographical position
• proximity of towns
• socio-economic position settlers
• local social network settlers
• agricultural potential
• (other) economic options.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The fishing villages on the coast of Holland Very little systematic research has been done in the early history of fishing villages on the Dutch coast. In 2001, the English historical-geographer Harold Fox designed a model for the origin... more
The fishing villages on the coast of Holland Very little systematic research has been done in the early history of fishing villages on the Dutch coast. In 2001, the English historical-geographer Harold Fox designed a model for the origin of the fishing villages on the coast of Devon. In this model, he describes an original situation in which farmers in inland villages were also part-time fisherman and owned a boat and a boatshed on the beach. Population growth led to labour division and to the emergence of specialised fishing villages. The two most probable periods in which this development took place were the 12th to early 14th centuries and the 16th century. The available data for the coast of the county of Holland point to the first of those periods. Place-names relate the fishing villages to the inland agrarian villages: Egmond aan Zee (‘Egmond at Sea’) exists beside Egmond-Binnen, Wijk aan Zee beside Beverwijk and Katwijk aan Zee beside Katwijk aan de Rijn etc. It is improbable...
Research Interests:
Beer has become a driver of urban regeneration worldwide. In particular, breweries have become symbolic when physically transforming former industrial areas. Beer festivals, visitor centres created by major breweries and the popularity of... more
Beer has become a driver of urban regeneration worldwide. In particular, breweries have become symbolic when physically transforming former industrial areas. Beer festivals, visitor centres created by major breweries and the popularity of the craft breweries and brewpubs each contribute to the growth of beer tourism. Meanwhile, adaptive reuse of former industrial breweries brings new life to former industrial spaces. This chapter focuses on the ways in which Tsingtao beer influences regeneration of Qingdao, China and this work frames these developments in the broader perspective of beer-led urban regeneration.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
It is almost 50 years now since Dr J.K. de Cock (1918-1991) published his dissertation on the historical geography of Kennemerland. This book still counts as a standard work on the history of the settlements in the coastal region of... more
It is almost 50 years now since Dr J.K. de Cock (1918-1991) published his dissertation on the historical geography of Kennemerland. This book still counts as a standard work on the history of the settlements in the coastal region of Holland. De Cock described settlements comprising a loose group of farms around an oval open field – a shape that was derived from the shape of elongated ‘geests’, ridges of the so-called old dunes. This work still is the basis for studies on settlement morphology. Small settlements of non-agrarian parts of the population developed around churches and chapels. During recent decades, archaeological research has made clear that this type of settlement may date back to the High Middle Ages, but differs from an earlier pattern of settlement of a more scattered and dynamic character. This article, based on a symposium in 2013, summarizes the present state of knowledge. It includes a new map of ‘geest’ settlements. A short biography of Dr De Cock is added as well.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In 1984, the historical-geographer Arthur Steegh (1946-2005) drew a fictive map that included most landscape types of the Netherlands. The map could be used to simulate the effects of planning procedures on landscapes and was part of a... more
In 1984, the historical-geographer Arthur Steegh (1946-2005) drew a fictive map that included most landscape types of the Netherlands. The map could be used to simulate the effects of planning procedures on landscapes and was part of a report on the use of landscape data in Environmental Impact Assessments. Steegh situated his map in the municipality of Juinen, which was the – again fictive – location for a popular satirical programme on Dutch television.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Hoewel er veel kritiek mogelijk is op de vertraagde uit-voering en de invulling ervan, mogen we de EHS als een succes beschouwen. Op dit moment is het echter vooral het landschap dat om aandacht vraagt. De discussie over de... more
Hoewel er veel kritiek mogelijk is op de vertraagde uit-voering en de invulling ervan, mogen we de EHS als een succes beschouwen. Op dit moment is het echter vooral het landschap dat om aandacht vraagt. De discussie over de 'verrommeling' is de laatste jaren hoog ...
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“Het moet in aesthetisch en wetenschappelijk opzicht van belang worden geacht, dat het Eerder Achterbroek als voldoende omvangrijk voorbeeld van een oud Saksisch hoevenlandschap behouden blijft”, zo schreef de bekende ecoloog Victor... more
“Het moet in aesthetisch en wetenschappelijk opzicht van belang worden geacht, dat het Eerder Achterbroek als voldoende omvangrijk voorbeeld van een oud Saksisch hoevenlandschap behouden blijft”, zo schreef de bekende ecoloog Victor Westhoff in 1948 nadat hij het gebied ten zuiden van Ommen op een regenachtige dag had bezocht. Westhoff bracht zijn bezoek in opdracht van de Vereniging tot Behoud van Natuurmonumenten in Nederland (kortweg ‘Natuurmonumenten’), die overwoog het gebied te kopen. Westhoff adviseerde positief en vervolgens werd het Eerder Achterbroek het eerste beschermde ‘boerenlandschap’ in Nederland. In zijn verslag beschrijft Westhoff het Eerder Achterbroek als een mooi voorbeeld van een kleinschalig cultuurlandschap. Dat is het tegenwoordig nog steeds. Maar was het Eerder Achterbroek in 1948 nog een van de vele voorbeelden, heden ten dage is het vrijwel uniek. Dat komt doordat de meeste andere kleinschalige landschappen in de afgelopen halve eeuw zijn gemoderniseerd en veel grootschaliger zijn geworden. Dat het landschap in het Eerder Achterbroek behouden is gebleven, komt vooral door het conservatieve beheer dat hier in de afgelopen eeuw is gevoerd, eerst door de adellijke eigenaren van het landgoed Eerde en vanaf 1949 door Natuurmonumenten. De auteurs van dit artikel vroegen zich af hoe Natuurmonumenten sinds 1949 met dit beschermde landschap is omgegaan, welke problemen daarbij opdoemden en welke keuzen zijn gemaakt. Op de achtergrond speelt nog een andere vraag, namelijk hoe bijzonder dit landschap in 1949 was. Was het Eerder Achterbroek inderdaad een fraai voorbeeld van een ‘oud Saksisch hoevenlandschap’? Of was het door de activiteiten van de vroegere adellijke grondbezitters, met name van de laatste baron Philip Dirk van Pallandt, al ‘anders’? En, als we het nog iets breder bekijken, hoe groot was de invloed van individuen op dat beheer? In de afgelopen jaren hebben wij samen met anderen de recente geschiedenis van het Eerder Achterbroek uitgezocht. Dat leverde interessante resultaten op, die ook onze ideeen over andere landschappen in Oost-Nederland hebben veranderd. Ons onderzoek past in een nieuwe richting in het onderzoek naar historische landschappen, waarin de invloed van individuele personen op het landschap meer aandacht krijgt. Dit is weliswaar al vanouds gebruikelijk in de bestudering van de geschiedenis van tuinen en parken, maar wie boeken of artikelen leest over agrarische landschappen zal het opvallen dat die landschappen meestal worden beschreven als het resultaat van anonieme factoren zoals de bodemgesteldheid of de economische conjunctuur. Hoewel sommige onderzoekers al lange tijd aandringen op meer aandacht voor de invloed van individuen, stuit dat in de praktijk vaak op gebrek aan schriftelijke bronnen. In het Eerder Achterbroek konden we door een combinatie van onderzoeksmethoden voor de laatste eeuw een beeld opbouwen van de invloed van afzonderlijke eigenaren en beheerders. In dit artikel geven we eerst het ruimere kader van de bescherming van natuur en landschap in Nederland. Vervolgens bekijken we de ontwikkelingen in het Eerder Achterbroek in de afgelopen eeuw. Aan het eind plaatsen we het gebied nog eens in een ruimer verband.
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Heggen, houtwallen en stenen muurtjes behoren tot de meest bepalende onderdelen van het Europese landschap. Toch is nog veel onbekend, zoals tijdens het schrijven van deze bijdrage weer eens bleek. Het is bijvoorbeeld buitengewoon... more
Heggen, houtwallen en stenen muurtjes behoren tot de meest bepalende onderdelen van het Europese landschap. Toch is nog veel onbekend, zoals tijdens het schrijven van deze bijdrage weer eens bleek. Het is bijvoorbeeld buitengewoon moeilijk om een beeld te krijgen van de verbreiding van open en besloten landschappen en nog moeilijker is het om gegevens te vinden over de afzonderlijke typen.
Istanbul is een wereldstad met ongeveer evenveel inwoners als Nederland. Het is een steeds belangrijker toeristische bestemming en was in 2010 een van de Culturele Hoofdsteden van Europa. In deze Geografi e starten we een korte serie over... more
Istanbul is een wereldstad met ongeveer evenveel inwoners als Nederland. Het is een steeds belangrijker toeristische bestemming en was in 2010 een van de Culturele Hoofdsteden van Europa. In deze Geografi e starten we een korte serie over de stadsvernieuwing in Istanbul. Hans Renes schrijft over de metamorfoses die de stad door de eeuwen heen meemaakte. Daarna meer over de gentrifi catieprocessen sinds de jaren 70.
Research Interests: Humanities and Geografie
Van ecologennatuur naar het midden van de samenleving. Zo omschrijft Hans Renes de koers die Natuurmonumenten heeft ingeslagen met de nieuwe visie. Zijn vraag is wel hoeveel ruimte de beheerder durft te geven aan bewonersparticipatie.
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'De westelijke veenweiden vormen het meest typische Nederlandse landschap dat er is.' Zo begon het rapport ‘Waarheen met het veen’ (Woestenburg, 2009, p. 9). Over dat landschap hebben we in de voorgaande bijdragen al veel kunnen... more
'De westelijke veenweiden vormen het meest typische Nederlandse landschap dat er is.' Zo begon het rapport ‘Waarheen met het veen’ (Woestenburg, 2009, p. 9). Over dat landschap hebben we in de voorgaande bijdragen al veel kunnen lezen. Aan het eind van deze bundel wil ik proberen nog een paar lange lijnen te trekken door de ruimte en de tijd. Daarbij begin ik met een paar lijnen door de tijd, waarbij ook de ruimtelijke variatie aan bod komt. Vervolgens trek ik de lijn door naar het heden en zal ik iets zeggen over de waarde van de historische veenlandschappen. Tenslotte trek ik de lijn door naar de toekomst en zal ik de vraag stellen – maar niet echt beantwoorden – hoe het nu verder moet. Bij elk van die lijnen zal ik de invalshoek van een historisch-geograaf kiezen en de nadruk leggen op het veenweidegebied als historisch cultuurlandschap.
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Vrijwel iedere bezoeker van de Kaartenzaal heeft wel eens naar de ingelijste kaart van de Slaperdijk bij Veenendaal gekeken (afbeelding 1). Het is een gedrukte kaart, die eerst met de hand is ingekleurd en vervolgens door generaties... more
Vrijwel iedere bezoeker van de Kaartenzaal heeft wel eens naar de ingelijste kaart van de Slaperdijk bij Veenendaal gekeken (afbeelding 1). Het is een gedrukte kaart, die eerst met de hand is ingekleurd en vervolgens door generaties rokende medewerkers en bezoekers van een geel waas is voorzien. Zo misplaatst was dat laatste niet eens: Veenendaal was immers eeuwenlang een centrum van de teelt en verwerking van tabak…
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Research Interests: Geography, Agricultural Development, Cold War, Environmental Management, Economic Development, and 15 moreEconomic integration, Animal Husbandry, Bronze Age, Cultural Landscape, Coal Mining, Economic Crisis, Case Study, Drinking Water, Carrying Capacity, Human Activity, Crop Rotation, FARMING SYSTEM, Forest Plantation, Driving force, and Centre of Gravity
Abstract Islands are interesting subjects for study, with their frequent fluctuations in population size and economic activities, and their propensity for being at once both isolated from and dependent on the outside world. They are often... more
Abstract Islands are interesting subjects for study, with their frequent fluctuations in population size and economic activities, and their propensity for being at once both isolated from and dependent on the outside world. They are often seen as metaphors – for human societies faced with environmental dangers and limitations, and (on a larger scale) for the world as a whole. Using examples from different parts of Europe, and with a focus on the Wadden Sea, this article analyses the specific ‘island-ness’ of their landscapes’ character. In periods of population pressure, islandscapes developed into ‘pressure-cooker’ landscapes, with very intensive agriculture and extremely small-scale field patterns. In these situations, the sea acted as a safety valve: many islands typically show mixed economies of agriculture combined with shipping or fishing. In other periods, migration led to much lower population numbers, and some islands even became unpopulated. In the present phase of globalisation, many have ceased their agricultural activities, but others manage to continue cultivation by specialising in specific crops, and yet another group now use their landscapes for that other major global industry, tourism, very often capitalising on their ‘heritage landscape’ character that is a result of the alternating periods of activity (creation) and stagnation or desertion (preservation) that appear to be characteristic of islands in the first place.
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Page 1. Op zoek naar de geschiedenis van het landschap Hans Renes Handleiding voor onderzoek naar onze historische omgeving Page 2. Op zoek naar de geschiedenis van het landschap Page 3. Op zoek naar ... reeks 1. Kees van der Wiel, Op... more
Page 1. Op zoek naar de geschiedenis van het landschap Hans Renes Handleiding voor onderzoek naar onze historische omgeving Page 2. Op zoek naar de geschiedenis van het landschap Page 3. Op zoek naar ... reeks 1. Kees van der Wiel, Op zoek naar huis, straat of buurt ...
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Publikationsansicht. 59594004. Landschap in de EHS; EHS in het landschap. (2006). Renes, J. Details der Publikation. Archiv, DSpace at Utrecht University (Netherlands). Keywords, Sociale Geografie en Planologie. Typ, Article.... more
Publikationsansicht. 59594004. Landschap in de EHS; EHS in het landschap. (2006). Renes, J. Details der Publikation. Archiv, DSpace at Utrecht University (Netherlands). Keywords, Sociale Geografie en Planologie. Typ, Article. Verknüpfungen, 0169-6300. ...
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ABSTRACT Landscape history is still mainly studied in local or regional projects and within national research traditions. However, an international perspective becomes ever more necessary, not just for scientific reasons, but also in the... more
ABSTRACT Landscape history is still mainly studied in local or regional projects and within national research traditions. However, an international perspective becomes ever more necessary, not just for scientific reasons, but also in the light of the increasing internationalisation of landscape politics; see for example the European Landscape Convention. The present article willfocus on one particular type of landscape: the open fields, the grain-growing landscapes that were the backbone of medieval European agriculture. The landscape of open fields can (or at least could) be found over large parts of Europe in regions with very different legal and organisational structures, soil conditions and agricultural systems. Some of the lengthiest and most thorough discussions in landscape history were on the origin of the open fields. The present article stresses the necessity to treat the different components of open fields (land use, landownership, agrarian techniques) separately. Many of the explanations offered are based on research in limited areas. An international perspective is helpful by putting local developments into a broader perspective. Since the Late Middle Ages, the open field landscapes have moved north-eastwards, following the moving geography of grain cultivation. Whereas open fields gradually disappeared through enclosure in Britain, Scandinavia and other regions, elsewhere, especially in the Eastern Baltic, new open fields were being developed during the sixteenth century. This changing geography of open fields is probably related to changes in the European economy, in which the regional markets for grain gave way to a pan- European market during the sixteenth century and to a world market in the last decades of the nineteenth century. Each phase offered new opportunities, as well as threats, to the open field regions.
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The fenlands around the north sea: landscape history and landscape research. Wetlands can be found in many coastal regions around the North Sea. Most of these consist of fenlands and, sometimes, raised peat-bogs, lying between a coastal... more
The fenlands around the north sea: landscape history and landscape research. Wetlands can be found in many coastal regions around the North Sea. Most of these consist of fenlands and, sometimes, raised peat-bogs, lying between a coastal barrier (dunes or marshes) and the higher grounds further inland. The development of these wetlands has been studied in the Low Countries, Germany and the UK, but it proves difficult to combine the different results of these studies into one synthesis. Especially the continental and the British studies have different research questions and research traditions. In this article, it is argued that these differences are partly due to differences in the history of the landscape itself.
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Historical transformations of agricultural landscapes in Europe. The agricultural landscapes of Europe vary greatly and are the result of complex historical processes. More insight into these histories is necessary in the light of... more
Historical transformations of agricultural landscapes in Europe. The agricultural landscapes of Europe vary greatly and are the result of complex historical processes. More insight into these histories is necessary in the light of forthcoming landscape transformations and increasing awareness of landscape values by the general public. Dangers are [1] the simplistic and historically inaccurate distinction between heritage landscapes and modernised landscapes and [2] the fragmentation of European historic landscape studies into numerous local case studies. The author of the present article argues in favour of a systematic approach, in which local case studies are integrated by classifying them in models on the basis of demographic and economic tides, stages in economic integration and Von Thünen-like geographical patterns.
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New nature in an old landscape. During the 1990s, growing areas have been taken out of agricultural production, to be converted into semi-natural systems (‘new nature’). Although this process enlarged the ecological values of landscapes,... more
New nature in an old landscape. During the 1990s, growing areas have been taken out of agricultural production, to be converted into semi-natural systems (‘new nature’). Although this process enlarged the ecological values of landscapes, it can work negative on the historic landscape values of the cultural landscape in three ways. Firstly, sometimes the land is intensively redeveloped to maximize ecological potential, which can cause a loss of landscape features. Secondly, much of the new nature is financed by extensive excavation of gravel, sand or clay, thereby destroying the historic landscape. Thirdly, new nature is often part of a deal, in which agriculture gives up marginal lands, but in turn claims the right to intensify further (with a loss of landscape features as a result) on neighboring lands. During the last decade, these problems have been most obvious in the riverine region of the Central-Netherlands. The author urges for more cooperation between ecologists and landscape historians in the planning of new nature.
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Stiboka presentatie van 6 proefbladen van de Historisch-landschappelijke kaart van Nederland en een speciaal ontwikkelde legenda. Samen met een toelichting, waarin een beeld wordt gegeven van de historische ontwikkeling van het... more
Stiboka presentatie van 6 proefbladen van de Historisch-landschappelijke kaart van Nederland en een speciaal ontwikkelde legenda. Samen met een toelichting, waarin een beeld wordt gegeven van de historische ontwikkeling van het cultuurlandschap en van de elementen en structuren die uit historisch oogpunt waardevol kunnen worden geacht
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Giving the Hedwigepolder 'back to nature'? History and heritage of a 'young' landscape. Under the title 'Landscapes in the News', the... more
Giving the Hedwigepolder 'back to nature'? History and heritage of a 'young' landscape. Under the title 'Landscapes in the News', the Historisch-Geografisch Tijdschrift wants to present data on the history and heritage of landscapes that are under threat. The present article describes the efforts to compensate the loss of ecological values in the Westerschelde estuary, that is being deepened to allow the ever larger containerships to reach the harbour of Antwerp. One of the proposals is to 'de-polderise' (or, as ecologists say: 'to give back to nature') the Hedwigepolder, a polder that was diked and reclaimed between 1904 and 1907. This article concludes not only that the present landscape has some heritage values, as a little changed early 20th-century reclamation with a layout that shows a remarkable mixture of agricultural and hunting interests. More important, the seemingly young landscape hides a complex layered landscape: under the present surface traces are hidden of an earlier short-lived 17th-century reclamation, of a medieval fenland landscape that was settled and reclaimed from the 10th-centurr onwards but was lost by 16th-century floodings and, deep below the surface, of a sandy landscape that was used by Mesolithic and Neolithic peoples.
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Op haar website presenteert de provincie Flevoland zich als volgt aan bezoekers: “Ingenieur Cornelis Lely maakte zich in 1891 onsterfelijk met zijn plannen voor inpoldering van de toenmalige Zuiderzee. Duizenden arbeiders begonnen aan het... more
Op haar website presenteert de provincie Flevoland zich als volgt aan bezoekers: “Ingenieur Cornelis Lely maakte zich in 1891 onsterfelijk met zijn plannen voor inpoldering van de toenmalige Zuiderzee. Duizenden arbeiders begonnen aan het zware handwerk. Het noordoostelijke deel van Flevoland, de Noordoostpolder, was als eerste aan de beurt. Het water week uiteindelijk in 1942. Het zuidelijk deel, de Flevopolder, het grootste kunstmatige eiland ter wereld, viel in 1957 en in 1968 droog. Op 1 januari 1986 werd Flevoland officieel de nieuwste en 12e provincie van Nederland”.1 De website van het Nieuw Land Erfgoedcentrum valt met de deur in huis: “de grootste polder ter wereld”.2 Het beeld is duidelijk: hier ligt onze nationale trots, nieuw land dat door mensen, in het bijzonder door Nederlanders, is gemaakt. Maar is dat wel het hele verhaal? En was er dan tevoren helemaal niets? In dit essay blijkt het IJsselmeergebied een gelaagd landschap met een lange en complexe geschiedenis.
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Urban farming is about food production for and by town dwellers. Small-scale farming is known to have been a feature of medieval and later towns from documentary evidence. An historical and geographical framework for urban farming in the... more
Urban farming is about food production for and by town dwellers. Small-scale farming is known to have been a feature of medieval and later towns from documentary evidence. An historical and geographical framework for urban farming in the Netherlands is offered in Chapter 2.
The topic of urban farming has nevertheless remained relatively underexposed in terms of archaeological research. This study surveys archaeological reports from commercially funded urban excavations in the Netherlands carried out in the period from 1997 up to and including 2017.
The volume presents evidence for urban farming in Dutch towns between 1250 up to 1850. The data has been assembled and analysed using text mining. This digital technique has been used to search for keywords that describe archaeological correlates of urban agriculture, such as ‘layer of arable soil’, ‘orchard’, ‘animal grave’ or ‘fruit tree’. A total of 1380 reports were examined, generating data on historic farming in 84 towns (Chapter 3).
Most of the data relate to animal husbandry (31%), closely followed by horticulture (27%) and more general or unspecified rural activities (21%). Arable farming is less represented in the data (16%). Surprisingly, orchards are not much in evidence, and fish farming is a rarity. The scale and extent of commercial urban excavations in different regions has influenced the amount of data that is available. For towns in Zeeland, Limburg, Friesland and Drenthe comparatively little archaeological data is available and this makes comparisons with patterns of farming in other regions difficult (Chapter 4).
Most indications of local animal husbandry are small-scale and incidental (Chapter 5). Primary evidence of animal husbandry within towns can nevertheless be found in the form of complete skeletons of stillborn, new born or diseased animals. There is abundant evidence for arable farming and horticulture but this fluctuates over time (Chapter 6). When the indicators for arable farming decrease in the late Middle Ages a corresponding increase can be seen in evidence for horticulture in peripheral urban areas. The presence of former fields that have been built over can be seen in fossilized urban boundaries, ditches and fences. Buried soil horizons often contain evidence for soil improvement. The most common indicator for urban livestock farming is the presence of manure in soil layers and pits. The reports that we examined also contained evidence for stables, barns, and animal cages (Chapter 7).
There were numerous farms in towns between 1250 and 1850. It is often not possible to reconstruct what agricultural activities took place on such urban farms. However, our study shows that urban farming activities evolved over time (Chapter 8):
• Indicators for urban farming increased during the period of urban development (up to 1450) and remained in evidence thereafter.
• Prior to the sixteenth century, town dwellers were mostly engaged in arable and livestock farming, but in later stages arable farming declined and horticulture increased.
• In terms of evidence for urban farming, the sixteenth century is the least represented in the available archaeological indicators. In this century more food was imported from outside the town walls.
• In the period of de-urbanisation (1650-1850) the indicators for urban farming once again increased.
The patterns that have been found by text mining archaeological reports are broadly in line with known historical and demographic trends. Thus, the historical differences that are often noted between coastal and inland towns are also clearly visible in the archaeological evidence.
Major historical events can also be seen to have influenced the behaviour of town dwellers. Most towns were given new defences during the Eighty Years War, leading to an upsurge of farming in peripheral areas.
The urban functions of twenty towns were analysed on the basis of Jacob van Deventer’s maps, where we examined the ratio of built-up and undeveloped space. Towns had an average of 70 to 75% of their area built-up during this period. Gardens made up about 15 to 16% of the urban plan.
The future study of urban farming requires a strategic approach, with a detailed sampling strategy (Chapter 9). Traces of agricultural activity are often hidden in unspectacular archaeological layers and features which are often not selected for sampling during commercially funded interventions. In order to unlock the potential for new insights into urban farming practices we suggest that new guidelines are needed to investigate the archaeology of urban backyards. Our study also concludes that more archaeological attention should be paid to farming activities in the near outskirts of towns, and that land use in general deserves more attention during archaeological investigations. The importance of soil sampling to detect the presence of manure or other evidence for urban farming must be underlined.
In terms of a national overview it is clear that some catching up is needed in the towns and regions that have been under-represented in commercial archaeological interventions in the last twenty years. Only then will it be possible to make better comparisons through time between the various regions of the Netherlands.
The topic of urban farming has nevertheless remained relatively underexposed in terms of archaeological research. This study surveys archaeological reports from commercially funded urban excavations in the Netherlands carried out in the period from 1997 up to and including 2017.
The volume presents evidence for urban farming in Dutch towns between 1250 up to 1850. The data has been assembled and analysed using text mining. This digital technique has been used to search for keywords that describe archaeological correlates of urban agriculture, such as ‘layer of arable soil’, ‘orchard’, ‘animal grave’ or ‘fruit tree’. A total of 1380 reports were examined, generating data on historic farming in 84 towns (Chapter 3).
Most of the data relate to animal husbandry (31%), closely followed by horticulture (27%) and more general or unspecified rural activities (21%). Arable farming is less represented in the data (16%). Surprisingly, orchards are not much in evidence, and fish farming is a rarity. The scale and extent of commercial urban excavations in different regions has influenced the amount of data that is available. For towns in Zeeland, Limburg, Friesland and Drenthe comparatively little archaeological data is available and this makes comparisons with patterns of farming in other regions difficult (Chapter 4).
Most indications of local animal husbandry are small-scale and incidental (Chapter 5). Primary evidence of animal husbandry within towns can nevertheless be found in the form of complete skeletons of stillborn, new born or diseased animals. There is abundant evidence for arable farming and horticulture but this fluctuates over time (Chapter 6). When the indicators for arable farming decrease in the late Middle Ages a corresponding increase can be seen in evidence for horticulture in peripheral urban areas. The presence of former fields that have been built over can be seen in fossilized urban boundaries, ditches and fences. Buried soil horizons often contain evidence for soil improvement. The most common indicator for urban livestock farming is the presence of manure in soil layers and pits. The reports that we examined also contained evidence for stables, barns, and animal cages (Chapter 7).
There were numerous farms in towns between 1250 and 1850. It is often not possible to reconstruct what agricultural activities took place on such urban farms. However, our study shows that urban farming activities evolved over time (Chapter 8):
• Indicators for urban farming increased during the period of urban development (up to 1450) and remained in evidence thereafter.
• Prior to the sixteenth century, town dwellers were mostly engaged in arable and livestock farming, but in later stages arable farming declined and horticulture increased.
• In terms of evidence for urban farming, the sixteenth century is the least represented in the available archaeological indicators. In this century more food was imported from outside the town walls.
• In the period of de-urbanisation (1650-1850) the indicators for urban farming once again increased.
The patterns that have been found by text mining archaeological reports are broadly in line with known historical and demographic trends. Thus, the historical differences that are often noted between coastal and inland towns are also clearly visible in the archaeological evidence.
Major historical events can also be seen to have influenced the behaviour of town dwellers. Most towns were given new defences during the Eighty Years War, leading to an upsurge of farming in peripheral areas.
The urban functions of twenty towns were analysed on the basis of Jacob van Deventer’s maps, where we examined the ratio of built-up and undeveloped space. Towns had an average of 70 to 75% of their area built-up during this period. Gardens made up about 15 to 16% of the urban plan.
The future study of urban farming requires a strategic approach, with a detailed sampling strategy (Chapter 9). Traces of agricultural activity are often hidden in unspectacular archaeological layers and features which are often not selected for sampling during commercially funded interventions. In order to unlock the potential for new insights into urban farming practices we suggest that new guidelines are needed to investigate the archaeology of urban backyards. Our study also concludes that more archaeological attention should be paid to farming activities in the near outskirts of towns, and that land use in general deserves more attention during archaeological investigations. The importance of soil sampling to detect the presence of manure or other evidence for urban farming must be underlined.
In terms of a national overview it is clear that some catching up is needed in the towns and regions that have been under-represented in commercial archaeological interventions in the last twenty years. Only then will it be possible to make better comparisons through time between the various regions of the Netherlands.
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How old are our historical villages and how did they develop? Which factors contributed to their formation? And what have recent archaeological excavations contributed to our understanding of this process? The formation and development... more
How old are our historical villages and how did they develop? Which factors contributed to their formation? And what have recent archaeological excavations contributed to our understanding of this process?
The formation and development of villages is one of the current priorities on the Dutch Archaeological Research Agenda (NOaA). To increase our knowledge on the subject the National Heritage Agency (RCE) initiated the ‘Valletta Harvest’ programme, a stimulus programme aimed to assess recent data and synthesize it into new insights. This research was carried out by the department of Archaeology at the University of Amsterdam.
The aim of the study was to determine what a decade of development-led archaeological (contract) research has yielded scientifically on the topic of ‘Village formation in the Netherlands during the Middle Ages (AD 800 – 1600)’. First we assessed the potential of excavated sites for synthesis (phase 1); next, relevant sites were confronted with new strands of knowledge (phase 2); and finally, we evaluated the present questions of the research agenda and made recommendations for an update (phase 3).
The four case studies we analysed revealed that the processes of village formation were quite similar on an abstract level and correspond with current settlement models. At the same time, however, these cases illustrated a great variety in form and development. Comparison with villages in the wider region showed that none could be held as exemplary. This variety means that local factors and human agency played a key role in the development of our villages.
Therefore, to advance our understanding of village formation, the primary aim of local and regional research at this point should be to describe and understand the socio-historical development of local villages within the wider village territory.
So far, systematic archaeological research in historical villages has been rare in the Netherlands. However, our case studies illustrate the great potential of archaeological observations (even small-scale) when undertaken within a municipal research agenda based on an historical-geographical framework.
This scientific report is intended for archaeologists, other professionals and enthusiasts engaged in archaeology.
Through knowledge and consultancy, the Dutch National Agency for Cultural Heritage offers the future a past.
The formation and development of villages is one of the current priorities on the Dutch Archaeological Research Agenda (NOaA). To increase our knowledge on the subject the National Heritage Agency (RCE) initiated the ‘Valletta Harvest’ programme, a stimulus programme aimed to assess recent data and synthesize it into new insights. This research was carried out by the department of Archaeology at the University of Amsterdam.
The aim of the study was to determine what a decade of development-led archaeological (contract) research has yielded scientifically on the topic of ‘Village formation in the Netherlands during the Middle Ages (AD 800 – 1600)’. First we assessed the potential of excavated sites for synthesis (phase 1); next, relevant sites were confronted with new strands of knowledge (phase 2); and finally, we evaluated the present questions of the research agenda and made recommendations for an update (phase 3).
The four case studies we analysed revealed that the processes of village formation were quite similar on an abstract level and correspond with current settlement models. At the same time, however, these cases illustrated a great variety in form and development. Comparison with villages in the wider region showed that none could be held as exemplary. This variety means that local factors and human agency played a key role in the development of our villages.
Therefore, to advance our understanding of village formation, the primary aim of local and regional research at this point should be to describe and understand the socio-historical development of local villages within the wider village territory.
So far, systematic archaeological research in historical villages has been rare in the Netherlands. However, our case studies illustrate the great potential of archaeological observations (even small-scale) when undertaken within a municipal research agenda based on an historical-geographical framework.
This scientific report is intended for archaeologists, other professionals and enthusiasts engaged in archaeology.
Through knowledge and consultancy, the Dutch National Agency for Cultural Heritage offers the future a past.
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The Netherlands is the most densely urbanized country in Europe. Its crowded landscape of larger and smaller, older and younger towns was formed in the course of a millennium. What were the roots of this urban landscape, and how did it... more
The Netherlands is the most densely urbanized country in Europe. Its crowded landscape of larger and smaller, older and younger towns was formed in the course of a millennium. What were the roots of this urban landscape, and how did it develop? What do the urbanization histories of the Netherlands and the rest of Europe have in common, and how do they differ?
Between 1300 and 1700, the Netherlands developed from a peripheral region into Europe’s epicentre. Over one hundred port towns sprang up in the 13th and 14th century, mainly in the western peat and clay areas and along major rivers like the Rhine and the Meuse. When the Republic became a world power in the Dutch Golden Age, vast urban extensions materialized in towns like Rotterdam, Leiden and especially Amsterdam, where the world-famous Canal District was built.
A century and a half of dramatic decline followed, coinciding with the rise of England and France as the new global powers. Industrialization in the Netherlands first gathered speed after 1870. It generated unprecedented urban extensions in the old
towns and an upsurge of new town formations. Industrial centres and residential towns sprang up along the new railway network. In the course of the 20th century successive Dutch governments developed an internationally renowned planning apparatus which in the context of the post-WWII welfare state churned out an endless series of motorways, housing estates and business parks at breakneck speed.
This book contains a comprehensive synthesis of a millennium of spatial development in the Netherlands. Series of maps, photos and paintings clearly illustrate processes of growth, stagnation and decline in Dutch towns and place them in an international perspective. The Atlas of the Dutch Urban Landscape is the first national overview of urbanization and urbanism, and as such a potential source of inspiration for other nations in Europe and beyond.
Between 1300 and 1700, the Netherlands developed from a peripheral region into Europe’s epicentre. Over one hundred port towns sprang up in the 13th and 14th century, mainly in the western peat and clay areas and along major rivers like the Rhine and the Meuse. When the Republic became a world power in the Dutch Golden Age, vast urban extensions materialized in towns like Rotterdam, Leiden and especially Amsterdam, where the world-famous Canal District was built.
A century and a half of dramatic decline followed, coinciding with the rise of England and France as the new global powers. Industrialization in the Netherlands first gathered speed after 1870. It generated unprecedented urban extensions in the old
towns and an upsurge of new town formations. Industrial centres and residential towns sprang up along the new railway network. In the course of the 20th century successive Dutch governments developed an internationally renowned planning apparatus which in the context of the post-WWII welfare state churned out an endless series of motorways, housing estates and business parks at breakneck speed.
This book contains a comprehensive synthesis of a millennium of spatial development in the Netherlands. Series of maps, photos and paintings clearly illustrate processes of growth, stagnation and decline in Dutch towns and place them in an international perspective. The Atlas of the Dutch Urban Landscape is the first national overview of urbanization and urbanism, and as such a potential source of inspiration for other nations in Europe and beyond.
Research Interests: History, Geography, Historical Geography, Urban Geography, Archaeology, and 27 moreArt History, Historical Archaeology, Medieval History, Urban History, Urban Planning, Cultural Landscapes, Townscape, Architectural History, Urban Studies, Medieval Archaeology, Urbanism, History of Planning, Landscape, 17th Century Dutch Republic, Urban Design (Urban Studies), Urban Landscape, Town planning, History of architecture, Dutch History, Medieval Towns, Urban planning history, Historic Urban Landscape, Town and Regional planning, History of Architecture and Town Planning, History of Urban Planning, Landscape and Land-use-history, and History of Towns
Die Angewandte Historische Geographie hat seit den 1970er-Jahren einige interessante Entwicklungen durchgemacht. Deshalb gibt es viele neue Fragen und Anforderungen gegenüber neuen Methoden, wie auch insbesondere im Bereich von... more
Die Angewandte Historische Geographie hat seit
den 1970er-Jahren einige interessante Entwicklungen
durchgemacht. Deshalb gibt es viele neue Fragen und
Anforderungen gegenüber neuen Methoden, wie
auch insbesondere im Bereich von Informationssystemen.
In den letzten Jahrzehnten ist in Informationssystemen
über historische Kulturlandschaften viel erreicht
worden. Die vorliegenden Informationen sind jedoch
für andere Zeiten, mit anderen Fragen, Bedürfnissen
und Methoden erstellt worden, als nun gegenwärtig
benötigt werden: Informationen und deren Systeme
sind „Kinder ihrer eigenen Zeit“. Deshalb sind unseres
Erachtens viele Daten, die in früheren Jahren gesammelt
wurden, auf die heutigen Fragen schlecht zugeschnitten.
Die Kernfrage hier ist, was momentan in Änderung
ist oder wie sich die nahe Zukunft ändern wird. Das ist
nicht möglich ohne Einsicht in die bisherige und heutige
Situation, wozu vier Perioden zu unterscheiden
sind: die Periode von den 1970er- bis 1990er-Jahren,
die Periode von den 1990er-Jahren bis heute, die aktuellen
heutigen Entwicklungen und die Zukunft.
In: 'Kulturlandschaft in der Anwendung', Bund Heimat und Umwelt in Deutschland (BHU), 2009, pp. 51-59
den 1970er-Jahren einige interessante Entwicklungen
durchgemacht. Deshalb gibt es viele neue Fragen und
Anforderungen gegenüber neuen Methoden, wie
auch insbesondere im Bereich von Informationssystemen.
In den letzten Jahrzehnten ist in Informationssystemen
über historische Kulturlandschaften viel erreicht
worden. Die vorliegenden Informationen sind jedoch
für andere Zeiten, mit anderen Fragen, Bedürfnissen
und Methoden erstellt worden, als nun gegenwärtig
benötigt werden: Informationen und deren Systeme
sind „Kinder ihrer eigenen Zeit“. Deshalb sind unseres
Erachtens viele Daten, die in früheren Jahren gesammelt
wurden, auf die heutigen Fragen schlecht zugeschnitten.
Die Kernfrage hier ist, was momentan in Änderung
ist oder wie sich die nahe Zukunft ändern wird. Das ist
nicht möglich ohne Einsicht in die bisherige und heutige
Situation, wozu vier Perioden zu unterscheiden
sind: die Periode von den 1970er- bis 1990er-Jahren,
die Periode von den 1990er-Jahren bis heute, die aktuellen
heutigen Entwicklungen und die Zukunft.
In: 'Kulturlandschaft in der Anwendung', Bund Heimat und Umwelt in Deutschland (BHU), 2009, pp. 51-59
Research Interests:
This book describes the way in which landscape and landscape heritage have been-and still areused to define national identities. It shows how national narratives use different types of landscapes. Some nations use nature as their main... more
This book describes the way in which landscape and landscape heritage have been-and still areused to define national identities. It shows how national narratives use different types of landscapes. Some nations use nature as their main point of reference, partly to circumcise conflicts between different ethnic groups. Other nations use agrarian landscapes, that are often describes as timeless and 'rooted'. Again other nations use history as a major sources for defining identities. In these cases, myths of origins, 'Golden Ages' or wars and conflicts deliver the materials for national narratives. The final section describes how nation states developed new urban as well as rural landscapes as national showpieces. As landscapes are an important but under-researched aspect of nation-building, this book fills a gap in the study of nationalism.
De belangstelling voor naoorlogse landschappen is groeiende, vooral voor de periode van de Wederopbouw. De meest bepalende factor zijn wel de ruilverkavelingen geweest. Het zijn die landschappen die vanmiddag centraal staan. Er zijn... more
De belangstelling voor naoorlogse landschappen is groeiende, vooral voor de periode van de Wederopbouw. De meest bepalende factor zijn wel de ruilverkavelingen geweest. Het zijn die landschappen die vanmiddag centraal staan. Er zijn verschillende redenen om naar die landschappen te kijken. Om te beginnen is er de enorme invloed op onze huidige omgeving. Een tweede is dat we de landschappen uit de Wederopbouwperiode intussen als erfgoed zijn gaan zien. Ze vertegenwoordigen een historische periode die voorbij is. In deze korte inleiding wil ik zowel kijken naar de variatie als naar de ontwikkeling in de tijd en ik wil afsluiten met een korte terugblik. Als eerste wil ik iets zeggen over die variatie.