Landscape Special Interest Group

Forming AGM 2024

Please join us to launch the Landscape SIG on Wednesday 8 May from 10:00 BST online. Register here.

If you have any questions please email groups@archaeologists.net.

Purpose

The Landscape Special Interest Group has been formed to highlight the importance of establishing a robust and suitably broad record, characterisation and understanding of the historic and contemporary landscape. It will consider how this understanding should inform the assessment of effects of change and development and influence policy making, planning and design.

Greater knowledge, effective collaboration and understanding of the historic environment will unlock the creative potential of environmental professionals to respond more effectively to the distinctiveness and character of a place, to see the opportunities for change as well as the sensitivities to it and inform decisions and designs that will drive sustainable development and better reveal cultural heritage.

The Landscape SIG will foster links with environmental professionals whose work requires them to engage with and understand the historic environment, including archaeologists, landscape architects, ecologists, architects, urban designers, planners and those who manage or advise on the management of the natural environment.

Aims and Objectives

Aims

  • engage in the process of change at all scales, from individual sites and assets to the landscape scale
  • collaborate with other environmental professions and land managers to deliver holistic benefits through landscape
  • understand cross-cutting terminology and issues from both natural and historic environment sectors

Objectives

  • to act as a focus for CIfA members and external interested parties with an interest in landscape
  • to support best practice through the development of archaeological and landscape guidance in a range of land use contexts
  • to establish a forum for sharing of experience and knowledge on landscape
  • to provide a place for archaeologists to develop skills and engage with other environmental professions to emphasise the historic nature of landscape and the social and environmental value a landscape perspective can bring to multidisciplinary projects
  • to provide training, both within and outside the heritage profession, on delivering advice on and benefits to the historic landscape

Committee members

Sam Turner (Hon. Chair)
Meike Van Lit (Hon. Treasurer)
Brandon Braun (Hon. Secretary)
David Astbury
Victoria Bowns
Ian Houlston
Kat Hopwood Lewis
Abi Tompkins
Janine Young