Abstract
Visual Landscape Character Classification
Track: Parks and Natural Reserves
Author(s): Lars Brabyn
The aesthetic values of landscape are a multi-billion dollar resource. To effectively manage this resource and the contentious issues sounding landscape change it is important to have a landscape classification. In 1996 the New Zealand Landscape Classification was released. This classification has now been reworked and a second version has been developed. The classification relies on GIS for automated feature recognition and generalisation. There are now a wide range of data sets that can be used in a landscape classification and the most important are the topographical and land-cover data sets. The landscape classification combines landform, land-cover, infrastructure, and the influence of water. To validate the classification, 3D visualisation is used. This paper demonstrates how the New Zealand Landscape Classification is assisting the Department of Conservation in their recreational planning.
Lars Brabyn
University of Waikato
Dept of Geography
Private Bag 3105
Hamilton , Waikato 3240
New Zealand
Phone: 006478384466
E-mail: larsb@waikato.ac.nz