Observers

BDLA - Bund Deutscher Landschafsarchitekten

The Association of German Landscape Architects (Bund Deutscher Landschafsarchitekten) was founded in 1913 in Frankfurt/Main under the name of the Association of German Garden Architects and changed its name in 1972.

It has around 1300 members, among them approximately 800 landscape architects in free practice. The Association represents the interests of freelance members alongside those landscape architects who work as salaried employees or civil servants and those trainee landscape architects studying in education.Landscape design expresses the spirit of the time; it is a cultural language and involves both the conservation and reinterpretation of landscapes. Landscape architects combine ecological awareness and expertise with planning competence; they assess and prove the feasibility of plans and realise projects. They take creative responsibility for our natural reserves for the interplay of the environment with our social and built environment.

BDLA website www.bdla.de

CIVILSCAPE

CIVILSCAPE is an international federation of 132 civil society organisations, public institutions and economic actors from 32 countries. This federation involves various members which dedicate their work to landscape protection, management and planning, according to the “European Landscape Convention” (Florence, October 20th 2000).

CIVILSCAPE is dedicated to creating an enabling environment for civil society organisations and citizens involvement, documenting the landscape communities, strengthening the infrastructure of the citizen sector, and promoting collaboration, both among civil society organizations and between civil society organizations, political or administrative bodies and other actors, to advance the public good in Europe and beyond.

Civilscape website: https://civilscape.eu/

ECLAS

The European Council of Landscape Architecture Schools, ECLAS, is an association of university teachers and researchers in landscape architecture, whose main membership consists of university departments and faculties where landscape architecture teaching and research is the main focus of activity.

The European Council of Landscape Architecture Schools exists to foster and develop scholarship in landscape architecture throughout Europe by strengthening contacts and enriching the dialogue between members of Europe’s landscape academic community and by representing the interests of this community within the wider European social and institutional context.

In pursuit of this goal the European Council of Landscape Architecture Schools seeks to build upon the Continent’s rich landscape heritage and intellectual traditions to:

• Further and facilitate the exchange of information, experience and ideas within the discipline of landscape architecture at the European level, stimulating discussion and encouraging co-operation between Europe’s landscape architecture schools through, amongst other means, the promotion of regular international meetings, in particular an annual conference
• Foster and develop the highest standards of landscape architecture education in Europe by, amongst other things, providing advice and acting as a forum for sharing experience on course and curriculum development, and supporting collaborative developments in teaching;
• Promote interaction between academics and researchers within the discipline of landscape architecture, thereby furthering the development of a Europe-wide landscape academic community, through, amongst other things, the development of common research agendas and the establishment of collaborative research projects (for example EU projects);
• Represent the interests of scholarship in landscape architecture within Europe’s higher education system, encourage interdisciplinary and international awareness and enhance public understanding of the discipline;
• Stimulate dialogue with European landscape architectural practice and with other international organisations furthering landscape scholarship.

ECLAS website: https://www.eclas.org/

ECTP-CEU European Council of Spatial Planners – Conséil Européen des urbanistes

Founded in 1985, ECTP-CEU (European Council of Spatial Planners - Conseil Européen des Urbanistes) brings together 28 professional spatial planning associations and institutes from 24 European countries as well as corresponding members. It is an umbrella association providing its members with a common framework to promote the visibility, recognition of the important societal role and practice of planning and urban development in Europe and its teaching, continuing professional development and the definition of professional responsibilities.

ECTP-CEU sets standards of education and conduct for the planning profession; engages in dialogue with local, national and European government, identifies, and rewards examples of good planning all over Europe.

ECTP-CEU website: http://www.ectp-ceu.eu/index.php/en/

UNISCAPE

UNISCAPE is the European Network of Universities dedicated to landscape studies and education according to the principles of the European Landscape Convention. Its aim is to support and reinforce interdisciplinary co-operation within and among European universities regarding landscape issues, especially in the areas of research and education. UNISCAPE thereby promotes the principles and the objectives of the Florence Convention. UNISCAPE is an International NGO enjoying the Participatory Status with the Council of Europe. IFLA Europe is a member of UNISCAPE.

UNISCAPE website: https://www.uniscape.eu/

Observatori del Paisatge de Catalunya – Landscape Observatories of Catalunya

The Landscape Observatory of Catalonia is an advisory body of the Government of Catalonia and Catalan society in general on matters of landscape. Its creation responds to the need to study the landscape, prepare proposals and sensitise Catalan society to the need for better protection, management and planning of the Catalan landscape in the framework of sustainable development.

One of the main purposes of the Landscape Observatory is to increase knowledge of Catalan landscapes among Catalan society and to support the application in Catalonia of the European Landscape Convention. In this sense, the Landscape Observatory will be the meeting point between the Government of Catalonia, local authorities, universities, professional groups and Catalan society in general, in everything referring to the management and preservation of the landscape.

The Landscape Observatory, therefore, seeks to become a centre for the study and monitoring of the evolution of landscape in Catalonia and the factors conditioning change. It also aspires to become a point of reference for scientific and technical research in matters of landscape. The Landscape Observatory, in short, is conceived as a centre of ideas and action in relation to the landscape.

Observatori del Paisatge de Catalunya website: http://www.catpaisatge.net/eng/index.php

Van den Berk Nurseries

Having existed for more than 75 years, Van den Berk Nurseries is a family company that has grown impressively due to the love and care they put into their daily work, striving to produce the best quality plants. These are a fundamental factor for landscape architecture projects, and as such the commercial relation between IFLA EUROPE and Van den Berk Nurseries -which dates back to 2011- has become a fundamental part of our Federation.

During all these years, IFLA EU has striven to reach a deeper relation which would benefit both institutions. This regards the exchange of information and technical developments which has led to the constitution of a joint working group –Arboricultural Technical Working Group- to allow more investigation by the designer and specifier to ensure the correct tree is chosen and that the specifications are provided to ensure ordering of the tree and its delivery, planting and aftercare are assisted by the provision of appropriate technical information.

IFLA EUROPE feels positive that our joint aim is to ensure the quality of our projects, providing a holistic approach that bridges the gap between providers and designers, is being achieved. In recent years, Van den Berk Nurseries has has been granted Corporate Membership, which is given solely to those institutions wish support and promote the same objectives than IFLA EU acknowledging them in Van den Berk. We have to thank specially Pieter Van den Berk for his unrelenting support, welcoming words and constant positive attitude for these achievements, which we hope will continue to develop in the future.

Van den Berk Nurseries specialises in medium size to mature trees and has a product range that consists more than 1750 varieties of deciduous trees, conifers, shrubs and rhododendrons. Van den Berk Nurseries is a supplier to (local) governments, landscape architects and landscape contractors all over Europe.

The company has developed a unique expertise in the cultivation of trees over three generations.

The plots cover about 500 ha. with unique ornamental trees, grown for their architectural value, as well as uniform trees in large quantities. It makes Van den Berk to one of the leading companies in its field. In January 2009 the nursery won the Dutch Horticultural Business Prize. Later in the same year the ‘Bronze Rose’ in the worldwide competition.

The company’s goal is not only to deliver high quality of trees, but also to contribute to good conditions for the trees at their final destination. Therefore, Van den Berk often works in close cooperation with landscape architects, as this is the most ideal way to obtain the desired result. Not for just one year, but for the long term.

https://www.vdberk.co.uk/

Background photo:© Kari Bergo

• BDLA - Bund Deutscher Landschafts Architekten - Visit website
• Observatori del Paisat de Catalunya – Landscape Observatories of Catalunya - Visit website
• ECTP-CEU European Council of Spatial Planners – Conseil européen des urbaniste - Visit website
• UNISCAPE - Visit website
• CIVILSCAPE - Visit website
• ECLAS - Visit website