Imagine an environment, a landscape, where people live and work with nature. You will work with local communities, entrepreneurs and other organisations that sustain nature based economies. These are the kind of things you will learn in the specialization of Integrated Environmental Management towards Sustainable Landscape Development:

During the specialization you will assess the different landscapes, the environment  and ecosystems, considering the international to local development challenges related to them.  You will be able to assess environmental and social- economic impacts on the landscape and sustainable ecosystem utilization (current and future). You will generate solutions on a regional and local scale, based on innovative land- and forest use, management and business plans.

After the specialization you will know the different landscapes and ecosystems, understand the challenges related to them, can assess environmental impacts of the landscape and ecosystem utilization and will be able to solve the challenges related to them.

Added value:

Professional practice in Sustainable Landscape Development indicated the need for the following:

The many needs and requirements of different stakeholders and the environment itself pose competition for land areas and land use. The current challenges in environmental and social settings in Europe require an understanding of how to develop changing landscapes, which offers opportunities for sustainable livelihoods whilst maintaining biodiversity. There is a knowledge gap in understanding the linkages between nature and conservation management and economics and therefore integrated environmental management, which takes into consideration the environmental, economic and social aspects is needed for transparent and fair use of land.

The society needs professionals who understand and can apply the principles of, for example, sustainable use of natural resources, eco-social approach, cultural and geo-heritage management, sustainable business management and entrepreneurship. In addition they need knowledge and ability to apply landscape and environmental governance, legislation and policies at global, European, national and regional levels. The future landscape developers will also need multi- and interdisciplinary skills such as communication, project and proposal writing skills making them team players and innovative professionals. 

The student Sustainable Landscape Development will develop landscape plans that contribute to sustainable development of a specific area. In order to design a well thought and justified proposal he has to integrate biophysical, socio-economic, environmental and governance aspects.

The student Sustainable Landscape Development is able to:

·         understand and explain the complexity and relation between geodiversity, biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and services.

·         analyze the functioning of an ecosystem within a landscape, including social and economic factors (society) taking into account climate adaptation and mitigation

·         identify land use systems with e.g. forest management, organic agriculture, agroecology, etc.

·         design and evaluate a landscape plan

·         understand the economics of forest and nature conservation (Forests, Food and Finance)

·         explain about certification programs/schemes related to the points mentioned above.

External students: 120 ects, first year completed entirely

English ERF Level B2

Provide documents for entrance requirements
- Propedeuse certificaat/ Overview first year
- Motivatiebrief / Motivational letter
- Curriculum Vitae
 Overzicht behaalde resultaten/ transcript of records

- An introduction to Physical Geography and the Environment, Joseph Holden, Fourth edition, 2017, Pearson Education Limited, 978-129-208-3575, 
€ 59,00 (digitally available at VHL)

- Fieldwork River21, Mandatory, About €125

- Fieldwork ALD, Mandatory, About €500-€600

Interactive lectures, excursions, seminars, discussions, workshops, fieldwork

Lectures  workshops - 140 sbu
Self-study- 280 sbu
River21 Fieldwork + research work + design- 420 sbu

VLW4ILDVE1
Introduction to Sustainable Landscape Development: 
6 EC
Film on River21 project + Presentation of issues from own country (discussion and oral exam) + Reflection report

VLW4SLUVE1
Sustainable Land Use Systems:
6 EC
Case study project / report

VLW4DLCVE1
Language and cultural awareness:
3 EC
Written test

VLW4ALDVE
Applied landscape management and development:
15 EC
Portfolio assessment