Cultural landscapes are a product of the interactions between humans and natural settings. They are landscapes and seascapes that are shaped by human history and land use. Socioeconomic processes especially, but also environmental changes and natural disturbances, are some of the forces that make up landscape dynamics. To understand and manage such complex landscapes, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches are necessary, emphasizing the integration of natural and social sciences and considering multiple landscape functions. The spatial patterns of Asian landscapes are strongly related to human activities and their impacts. Anthropogenic patterns and processes have created numerous traditional cultural landscapes throughout the region, and understanding them requires indigenous knowledge. Cultural landscape ecology from a uniquely Asian perspective is explored in this book, as are the management of landscapes and land-use policies. Human-dominated landscapes with long traditions, such as those described herein, provide useful information for all ecologists, not only in Asia, to better understand the human–environmental relationship and landscape sustainability.

From the reviews:

“This book captures the current scope and essence of landscape ecological work across Asia … . a helpful introduction or reference for landscape ecologists embarking on studies in Asia or for those who may be new to working in these countries and landscapes. It will convey to readers a sense of the rich cultural influence on Asian landscapes over millennia, and stress the importance of understanding and exploring human-nature interactions as part of any landscape ecological study in Asia and elsewhere.” (Janet Silbernagel, Landscape Ecology, Vol. 27, 2012)