Introduction

The Belgian Association of Landscape Architects is member of the IFLA - International Federation of Landscape Architects and the EFLA - European Foundation of Landscape Architecture.
IFLA is recognized by the UNESCO as a consultative non - governmental organization.

The Landscape Foundation Belgium was established on 21 March 1992 and has been officially recog-nized by Belgian Law on 18 June 1992.

The major aim of the Landscape Foundation Belgium is :

• to sensitize a broad public to nature and landscape and their relation to mankind. 
• to raise the awareness of natural and cultural heritage on a global scale.
• to evoke the universal beauty and uniqueness of this heritage.

The Landscape Foundation Belgium is an organization with a four - member Board of Directors and an Executive Board with different experts of great and recognized knowledge and merit. 
The present president is Mr. Jean Pierre Knockaert, human ecologist and landscape architect. 

Programs

The Landscape Foundation Belgium focuses on 3 major programs.
 

Educational Program

Through lectures the Landscape Foundation Belgium offers professional landscape architects, students in the landscape architecture and professionals in other disciplines the opportunity to raise their knowlegde about national and international landscape projects and about global environmental problems and projects. 

In order to promote environmental consciousness the Landscape Foundation Belgium supports and participates in different seminars in Belgium.

Articles have been published in professional journals.

Scientific Research Program

In 1993 - 1994, the Landscape Foundation Belgium implemented the “Silk Road Landscape Project”, a survey project of the unique variety in landscapes along the ancient Silk Road from Istanbul (Turkey) to Xian (China). The project have been coordinated with the Universities of Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir (Turkey), Urumchi and Xian (China) and the Academy of Sciences (China).

The Landscape Foundation assisted in many projects, camp-workshops and seminars in many different communities along the Silk Road from Turkey to China. Information was exhanged about conservation and sustainable development of the landscape, about environmental education and about reforestation of sites with problems caused by erosion.
Special attention was given to the relation between landscape and man, between nature and culture.

 In 1995 - 1996, the “Seljuk Caravanserai Landscape Project”, a multidisciplinary study of the impressive natural and 13th century Seljuk cultural heritage in Central Anatolia in Turkey, was implemented out in close cooperation with the University of Ankara and supported by the Turkish Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture.
 The project had the honour to receive the Supreme Patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Laurent of Belgium.
 Among the most outstanding revelations of the “Seljuk Caravanserai Landscape Project” are the magnificent caravanserais of the Seljuk era (12 th - 13 th century) which dot the unique and highly diverse landscapes of Central Anatolia.
The case studies chosen in this survey were examples of the subtle equilibrium between nature and man, between past and present.

COSTA RICA

In 1997, the “Costa Rica Natura Magistra “, was initiated.
Costa Rica, a place almost synonymous with heritage of nature.
Home to an astonishing array of fauna and flora - approximately 5 % of all known species on earth - Costa Rica includes more butterflies than the whole of Africa and more than twice the number of bird species of the United States...

The country is sculpted to show the full potential of tropical nature. 
This outstanding reputation is well-known to insiders, scientists, experts and to an increasing number of foreign visitors... but with a substantial growth potential for sustainable tourism. 

The Landscape Foundation Belgium wants to participate in the further conservation and eco-development of the nature in Costa Rica through its project 'Costa Rica Natura Magistra' and the 'Centro Neotropico SarapiquiS'. This project aims to inform thousands of people and potential visitors about the outstanding natural heritage of Costa Rica.

In 1997 this project was nominated as “Proyecto de Intéres Público” by the Costa Rican Government.

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Lectures

lectures 1993 

•  Nature, environment and greenery in international context; Dr. J. Meeus (the Netherlands)
• Ecological forestry in Nepal; Prof. Dr. J. Schalk (Belgium)
• Archaeology and landscape; lic. M. Dewilde (Belgium)
• Functional and aesthetic aspects of landscape art; Prof.Y. De Smet (Belgium)
• Landscape as archive; Prof. Dr. L. Daels (Belgium)
• Ecotourism and landscape; Lic. L. Dries (Belgium)
• Landscape as a battlefield in environmental planning; H. Lorzing, Landscape architect (the Netherlands)

lectures 1995 

• Master planning in Flanders; Prof. Dr. L. Albrechts (Belgium)
• The enjoyment of emptiness; Prof. A. Geuze (the Netherlands)
• Art landscapes; Prof. Dr. M. Antrop (Belgium)
• Nature and landscape policy in the 21th century; Prof. Dr. E. Kuijken  (Belgium)

lectures 1997

• Landscape and Art, Art and Landscape; Johan Pas, Art Historian ( Belgium )
• Filosphy of Landscapes;  Prof. W. Elias ( Belgium )
• Man and cosmos in the East-Asian Esthetics; F. Boenders ( Belgium )
• Costa Rica Natura Magistra; Lic. J.P. Knockaert (Belgium)

UNESCO – IFLA 2000 

• The Landscape Foundation organises the 37th Worldcongres “Conservation & ecotourism” in september 2000, with the “Centro Neotropico SarapiquiS” as a model project. 

Books and Publications

1. “Landscapes along the Silk Route” ( 1994 )
An overview of the enormously diversity of landscapes along this ancient caravan route, which includes the Cappaddocian region, the Gobi Desert, the Takla Man Plain and the Pamir Massif.

2. “Ceramics along the Silk Route “ ( 1994 )
This catalogue was published on the occasion of the exhibition “Landscapes 
and Ceramics along the Silk Route”.

3. “Along ancient Trade Routes - Seljuk Caravanserais and landscapes in Central Anatolia” ( 1996 )
This exclusive book takes the reader along the ancient trade routes of Central Anatolia, allowing him or her to marvel at its fascinating caravanserai and landscape heritage.

Exhibitions

2. “Along ancient Trade Routes” , National Botanical Garden of Belgium, Meise Brussels;  30 November 1996 - 2 May 1997.
Fotographs, scientific drawings, artefacts and a documentary film of 25 min. 
This  exhibition emphasizes the diversity and interconnections between of landscapes and human settlements in Central Anatolia and their relations to each other. 

Films

2. “ The Silk Road in Central Anatolia “ ( 1996 ), TV-documentary (52 min)
The film was distributed to various European TV channels. 

Contact