SOS II

Programme 2000 - 2006 North West Europe

Date of latest update: 2024-11-16

Description

Description (EN):

The Sustainable Open Spaces II (SOS II) project intends to further develop the concept of ‘open space’ examined in the IIC project, to consider ways in which the importance of landscape identity can be achieved. Over three years this ambitious project, which brings together 16 partners from five Member States, acknowledges the importance of retaining the quality of historical assets and stabilising the relationship between town and country. It seeks to i) conserve and enhance the cultural and natural heritage through a range of investments; ii) develop joint promotional strategies and tools for raising awareness of landscape identities; iii) establish a knowledge exchange network; and iv) promote a partnership for long-lasting activity on open space issues. The project embarks upon a number of joint actions or ‘prototypes’ that will contribute to the creative enhancement of the NWE’s heritage through various forms of expression: some 17 investments schemes are targeted at landscape identity, peri-urban area and park management, green corridor and forest protection, and the restoration of archaeological and disused military sites. In short, rather than conceiving of open space as the ‘void’ in between strings of cities, the objective of the project is, in the longer term, to encourage new transnational perspectives on the role and positioning of rural areas in territorial planning.

Achievements (EN):

These are four of our conclusions and recommendations. The full list is in our final report (3.2): The open space around cities is critically important to helping the regions and cities of Northwest Europe achieve their environmental sustainability objectives. This fact needs to be more explicitly recognised in formal strategies and suitable policies which enables open space to realise to its full potential; Periurban open space has a vital impact on people’s quality of life and adds to the regions’ competitiveness. There is a need to maximise access to periurban open space for recreation, leisure and tourism, including for deprived groups in society who under-uses access now. The increasingly recognised public health benefits for all social groups of accessible open space will grow in importance. This will increase the social benefits of periurban space and further justify public expenditure on its development; Landscape identity is a valuable concept for locating the cultural value in open space under urban pressure, for increasing economic value and for building the interest of residents, stakeholders and investors in open space under urban pressure through image building, publicity, participation and education.; Landscape marketing is a valuable strategy in realising the market value of open space under urban pressure and for designing appropriate development strategies. It is most effective when it is built on a coordinated landscape identity approach. The institutional set-up of the French Parcs Naturels Regionaux is a good model for functional integration of landscape identity, marketing and economic development and merits to be replicated (on a pilot basis) in other countries;

Thematic information

Urban development Cultural heritage and arts Rural and peripheral development

Partners (16)

Lead Partner: Provincie Utrecht

Address: PO Box 80300, 3508 TH Utrecht, Netherlands

Legal status: n/a

Westelijke Land- en Tuinbouw Organisatie

Name: Westelijke Land- en Tuinbouw Organisatie

Address: 2012 JG Haarlem, Netherlands

Legal status: n/a

Provincie Zuid-Holland

Name: Provincie Zuid-Holland

Address: 2596 AW Den Haag, Netherlands

Legal status: n/a

Conseil Général du Bas Rhin

Name: Conseil Général du Bas Rhin

Address: 67964 STRASBOURG cedex 9, France

Legal status: n/a

Planungsverband Ballungsraum Frankfurt/Rhein-Main

Name: Planungsverband Ballungsraum Frankfurt/Rhein-Main

Address: 60329 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Legal status: n/a

Landsiedlung Baden-Württemberg

Name: Landsiedlung Baden-Württemberg

Address: 70182 Stuttgart, Germany

Legal status: n/a

Vlaamse Landmaatschappij

Name: Vlaamse Landmaatschappij

Address: 1060 Brussel, Belgium

Legal status: n/a

Provincie Vlaams-Brabant

Name: Provincie Vlaams-Brabant

Department: Mobility Department and Europe Department

Address: Provincieplein, 3010 Leuven, Belgium

Legal status: public

Website: https://www.vlaamsbrabant.be/index.jsp

Conseil Régional d'Ile de France

Name: Conseil Régional d'Ile de France

Address: 75007 Paris, France

Legal status: n/a

Conseil Régional d'Alsace

Name: Conseil Régional d'Alsace

Address: 67070 Strasbourg Cedex, France

Legal status: n/a

Association des Maisons du Bornage de la Forêt de Fontainebleau

Name: Association des Maisons du Bornage de la Forêt de Fontainebleau

Address: 77 300 Fontainebleau, France

Legal status: n/a

CEZ Bergerie Nationale

Name: CEZ Bergerie Nationale

Address: 78514 Rambouillet Cedex, France

Legal status: n/a

Parc Naturel Régional du Gâtinais Français

Name: Parc Naturel Régional du Gâtinais Français

Address: 91490 Milly la forêt, France

Legal status: n/a

Conseil Général du Haut Rhin

Name: Conseil Général du Haut Rhin

Address: 68006 COLMAR Cedex, France

Legal status: n/a

Standing Conference of South Pennine Authorities

Name: Standing Conference of South Pennine Authorities

Address: BD1 5RW Bradford, United Kingdom

Legal status: n/a

Provincie Limburg

Name: Provincie Limburg

Address: 6202 MA Maastricht, Netherlands

Legal status: n/a

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Westelijke Land- en Tuinbouw Organisatie

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SOS II

Description

Thematic information

Partners (16)

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Summary

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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