The Cultural Values Model: An integrated approach to values in landscapes

Cultural identity is strongly associated with the ways in which people interact with their landscapes. A few special landscapes may have ‘universal’ or ‘outstanding’ values, but almost all landscapes will be valued in multiple ways by those people who are closely associated with them. It is important that those making decisions affecting landscapes are aware of the potential nature and range of cultural values, particularly where these values are not accounted for using standardised landscape assessment techniques. This article describes the development of the Cultural Values Model, which offers an integrated conceptual framework for understanding the potential range of values that might be present within a landscape, and the potential dynamics between these values. The model emerged out of community-based research undertaken in two landscapes in New Zealand, and is discussed in the context of the contribution that landscapes can make to cultural identity and sustainability.