Keywords: landscape character, landscape change, landscape disturbance, visual impact, landscape indicators, landscape metrics, Valencia Orchards.

Urban sprawl and infrastructure development are one of the main driving forces that are causing rapid changes in traditional cultural landscapes in Europe which possess an important heritage value [1]. In view of this problem, indicators are needed in order to quantify landscape change. This paper focuses on Almásera municipality that is included in the Huerta of Valencia, a suburban landscape with historical, visual and agricultural values.

A set of landscape indicators are tested in order to evaluate changes in visual landscape character. It is defined as the visual expression of the spatial elements, structure and pattern in the landscape [2].

Effects on visual character are analysed for two different scenarios that show alternative futures for Almásera municipality. Scenarios which consist of the increase of the urban area and the introduction of new infrastructures are developed using geographic information systems (GIS). Indicators related to the characteristics of the rural-urban fringe, visual scale and fragmentation are measured for the present landscape and for the virtual scenarios.

The spatial framework where indicators are calculated is the landscape unit. Each of these pieces of land is consistent in its visual structure and function. It contains the main elements that determine the survival and maintenance of the landscape system: irrigation infrastructure, field enclosure, settlement pattern and rural paths.

Principal component analysis (PCA) is applied to the analysis of the relationships between indicators in the present landscape. It shows negative correlations between the contact perimeter and the size of the viewshed, on the one hand, and between the size of the landscape unit and its shape, on the other hand. Relations between the contact perimeter and the shape of landscape units are only shown in some units located in the east part of the urban settlement.

One of the main conclusions that emerge from this work is that developments of similar magnitude may have different effects on landscape visual character depending on the way they are designed. It is shown using the significant differences observed in the values adopted by the contact perimeter, visual influence, size of the viewshed and shape of the landscape units for both scenarios.

1

V. Van Eetvelde, M. Antrop, "Analyzing structural and functional changes of traditional landscapes - two examples from Southern France", Landscape and Urban Planning, 67, 79-95, 2004. doi:10.1016/S0169-2046(03)00030-6

2

A. Ode, M.S. Tveit, G. Fry, "Capturing Landscape Visual Character Using Indicators: Touching Base with Landscape Aesthetic Theory", Landscape Research, 33, 89-117, 2008. doi:10.1080/01426390701773854

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