Comparative Study of Landscape Character Assessment and Historic Landscape Characterisation and Its Inspiration to China

Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) and Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) originated in the United Kingdom, which are increasingly becoming important methods and tools for landscape character assessment. This article has carried on the comparative analysis from the aspects of the course of development, the method steps and its application and practice in different scales. LCA system has obvious advantages in the identification and division of landscape character types in transnational region and country scale, assessment results can accommodate more landscape features, however, there are limitations on the depth of public participation and the attention of historical dimension of landscape. HLC focuses on the character identification of historic landscape, the landscape evolution and identification of historical landscape character type in local authority and local scale are better than LCA system, but compared with LCA, the assessment results are not comprehensive, there is complementarity between the two systems. Rationally drawing on and integrating two systems and carrying out the identification and division of landscape character types will help to guide the reasonable management and utilization of territory and rural landscape in our country.