Methods used in the analyses consisted of (i) collecting data
from maps and (ii) conducting and analysing interviews. We used
cartographic resources at different scales (medium and fine) and
focused on three major land cover types, i.e., forests, pastures and
built-up areas. More specifically, we identified the places wherein
land cover types did not change, prompting us to discuss the
relationship between the historical persistence of land cover types,
traditional village structure and traditional activities still practiced
in the study area. In addition, we identified the most prominent
causes of past landscape changes by conducting interviews with
stakeholders from three different cultural landscape areas. Interview
content was analysed to extract causes which were then
coded and clustered using agglomerative hierarchical clustering.
Both the results of the GIS-analysis and stakeholders' perspectives
were joined to extrapolate landscape changes and their causes in a
larger context. In addition, field observations of architecture were
realised, focussing especially on historical architecture in the study
region.
with specific stakeholder perceptions and causes of landscape
change to emerge.