Landscape can be defined as "an area, perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors". As such, landscape, by its very definition, has the potential to be viewed in the light of economics. In The Value of Landscapes, the authors analyze the central concept of 'Landscape Economics'. Some attention has been paid to the idea within existing economic fields, such as ecological economics and the more traditional environmental (and resource) economics but this has generally been fragmented and certainly lacking an overarching relational framework, or consistent and systematic analysis. Central themes include: the difference between nature, biodiversity and landscape and how to deal with this difference from an economics point of view. the value of landscape, which is not only an instrumental value but also an aesthetic value. landscape and local stakeholder involvement. an interdisciplinary approach to landscape research With cross-country analyes of landscapes, and landscape perceptions, from Europe, the United States and Asia, this book will constitute the first major attempt to grapple with the key issue of how our landscapes are valued.