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This book is about the cultural-historic landscape and understanding and managing its heritage. On the European level the topicality of this theme is expressed by the European Landscape Convention and by the increasing need for integrative research. Against this background the Dutch archaeological-historical landscape is a point of reference to structure the exchange of information about it in Europe.

For the meaning of the word ‘landscape’we use the definition in the European Landscape Convention:“‘Landscape’means an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors”. This view fits in with the basic recognition that heritage management becomes increasingly ‘the management of future change rather than simply the protection of the fabric of the past’. This presents us with a paradox, to protect or preserve our historic environment we …