Is eenvoudig beter? Twee essays over natuur en landschap in het nieuwe omgevingsbeleid

This report includes two essays on the foundations of planning and environmental policy, focusing on natureand landscape. At a time when policy is changing, it is important to reflect on the foundations of thesepolicies, specifically on the question ‘What wisdom in caring for the environment?’ To reflect on this questionthe thinking of pioneers of regional planning, nature conservation and landscape management is linked withthat of a number of contemporary philosophers. The resulting proposal to consider environmental care as an‘anhropo-technique’, for which societal learning is crucial, implies a curbing of the standard thinking and aclear definition of the public interest, also at the national level. The second essay argues for a better use ofspatial planning policy to support objectives for nature and the landscape. Besides the Environment andPlanning Act, this should include the development and deployment of ‘policy arrangements’ that reflectvarious perspectives on nature and landscape.