The Use of Terrain Maps based on Airborne Laser Scanning Data for Researching Historical Parks Aerolaserskaneerimise andmetel põhineva reljeefikaardi kasutamisest ajalooliste parkide uurimisel

Abstract

One of the greatest problems related to the restoration of Estonian manor parks is the scarcity of historical materials. The existing archival materials provide a relatively good overview of the development of the manors as economic units, but information on the buildings, and especially the parks, is limited. Virtually no materials have survived on the design of the parks, and therefore, conclusions can be drawn about the historical park space based primarily on the plans of the manor lands that have survived from the 19th century. Based on these maps, it is possible to generally analyse the land utilisation, road networks, and buildings as well as bodies of water, to a greater or lesser degree. In a few instances, it is also possible to analyse more specifi c aspects like park structures and landscaping. Usually, it is not possible to analyse the terrain based on the plans of the historical centres of the manors. The analysis of park topography is a major component of site analysis, which enables decisions to be made regarding bodies of water, views, axes of composition, etc. Th is is why Clemens Steenbergen and Wouter Reh use topographic models for demonstrating the composition analyses of Europe’s famous historical parks.

This article focuses on the opportunities for utilising the relief maps of Estonia, which are based on the data collected by airborne laser scanning conducted by the Land Board between 2008 and 2011, for researching the terrain of historical parks. LiDAR-based (Light Detection and Ranging) map analysis is a relatively new research method used in environmental archaeology, among other things. The LiDAR map of Estonia, which is available on the Land Board’s Geoportal, can be used as a topographic model  in park research for conducting site analysis. The relief map can provide significant additional information in cases where a geodesic map has not been compiled for the park or the areas related thereto. The article deals with the possibilities for researching park terrains, and focuses on the methodological aspects of using relief maps for the analysis of park space, based on previously selected examples. As could be expected, research conducted in the spring and winter of 2013 showed that utilising the Land Board’s relief maps, which are available to the public, along with historical maps for the analysis of park spaces usually produces results and is quite easy to carry out. The available data enables signifi cant additional input to be acquired for the research of regular parks, which can help one gain an understanding of and interpret park space. Considering the universality and importance of map analysis in landscape architecture, one can assume that the method described in this article can also be useful more broadly, in theoretical and practical work related to landscape architecture.