Human-environment interactions in floodplain environments: learning from the past

Floodplains are highly dynamic environments that are not only shaped by the interplay of geomorphological, ecological and hydrological processes, but also by direct anthropogenic activities such as milling, drainage, peat extraction, dike construction, agriculture and settlements. Since floodplains have attracted humans throughout history, present-day fluvial landscapes can be considered a cultural palimpsest landscape. With this project it is aimed to provide a long-term reconstruction of the human-environment interactions in floodplains in Flanders. In particular, we will map the various direct and indirect human interventions in three case study floodplain sites by combining an archaeological, historic and geographical analysis and quantify their impact on the functioning of various environmental processes. Furthermore, we will analyse how human societies through time have responded towards changes in the floodplain environment, whereby particular attention will be paid to agrarian societies. The time-depth analysis of past human-environment interactions in floodplains will learn us 1) how the palimpsest landscape came about and to which time period specific landscape features can be traced back, but also 2) how resilient the use and management floodplains has evolved through time. This information will not only enable us to better manage and preserve our cultural heritage within floodplains, but also to better assess the robustness of floodplain use and sustainable management in future.

Keywords:alluvial archaeology, anthropogenic landscape, floodplain management, rural history, landscape evolution

Disciplines:Physical geography and environmental geoscience not elsewhere classified, Landscape archaeology, Landscape and ecological history