The linkage between landscape and territory through perception, as proposed by the European Landscape Convention, creates a certain sense of annoyance in the people working on rural environments, no matter researchers, land planners, producers, managers or other related professionals. As a global society, we have assumed to be facing a fast-tracked process of urban concentration at a planetary scale. However, driven by the resounding logic of the first statement, we feel also as witnessing a bizarre process of disengagement, both sensible and affective, from our rural landscapes. Several guidelines to adopt this new approach are already in display, helping to redesign the role of people and communities in rural landscapes. This issue of Ciudades intends to show a selection of those approaches, proposals, lessons learned, successful experiences and innovations, built upon a collaborative, multi-disciplinary and multi-agent perspective, keeping the focus set on urban and land planning. The aim is to highlight the human factor behind the co-construction, development, sustainability and governance of rural environments.

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