Roads play an important role in our daily surroundings and provide access to landscape. Views from the road create the first impression about the country. It is important to pay attention to the landscapes along the roads used by tourists. The purpose of this study was to obtain general overview of the current state, identify existing and disappearing features of the road landscape in Latvia. Research on road landscape perception and design is well developed in the USA and some countries in Europe. The assessment of the current state and proposals for the road landscape development in Latvia are fields which are little discussed and need more attention. The research was carried out in several sections of the main roads and some sections of regional and local roads in July and August, 2011 and August, 2012. Photography method was used. Analysis of the results shows that the main reasons of aesthetic quality loss in road landscapes is lack of planning and management, indicating the necessity to find ways for rural landscape quality enhancement.

Nowadays, linkage of landscape ecology with landscape aesthetics becomes very topical, especially when people move from rural areas to big towns and cities. Landscape ecological planning becomes more important in terms of sustainable environment. Landscape assessment and investigation needs a multidisciplinary approach. The aim of the study was to evaluate landscape ecological aesthetics in urban area. The selected city for study was Jelgava – city with a special characteristic landscape of Zemgale plains and wide green spaces in the city centre. Jelgava is one of the examples of complex urban system with ecological environment. This research presents landscape evaluation of Jelgava using ecological aesthetics assessment method. Territory of Jelgava was divided in groups of research areas: green spaces, residential areas and other territories. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used in the research. The methods applied in this research describe the present situation of the city. Landscape inventory, biotope structure analysis and evaluation of landscape ecological aesthetical qualities give a general overview of the problems and opportunities of the examined city. Research study was managed in autumn and winter 2011. The results show the need for sorting the cityscape and use of ecological principles in further urban planning. Green areas of Jelgava are ecological and aesthetical valuable but multi-storey residential areas have low quality of landscape ecological aesthetics.

The study looks at a non - traditional way of perception and assessment of urban landscape, using the photographic method. Advantages and disadvantages of this method have been explained. As an example, a complicated urban area with different landscapes types, including historical, aesthetical, functional and emotional aspects, has been studied. The territory in the existing functional zones was mapped. Typical or representative views of each functional zone were photographed. Out of 590 slides, 25 were chosen and presented on a wall in an auditorium. For each slide, six questions were asked, which represented a public perception of landscapes from the standpoint of Environmental Psychology. These were: the aesthetical value, harmony, order and sense of locality, variety of forms and diversity, secrecy, safety. The results show differences of perception between men and women, younger and older people, and locals and visitors. Most of the respondents were Latvian, and for that reason cultural and mentality aspect was one of the most important the results of this study. Almost everybody chose slides with harmonized, safe and greener space, which are the main features of the historical Latvian country yard.