Theo Spek

Theo Spek is a Professor of History of Landscape at the Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen. His work combines historical, geographical, pedological, archaeological, ecological, and onomastic methodologies to study cultural landscapes, focusing on their evolution and application in modern policy, spatial planning, and heritage preservation.

Research Interests

Spek's research emphasizes interdisciplinary landscape history, particularly in Northern Netherlands. He pioneered the Landscape Biography approach, analyzing long-term interactions between humans, nature, and soil. His studies cover medieval open-field systems, peat exploitation, water management, and sandy landscapes, with applications in landscape policy and spatial planning.

Publications & Projects

He has contributed extensively to academic journals and edited volumes, including Landschappen van Nederland: Handboek voor de geschiedenis van onze leefomgeving. Spek heads the Landscape Knowledge Centre at Groningen, which promotes academic training and societal knowledge transfer. He previously coordinated the European network PECSRL (2000-2007) and co-developed a new landscape map of the Netherlands in 2024.