This research responds to Quebec’s call to new ways of thinking in land use planning to conserve the cultural significance of its rural landscapes. Based on guidance and approaches of the United Kingdom (UK), including historic landscape characterisation, a conservation strategy is developed and applied to the study site of Saint-Donat, Quebec. The story of the Saint-Donat landscape is told through historical narrative, GIS mapping and analysis both in time-slice and time-depth, and photographic images, which reveal values attributable to the landscape. Demonstration of how landscape policies and land use planning of Saint-Donat are informed to sustain these values is provided through application to two historic landscape character areas: the village and a mountainous recreational area. This research contributes to Canadian, Quebec and UK aims to develop a comprehensive conservation strategy for conserving cultural landscapes. Future research is needed to expand our understanding of how and why people value landscapes and the role values play in managing landscape change and landscape sustainability.