Landscape Planning and Management

Individuals, governments and professionals are increasingly engaged in learning how to live more sustainably. Scientific research continues to provide both new knowledge and a greater sense of urgency in this area. Planners and designers are involved in the design of new developments and public open spaces and in ecosystem management, across a range of sites types and scales. Incorporating sustainability into these activates requires the integration of diverse knowledge and activities.
Addresses the question: How do we integrate social, economic and ecological values in developing sustainable urban regions? Its goal is to better understand how designers, planners, and land managers, can identify and solve issues of sustainability and foster the creation of more sustainable regional and local landscapes. The course is divided into three sections that address and integrate applied sustainability theory, planning methodology and ecological restoration.

Section 1
Section one will focus on the exploration of the issues and methods of landscape planning. Using global and local case study examples, the course examines planning that integrates traditional conservation planning with land development, growth management and infrastructure.
Section 2
The section emphasizes a wholistic and systematic approach to modeling sustainability and its integration into planning, design and management.
Section 3
The last portion of the course studies the use of ecological assessment, restoration, and enhancement to support human values while protecting the regional ecosystem.

Format
The course will combine illustrated lectures, guest lectures, case study analysis, local field trips and discussion/seminars on readings/case studies. Readings will be assigned before each seminar to prepare for student led discussions and each student will contribute a reading to the class.

Instructor: Patrick Mooney