What are the most innovative and effective tools and methods for environmental design and landscape analysis?

1 GIS and remote sensing

Geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing are powerful tools for collecting, analyzing, and visualizing spatial data and information. They can help you understand the physical, biological, and social characteristics of a landscape, as well as its historical and current changes, patterns, and trends. You can use GIS and remote sensing to map, model, and monitor environmental phenomena, such as land use, vegetation, climate, hydrology, biodiversity, and human activities. You can also use them to evaluate alternative scenarios, identify opportunities and constraints, and communicate your findings and recommendations.

2 Landscape metrics and indicators

Landscape metrics and indicators are quantitative measures that describe the structure, function, and quality of a landscape. They can help you assess the ecological integrity, diversity, connectivity, resilience, and services of a landscape, as well as its impacts on human well-being and environmental justice. You can use landscape metrics and indicators to compare different landscapes, monitor changes over time, and evaluate the effects of environmental design interventions. Some examples of landscape metrics and indicators are patch size, shape, and edge; fragmentation and perforation; contagion and interspersion; core area and contrast; connectivity and isolation; diversity and evenness; and ecosystem services and disservices.

3 Participatory methods

Participatory methods are approaches that involve stakeholders and communities in the environmental design and landscape analysis process. They can help you understand the values, preferences, needs, and aspirations of the people who live in, use, or depend on a landscape, as well as their knowledge, skills, and capacities. You can use participatory methods to engage, empower, and collaborate with stakeholders and communities, as well as to collect, generate, and share data and information. Some examples of participatory methods are interviews, surveys, workshops, focus groups, mapping, storytelling, games, simulations, and co-design.

4 Landscape visualization

Landscape visualization is the technique of creating realistic or abstract images, animations, or simulations of a landscape. It can help you communicate, explore, and evaluate the current or future appearance, function, and quality of a landscape, as well as its potential changes, risks, and opportunities. You can use landscape visualization to inform, inspire, and influence stakeholders and communities, as well as to elicit feedback, preferences, and opinions. Some examples of landscape visualization are sketches, drawings, models, photographs, videos, computer graphics, virtual reality, and augmented reality.

5 Landscape evaluation

Landscape evaluation is the process of appraising the performance, value, and impact of a landscape or an environmental design intervention. It can help you determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a landscape, as well as its costs, benefits, trade-offs, and synergies. You can use landscape evaluation to justify, improve, or adapt your environmental design decisions, as well as to learn from your successes and failures. Some examples of landscape evaluation are criteria, indicators, standards, benchmarks, ratings, scores, rankings, weights, and matrices.

6 Landscape governance

Landscape governance is the system of rules, norms, institutions, and actors that influence the planning, design, and management of a landscape. It can help you understand the power relations, interests, conflicts, and cooperation among the stakeholders and communities involved in or affected by a landscape, as well as the opportunities and challenges for environmental design and landscape analysis. You can use landscape governance to foster dialogue, negotiation, collaboration, and coordination among stakeholders and communities, as well as to promote accountability, transparency, legitimacy, and equity. Some examples of landscape governance are policies, laws, regulations, plans, programs, projects, agreements, networks, platforms, and coalitions.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?