Landscapes are critical to our well-being. From cloud-strewn rangeland to urban streetscapes, they feed and shelter, nurture and amaze us.
In all landscapes, human action and natural processes combine. Wilderness is now designated, no longer de facto. In even the most tended garden myriad insects and seedlings appear.
Successful, sustainable landscapes result when we align our efforts with natural processes. Such landscapes flourish without constant care and support life within and beyond their boundaries.
A network of these landscapes could serve our needs, restore ecological function, conserve biodiversity, and be a delight to inhabit. Such a network can only be built piece by piece. As designers and managers of landscapes, that is our work.
Travis Beck is Director of Horticulture at Mt. Cuba Center in northern Delaware. He is a registered landscape architect with a master's degree in horticulture, a certified permaculture designer and a LEED Accredited Professional.