Environmental Study and Landscape

Environmental Study and Landscape

Introduction

Landscaping is an activity designed to modify the visible characteristics, physical and mood of a space, both rural and urban, among which include: living elements, such as plants and animals , which usually is called gardening, the art of growing plants in order to create a beautiful landscape, natural elements such as landforms, elevations or water channels, the human elements such as structures, buildings or other material objects created by man, the abstract elements such as weather and light, and cultural elements.

Landscape derives etymologically from French pays (country), which refers to a region, and the suffix "aje" which gives the term action. Landscaping is to "landscape", with the difference that unlike the current art, modern landscaping uses not only the visual but the multidimensionality of the same: height, width, depth and time. Hence the growing importance because of social needs to define its identity.

The landscaping is as much art as science and requires good skills of observation and skills of design and planning, creativity, organization and imagination. Also be defined as a rational process by which man uses nature as a tool to express them, while you get several benefits. This is a concept that encompasses parts in small quantities from multiple disciplines such as agronomy, architecture, sociology, ecology, art, etc., to treat spaces taking into account both the volume of this as the time factor, as it works with living things and these are processes.

The landscape is so ingrained in us that are part of our history and our culture. The need of people turning to it is increasing, either to control pollution, as opposed to stressing effect and accelerated the gray cities, such as recreation, or to try to preserve the beauty and diversity exist. It is not just to contemplate, but also to experience and live in a healthy and balanced (Duncan & Duncan, 2004).

Discussion

Significance

Combining both their physical origins and the cultural overlay of human presence, and often created over millennia, landscapes reflect the living synthesis of people and place vital to local and national identity. The characteristics and quality of landscapes help define the self-image of a region—its sense of place—differentiating it from other regions. It is the dynamic backdrop to people's lives. Viewing natural landscapes may provide tangible health benefits. Many landscapes attract visitors, thereby supporting tourism and recreational industries and supporting regional economies. Landscape degradation diminishes quality of life. The iconic value of distinctive landscapes is commonly used in advertising. Many World Heritage Areas (as defined under the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO] in 1972) and national parks are established to safeguard landscapes of outstanding quality (Dwyer & Alderman, 2008). The results of landscape quality assessment may influence relevant policies.

Theoretical Basis

An evolutionary perspective underlies current theories of landscape quality: Preferences for high-quality landscapes are survival enhancing. Far from being casual or trivial, Stephen Kaplan believes, aesthetics are a guide to human behavior and have far-reaching consequences.

Interpretation of the Urban Landscape

Landscape interpretation can occur in several ways, from making personal meaning and developing a sense of place to a systematic, more scientific approach. For most of geography's history, the ...