The evolving circle of landscape design

Abstract

In landscape design and ecological restoration, humans shape the landscape. In doing so, practitioners express values that are not always stated explicitly. Here, we discuss how the values expressed by landscape designers and ecological scientists have constantly evolved through history and remain contested and re‐negotiated today—a phenomenon we term the “evolving circle of landscape design.” Values inherent in present‐day landscape design and restoration (e.g. biodiversity, climate resilience) may be one transient point among many (e.g. power relations of societies in the past, digital landscapes of societies in the future) on this evolving circle. We believe that a critical, reflective understanding of the values expressed during landscape design and restoration will enable practitioners to choose more freely which values are expressed in landscapes, and that doing so will empower our disciplines to help society meet its present and future challenges.