Contested Campus Landscape Placemaking of Socio-Ecological Systems through Actor-Network Theory

Abstract

This research study analyzes placemaking tension and dynamics at a university in the southern United States known for its beautiful landscape as well as its dedication to sustainability science education. This study aims to discover the decision-making framework of the University’s Grounds Department using actor-network theory to explore relationships among actors of turfgrass, soil, water, oak trees, and humans as a socio-ecological system within the institutional context of the university. Methodology includes participatory observation, interviews, focus groups, document analysis, and quantitative data collection. Data collected showed a high aesthetic expectation and high human intervention on a site-by-site level. The turfgrass at the front of campus is a symbol of the university. It is intensely managed by the Grounds Department and aesthetic quality is the highest priority. Our results reveal that legacies of intense management have caused more frequent turfgrass patchiness and plant inconsistency. The study reveals a highly contested socio-ecological system of dynamic interactions among humans, soils, water, trees, and turfgrass. This research provides the decision-making framework of the Grounds Department and describes feedbacks within the socio-ecological system. Nonetheless, alternatives exist to balance the demands of the socio-ecological system with the desire to maintain the aesthetic of campus.