Landscape planning: functionalism as a motivating concept from landscape ecology and human ecology

Abstract

In this paper, the concept of functionalism from both landscape ecology and human ecology is examined. The conceptual merger of these sciences and their application in landscape planning is explored as a basis for an ‘ecological approach’. Functionalism is used as a motivating idea, supported by holism and structure as related concepts from ecology. The case is made that alternative ways of thinking about functional relationships have critical relevance to landscape planning, particularly regarding issues of scale and context. Landscape planning for sustainable agricultural landscapes is used to demonstrate how landscape ecology and human ecology might be merged and applied, and to illustrate how functionalism can be redefined in planning and design.