Total Ecosystem Management

Understanding Landscape

AF Principle 7

On technological ‘development

• Clearly, there is something about technology that does not like that which is not itself

• Yet it is not a necessary condition, this unfriendliness to the land

The Lagoon Cycle 1985.

Landscape

• " a heterogeneous land area composed of a cluster of interacting ecosystems that is repeated in similar form throughout. Landscapes vary in size down to a few kilometers in diameter. The process of landscape development or formation results from three mechanisms operating within a landscape's boundary: specific geomorphological processes taking place over a long time, colonization patterns of organisms, and local disturbances over a shorter time". (Foreman and Godron ,1986).

• To this, the addition of the biodiversity component provides greater utility in management decisions. Thus the identity of all components, in terms of Anthropogenic and or Natural is also important

Landscape Relations

Abiotic elements natural and anthropogenic

Open land, natural and anthropogenic

Forest, natural and anthropogenic

Principle 6 Reduce ratio of external energy in productionTea, as a production system, industrial

and analog

Regeneration, natural and anthropogenic

Analog design on the left (90% exotic species) mimics the natural forest on the right( 100% native

species) with added aesthetic considerations

Landscape elements

AF Principle 7 Be guided by landscape needs

• All farming land will be a part of a natural landscape. The boundaries of which are often set

by definition. A common criterion to delineate a landscape is on a watershed basis. Once identified, each landscape can be divided into various replicating systems, such as open fields, tree covered, homesteads, roads, streams etc. A landscape will often have many vegetation components ranging from tree crops to open land. The patches of remnant vegetation often being the only habitat left for native biodiversity.

• In design, a recognition of the value of hierarchical structuring using abiotic, biotic, native

and cultural subsystems provides a framework for landscape planners and developers.

• Placement of species in recharge and discharge areas.