Messy Ecosystems, Orderly Frames

Novel landscape designs that improve ecological quality may not be appreciated or maintained if recognizable landscape language that communicates human intention is not part of the landscape. Similarly, ecologically valuable remnant landscapes may not be protected or maintained if the human intention to care for the landscape is not apparent. Landscape language that communicates human intention, particularly intention to care for the landscape, offers a powerful vocabulary for design to improve ecological quality. Ecological function is not readily recognizable to those who are not educated to look for it. Furthermore, the appearance of many indigenous ecosystems and wildlife habitats violates cultural norms for the neat appearance of landscapes. Even to an educated eye, ecological function is sometimes invisible. Design can use cultural values and traditions for the appearance of landscape to place ecological function in a recognizable context. I describe several examples of cultural language “cues to care” that provide a cultural context for ecological function, and I demonstrate how these cues can be used in design.