Paper recommendation: Landscape Sustainability Science

By Joern Fischer

Recommendation of Landscape sustainability science: ecosystem services and human well-being in changing landscapes

Wu J, Landscape Ecol 2013 Jul; 28(6):999-1023, DOI: 10.1007/s10980-013-9894-9

In this paper, Jianguo Wu outlines the conceptual domain of “landscape sustainability science” – that is, place-based sustainability science that draws on landscape ecology as well as the social sciences and local stakeholders. “Landscape sustainability science” gives a name to what an increasing number of people believe is a useful way to conduct sustainability science, namely use-inspired, solution-oriented, transdisciplinary science in real landscapes. The global PECS initiative, for example, is motivated by just this (see Carpenter et al. in COSUST; http://www.pecs-science.org).

Wu nicely outlines many of the various facets of theory that landscape sustainability science needs to draw on, related to sustainable development, resilience, vulnerability, human well-being, and ecosystem services. The paper is an ambitious synthesis effort, but for the most part, one that very nicely brings together a vast array of relevant literature. Little gems are hidden throughout the paper, including some wonderful quotes by people such as Richard Forman, Robert Kates, and Herman Daly.

This paper gives plenty of food for thought, and I highly recommend it to everyone interested at the intersection of landscape ecology and sustainability science.