Introduction:
Natural landscapes are all around us, but how often do we stop and examine our natural world more closely? Even within a single landscape, we can find layers of meaning, varying representations of nature, and human influences. For this exercise, you will be an environmental geographer observing, identifying, and interpreting a natural landscape.
The Assignment:
For this assignment, you’ll observe a natural landscape of your choice. Feel free to define nature broadly. State & local parks and on & off campus green spaces are great choices, but nature can be found in nontraditional settings as well. You’ll utilize all of your senses to carefully study the landscape and report on your observations. This assignment should be completed independently. You might find it helpful to prepare a list of objectives before you complete your fieldwork.
Fieldwork:
Walk around the natural landscape of your choice and, using a notepad, take notes on your observations. You will be turning in these notes with your final report, so be sure to print clearly. You might also consider taking pictures, if permitted, of what you observe for further analysis.
As you walk around your chosen landscape, keep the following questions in mind:
What types of plants and/or animals are found at your chosen location?
How do humans interact with nature here?
Are there any symbols or signs depicted on this landscape? What might these symbols represent?
How is nature represented?
Does the natural landscape differ depending on what area of it you’re visiting?
To what degree is nature engineered or commodified here?
As you walk through the landscape, note the sounds you hear, as well as other senses such as smell and touch.
Essay:
Once you have completed your fieldwork, write a minimum THREE page summary (typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12 point font) discussing what you observed. Make sure to relate your observations to key concepts discussed in class. You may also reference journal articles, but be sure to cite them when using paraphrases or quotes. Be creative. You are also welcome to include photos, but they do not count toward your THREE page summary. Three pages is the minimum and just over three pages is the maximum.
