Having spent a sabbatical earlier this year with trips to Oxford and San Francisco, Val shares his images and impressions about the urban forest and novel ecosystems he observed in these two landscapes along the theme of layered landscapes. The presentation is available here in two parts – Part 1 and Part 2.  

To really make the simple concept of layered landscapes and ecological restoration work in a design appropriate for a given site requires a process of discovery of the site’s past history, current influences, and future impacts. This process of understanding a site is sometimes called “listening” and encompasses ecological, social, and political factors and values. [Continue]