Ecological Planning Method - Design with the Desert: Conservation and Sustainable Development - page 231

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Ecological Planning Method*
Frederick R. Steiner
CONTENTS
13.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 233
13.2 Steps in the Ecological Planning Method ...................................................................... 234
13.2.1 Step 1: Identification of Planning Problems and Opportunities ................... 236
13.2.2 Step 2: Establishment of Planning Goals .......................................................... 236
13.2.3 Step 3: Landscape Analysis, Regional Level .................................................... 237
13.2.4 Step 4: Landscape Analysis, Local Level .......................................................... 238
13.2.5 Step 5: Detailed Studies ....................................................................................... 239
13.2.6 Step 6: Planning Area Concepts, Options, and Choices ................................. 242
13.2.7 Step 7: Landscape Plan ........................................................................................ 244
13.2.8 Step 8: Continued Citizen Involvement and Community Education ........... 244
13.2.9 Step 9: Design Explorations ................................................................................ 245
13.2.10 Step 10: Plan and Design Implementation ........................................................ 245
13.2.11 Step 11: Administration ....................................................................................... 247
13.3 Working Plans .................................................................................................................... 247
References ..................................................................................................................................... 248
13.1 Introduction
What is meant by ecological planning? Planning is a process that uses scientific and tech-
nical information for considering and reaching consensus on a range of choices. Ecology
is the study of the relationship of all living things, including people, to their biological
and physical environments. Ecological planning then may be defined as the use of bio-
physical and sociocultural information to suggest opportunities and constraints for deci-
sion making about the use of the landscape. Or, as defined by Ian McHarg, the approach
“whereby a region is understood as a biophysical and social process comprehensible
through the operation of laws and time. This can be reinterpreted as having explicit
opportunities and constraints for any particular human use. A survey will reveal the
most fit locations and processes.” 1
McHarg has summarized a framework for ecological planning in the following way:
All systems aspire to survival and success. This state can be described as synthropic-
fitness-health. Its antithesis is entropic-misfitness-morbidity. To achieve the first state
* Adapted from The Living Landscape , by Frederick Steiner. Copyright © 2008 Frederick Steiner. Reproduced
with permission from Island Press, Washington, DC.
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