Not Just The Trees: Incorporating human ecological literacy into forest management beyond biodiversity and carbon sequestration in rural landscapes

The fragmentation and parcelization of Virginia’s 16 million acres of forest have allowed management to become disconnected by both administrative and physical boundaries. With diminishing resources from state and federal conservation agencies, we can look to bolstering collaboration between private landowners to help steward the future of Virginia’s forests, 82% of which are privately owned. This thesis introduces a Field Guide designed to empower individual landowners and landscape architects by connecting scientific knowledge with practical, accessible tools for managing forested landscapes. The Field Guide uses a system of ecological cues—observable patterns within the landscape that signal key ecological processes or disturbances. These cues, informed by theories in ecopsychology on visual perception and patterns, help users increase their ecological literacy through steps meant to expand their understanding. The Guide enables landowners to recognize and respond to these cues through a structured dichotomous key that leads to translated Best Management Practices (BMPs).

This framework fosters ecological literacy by providing users with the tools to assign meaning to the cues they notice on their land, therefore bettering management plans on their own or with the guidance of landscape architects and conservation agents. The Field Guide helps landowners recognize overlapping ecological cues across neighboring parcels, encouraging shared management strategies even when values differ. Ideally a free and publicly available resource, this approach fosters collaboration, helping to maintain ecological integrity across social and ecological disconnection. For example, identifying an invasive species leads the user to a set of BMPs that consider the species’ location, the size of its population, and proximity to sensitive areas like water sources in the removal strategies. Other cues include indicator species that signal an opportunity in an area, or the lack of a specific species can also indicate a needed shift in strategies to encourage a specific ecological type. The Guide includes visually translated management strategies that help land-changers carry out these practices on the ground, enhancing their connection to the landscape through hands-on action.

As forest parcels are increasingly divided and managed independently, ecological systems become fragmented, which can undermine their health and longevity. Landscape architecture plays a vital role in shaping the future of forested landscapes. By integrating ecological understanding into management practices, landscape architects can ensure that maintenance aligns with long-term ecological goals. This book serves as a critical tool for bridging the gap between scientific research and practical land management. A locally specific and didactic tool, the Field Guide encourages translation opportunities or concerns over decades and generations. It is an invitation for landowners and designers to embark on a lifelong journey of stewardship, ultimately leading to a collaborative enhancement of landscape literacy within Virginia’s forests.