Geodesign as a Socio-Ecological Approach to Puget Sound Recovery

Integrating Science and Place

Kathleen Wolf, PhD, University of WashingtonSchool of Environmental and Forest Sciences

Geodesign for a Sustainable WorldMay 2014 - PNW Geodesign Forum at UW

Diverse, Complex, Connected: Social and Ecological Systems

"The idea of nature contains, though often unnoticed, an extraordinary amount of human history."

Raymond Williams, "Ideas of Nature"photo credits: Mary Ann Rozance

Salish Sea Scienceprimarily biophysical

reductionist, impacts not solutions

Diverse, Complex, Connected:Social and Ecological Systems

Anthropogenic effects or human activity to the detriment of an ecosystem, OR

Seek to understand human behavior for sustainability and eco-recovery; e.g. conservation psychology and other social science disciplines

Behavior Change Outreachinitial effortsPS impact

targetssocial marketinggeneric, cross

Sound

Public Appeals

Education & Volunteerism

Design?site-basedtroubleshooting

A Bigger VisionUsing Geo-Design

evidence- based goal settingperformance analyticsdiverse landscape contexts – urban!

credit: Mithun

Place & Ecology

Embrace Urbanism

start with pilot projects

credit: EXP Architects

choose pilot sites . . .

• land use • • density •

• PS threats • • political will

•

SummaryPuget Sound is complex socio-ecological

systemextensive biophysical science knowledgerecovery response?could be: systems, place-based,

integrated design & ecology, multi-dimensional performance goals and monitoring

pilot sites for place-based recovery - use geodesign to select, develop, and monitor

www.naturewithin.info