Spot the difference?

All around us, landscapes tell us a story — if only we know how to read them.

This is the idea behind landscape literacy, a term popularized by landscape architect Anne Whiston Spirn. Gaining this kind of knowledge requires a combination of observation and reading. By really looking at the surrounding landscape and referencing historical documents like maps, photos, articles, and more, anyone can glean deep insights about the world around them.

This is the idea behind landscape literacy, a term popularized by landscape architect Anne Whiston Spirn. Gaining this kind of knowledge requires a combination of observation and reading. By really looking at the surrounding landscape and referencing historical documents like maps, photos, articles, and more, anyone can glean deep insights about the world around them.

Suddenly, hills, plains, trees, or plants become more than just nature.

They can tell us a host of environmental, social, and economic stories, exposing both problems and resources. In the process of becoming literate we are better able to recognize cause and effect, gaining a deeper understanding of our world.

But landscape literacy isn’t limited to reading our surroundings. Armed with a new vocabulary, we can become environmental stewards, learning to care for and protect the natural world. This knowledge invites us to take charge, transforming the world to better address the needs of our communities and the flora and fauna with which we share the landscape.