What is Landscape Ecology?

So what is landscape ecology anyway?

Landscape ecology is about people, ecosystems, species, energy, pollutants, GIS and remote sensing, modeling, disturbance, flows, conservation, and many many other things. There are textbooks and journal papers that provide excellent technical definitions of what the science of landscape ecology is all about. But textbook definitions sometimes leave out the passion, the people, and the excitement of the discipline.

So, to capture the energy of the science, as well as the technical aspects, we asked a number of landscape ecologists to tell us what landscape ecology is to them and why it is important. Our roster of authors is a mix of senior graybacks in the discipline and young landscape ecologists just entering the field. We asked landscape ecologists who view the world through the lens of planning and design, as well as scientists who work on species and communities. When you read their short essays one thing will emerge -- landscape ecology is where the action is -- the passion and excitement of our authors is contagious.

Initiated January 17, 2005

	Jack Ahern		Pete August
	Thomas Crow		Richard Forman
	Eric Gustafson		Colleen Hatfield
	Louis Iverson		Joan Nassauer
	Sam Riffell		John Wiens

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Latest News

2011 Annual Symposium

The US-IALE 2011 Portland Symposium, "Sustainability in Dynamic Landscapes" website is now live! We are now accepting proposals for workshops and symposia, through September 30, 2010.

Check the website often for information about the meeting venue, deadlines, abstract submission, field trips, and registration.

Summer 2010 Newsletter Available Online

US-IALE returns to Athens Georgia to celebrate 25 years of service. For celebration details and the annual meeting update, check out the current Newsletter. (Please note membership log-in is required).

If you need need your Membership login information, please contact Rob Scheller at rmschell<at>pdx.edu.

IALE Bulletins

International Association of Landscape Ecology information and bulletins are available through the IALE web site.