‘Climax thinking and landscape transitions for sustainability’

Kate Sherren

Climax thinking is a metaphor for resistance to public good landscape change that emerged from place-based research in Atlantic Canada. As in succession theory in ecology, we often believe our landscapes are in their ideal or equilibrium state (i.e. their climax), one that should be returned to after disturbance such as natural disasters. We need to shift to a non-equilibrium way of thinking about landscape given the sustainability challenges we face and their potential landscape implications. This presentation shares case work about wind energy installation, coastal retreat and flood risk mapping to move from the outcome level (resistance) to the process level (causes) of this novel idea, and the implications for research and practice.