The Deeper Meaning of Landscape Ecology

THE DEEPER MEANING OF LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY

by Antonio C. Antonio

June 28, 2013

QUESTION:  Do you feel that landscape ecology is the SCIENCE that humanity needs now?  Is social science a concern of landscape ecology?

Yes… I do agree and feel strongly that landscape ecology is a science the mankind needs now.  As much as progress is a much-needed ingredient for human survival, future plans and programs towards economic advancement should be calibrated to strike a good balance between maintaining a healthy environment and the utilization of our natural resources for our survival needs.  Sustainability should be the primordial consideration.

I also agree that social science is a concern of landscape ecology.  Man and the community of people he lives with interact with the environment in more ways than one.  The ever-increasing population has also increased the need for more space to be utilized to improve human living conditions… and the pressure is building up through the passage of time for more innovative ways to achieve this.  Land conversion, from forest and agricultural to industrial and housing purposes, is a common thing nowadays.  It is therefore imperative that the finite and limited land we have should be carefully studied, planned and properly managed.

Food security is another important concern.  As the population grows, more forest areas are being converted for agricultural production to cope with the subsistence needs the population.  Traditional methods of farming tend to use more farming area but advances in production technology oftentimes result to health issues for the consumers. I agree that a certain degree of technology must be infused in agricultural production… however, this should be sustainable and not pose some sort of harm to public health.

Just my little thoughts…