Design for Human Ecosystems: Landscape, Land Use, and Natural Resources [Paperback]

John Lyle (Author), Joan Woodward (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 155963720X | ISBN-13: 978-1559637206 | Publication Date: March 1, 1999 | Edition: 1

For more than 30 years, John Tillman Lyle (1934-1998) was one of the leading thinkers in the field of ecological design. "Design for Human Ecosystems," originally published in 1985, is his classic text that explores methods of designing landscapes that function in the sustainable ways of natural ecosystems. The book provides a framework for thinking about and understanding ecological design, along with a wealth of real-world examples that bring to life Lyle's key ideas. Lyle traces the historical growth of design approaches involving natural processes, and presents an introduction to the principles, methods, and techniques that can be used to shape landscape, land use, and natural resources in an ecologically sensitive and sustainable manner. Lyle argues that careful design of human ecosystems recognizes three fundamental concerns: scale (the relative size of the landscape and its connections with larger and smaller systems), the design process itself, and the underlying order that binds ecosystems together and makes them work. He discusses the importance of each of these concerns, and presents a workable approach to designing systems that effectively accounts for all of them. The theory presented is supported throughout by numerous case studies that illustrate its practical applications. This new edition features a foreword by Joan Woodward, noted landscape architecture professor and colleague of Lyle, that places the book in the context of current ecological design thinking and discusses Lyle's contributions to the field. It will be a valuable resource for landscape architects, planners, students of ecological design, and anyone interested in creating landscapes that meet the needs ofall an area's inhabitants -- human and nonhuman alike.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Island Press; 1 edition (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155963720X
• ISBN-13: 978-1559637206
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #461,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another classic for future generations, April 1, 2001

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"johnthebaptist" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Design for Human Ecosystems: Landscape, Land Use, and Natural Resources (Paperback)

John Lyle continues his seminal work presented in "Regenerative Design for Sustainable Development". Any one interested in designing deep structures of urban spaces into sustainable environments would benefit greatly from reading this book. This book also covers rural development as well. Propagation of water flows for maximum beneficial inter-relationships is one particula r topic of interest for me.

I highly recommend this book!