Janice Astbury

MA Geography, McGill University, 1999

Thesis: Cultural constructions of the environment among Canadian and Mexican environmentalists and implications for NGO partnerships.

BA Geography (Cultural Ecology), McGill University, 1991.

BEd Special Education (psychological and social challenges), Université du Québec à Montréal, 1990.

Inviting landscapes - engaging citizens with ecosystem services for sustainable urban infrastructure.

Supervisors: James Evans and Joanne Tippett.

Urban sustainability, citizen engagement, social-ecological systems, resilience, landscape, green infrastructure, ecosystem services, urban design.

Most people in the world now call cities home but many urban landscapes convey the message that the city is beyond the control of ordinary citizens. These landscapes often communicate obduracy, with fixed structures that seem resistant to change. In addition, they tend to both conceal the ecosystem services that sustain life in cities and obstruct direct contact with nature, thus limiting opportunities for active participation in enhancing sustainability.

In an era when cities are faced with the dual challenges of upgrading crumbling infrastructure and becoming more resilient in a context of uncertain climate and energy futures, it seems appropriate to explore a greater role for citizens and nature. The aim of this research is to increase understanding of how urban landscapes can facilitate citizens' stewardship of ecosystem services in ways that develop and maintain green infrastructure for greater social and ecological resilience. Stewardship activities could include: planting and maintaining trees; introducing more permeable surfaces; restoring streams and wetlands; greening vacant lots and roofs; building a community solar oven; constructing adventure playgrounds using the resources of the site; creating attractive footpaths to promote active transportation. The possibilities are wide-ranging because the idea is not to dictate but rather to invite actions that are driven by the nature of the place and the skills and interest of the people involved.

The practical goal of this research, which focuses on North West England but also makes links to examples elsewhere, is to develop a typology of 'inviting landscapes' and some guidelines for facilitating their emergence. It is posited that a virtuous circle can be set in motion where resilience-enhancing interventions inspire similar actions, gradually reframing the city as a place where people and nature collaborate in a process of transformation toward greater sustainability.

Employment

Janice is a member of the Sustainable Consumption Institute's Centre for Doctoral Training.