Sustainable agriculture in central Illinois: Visioning the future

Baumgartner, Susan J.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/18220 Copy

Description

Title

Sustainable agriculture in central Illinois: Visioning the future

Author(s)

Baumgartner, Susan J.

Issue Date

2011-01-14T22:40:20Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Lawson, Laura J.

Department of Study

Landscape Architecture

Discipline

Landscape Architecture

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.L.A.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• landscape design
• sustainable agriculture
• central Illinois
• biodiversity
• ecosystem services
• regional planning
• landscape architecture
• native species
• habitat
• ecology

Abstract

Agricultural regions are under increasing pressure to provide more food for increasing populations while global biodiversity is at risk imperiling the future health of people, wildlife and native species. Integration of the two promotes agricultural sustainability as well as provides vital ecosystem services that sustain human and wild species populations. This paper explores current research in biodiversity, ecosystem services, agricultural sustainability and landscape ecology and applies the information to a predominantly agricultural region in Central Illinois. This paper also examines the role landscape designers and planners can play in working with planning agencies and local communities to develop future scenarios to promote conservation of biodiversity and agricultural sustainability throughout the region. Through a series of vignettes, I have attempted to illustrate how native species can be incorporated into an agricultural region in Tazewell County, Illinois. Relating these vignettes to seasonal food web diagrams illustrates complex ecological relationships and the importance of plant species diversity to support biodiversity in space and time. Though much research exists regarding these topics there is little information specific to Illinois, and would be a valuable area for future research.

Graduation Semester

2010-12

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/18220

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2010 Susan J. Baumgartner

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