These maps, based on research by the San Francisco Estuary Institute’s Center for Resilient Landscapes, reconstruct California ecosystems as they were in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and compare them to present-day landscapes. They are designed to provide an understanding of the complexity and diversity of California ecosystems, to help explain how landscapes worked, to track persistence and change, and to identify potential future scenarios. The changes made evident when the maps are compared remind us of the enormous power we have to shape the landscapes we inhabit, and of the wide range of potential options available—options to create diverse, functional, and beautiful landscapes, inspired by the past and grounded in local potential—as we imagine and then create the future.
Futures Past: Exploring California landscapes with the San Francisco Estuary Institute
Erin Beller is an environmental scientist with the San Francisco Estuary Institute, where she leads research on historical ecological landscapes and landscape change across California.
Ruth Askevold uses historical maps and photographs to help visualize past landscapes at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, where she manages the Resilient Landscapes Program.
Robin Grossinger is a senior scientist at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, where he directs the Resilient Landscapes Program. He is the author of the Napa Valley Historical Ecology Atlas.
Erin Beller is an environmental scientist with the San Francisco Estuary Institute, where she leads research on historical ecological landscapes and landscape change across California.
Ruth Askevold uses historical maps and photographs to help visualize past landscapes at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, where she manages the Resilient Landscapes Program.
Robin Grossinger is a senior scientist at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, where he directs the Resilient Landscapes Program. He is the author of the Napa Valley Historical Ecology Atlas.
Erin Beller is an environmental scientist with the San Francisco Estuary Institute, where she leads research on historical ecological landscapes and landscape change across California.
Ruth Askevold uses historical maps and photographs to help visualize past landscapes at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, where she manages the Resilient Landscapes Program.
Robin Grossinger is a senior scientist at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, where he directs the Resilient Landscapes Program. He is the author of the Napa Valley Historical Ecology Atlas.
Erin Beller, Ruth Askevold, Robin Grossinger; Futures Past: Exploring California landscapes with the San Francisco Estuary Institute. Boom 1 September 2014; 4 (3): 4–27. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/boom.2014.4.3.4
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