Professional Practice
Indigenous Edible Landscape Design: Lessons from the Past and Present
Date: 10/7/2025 - 10/7/2025
Description: The notion that the Americas were "wilderness" prior to European arrival is false. The notion that Native Americans were sparsely populated and technologically stunted are also false. The Americas were inhabited for 25,000+ years according to recent archaeological finds, and within this time period humanity managed to transform vast regions into edible ecosystems that benefitted both humans and non-humans alike. Dr. Johnston's extensive research in the area draws lessons from paleo-archaeological stories of abundant and sustainable bioregional food systems and applies them to contemporary landscape design, with a focus on edibility ratings. How can we (and why should we) make our household, municipality and community landscapes more edible, moving away from the "ornamental" goals of Euro-centric landscape design?