Abstract
This paper explores landscapes of sustainability. Universities across the world have incorporated sustainability into their curriculum, research, infrastructure operation, and resource management. However, campus landscapes are relatively unexplored assets to promote university sustainability. As the physical embodiment of university values as well as an enduring legacy, campus landscapes offer the potential to integrate sustainability into the fabric of universities for generations to come. The paper presents findings from an empirical study of two universities: China T hree Gorges University, Yinchang City, Hubei province, China, (CTGU) and the University of Houston, Clear Lake, Texas, United States (UHCL). The research utilizes landscape analysis, interviews, planning documents, and promotional materials. The f indings reveal that both universities have become more sustainable but not embraced the potentials of sustainable campus landscapes. T he authors advocate for a redefinition of the landscape as a collective, interactive, and ongoing process of natural and human innovation. Because the campus landscape embodies and articulates this ongoing innovation, it can become a key instrument to advance university sustainability and a legacy for future generations to build upon.
Recommended Citation
Zhang, Zhaofang; Zhou, Jing; Schmidt, Deanna; and Garland, Kathleen
(2016)
"Sustainable Campus Landscapes in the United States and China: A Comparative Analysis,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 57:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol57/iss1/4