Our Mission

To provide observations and information on the emerging fields of landscape scale conservation, heritage preservation, and sustainable community development.

About Us
the observer

Newsletter

Stay up-to-date with the latest nature, culture and community news.

Email:

We won’t spam you or share your information. Newsletters are sent approximately 10 times a year. Unsubscribe at any time.

Popular Posts
Get Involved

While we were not watching…

Understandably attention has been riveted on the spread of the Corona virus. And as is often the case, the controversy over the current administration’s management of visitation to the United States’ National Parks has taken center stage. However, while these decisions have conservation downsides, there are much bigger ongoing efforts to dismantle a host of well-established conservation programs that are still moving forward.

Read More »

Flagging Sites of Universal Value

An Iranian architect and artist has proposed a conceptual initiative to highlight the risk to world heritage sites in Iran and to flag the importance of these irreplaceable buildings and landscapes in a time of heightened world conflict. As it turns out, it is not a completely new idea.

Read More »

Conservation and Controversy: Agricultural Landscapes of Marin County CA

The San Francisco Bay region is world renowned for its vibrant food culture, nurtured in part by the characteristics of its terrain. The story of how part of this region, Marin County, was conserved and how the same landscape has set off a long running controversy about the role of public lands raises important questions about preserved places and living landscapes. So far this is a tale without an ending. Read more.

Read More »

Climate Change and Heritage Landscapes

Our changing climate is causing radical alteration to the earth’s ecosystems and the focus has been on the impact to flora and fauna. Less recognized have been the impacts that are wrought on our treasured cultural landscape. However, as the climate threat looms larger the discussion is broadening to look at cultural heritage impacts.

Read More »

While we were not watching…

Understandably attention has been riveted on the spread of the Corona virus. And as is often the case, the controversy over the current administration’s management of visitation to the United States’ National Parks has taken center stage. However, while these decisions have conservation downsides, there are much bigger ongoing efforts to dismantle a host of well-established conservation programs that are still moving forward.

Read More »

Flagging Sites of Universal Value

An Iranian architect and artist has proposed a conceptual initiative to highlight the risk to world heritage sites in Iran and to flag the importance of these irreplaceable buildings and landscapes in a time of heightened world conflict. As it turns out, it is not a completely new idea.

Read More »

Conservation and Controversy: Agricultural Landscapes of Marin County CA

The San Francisco Bay region is world renowned for its vibrant food culture, nurtured in part by the characteristics of its terrain. The story of how part of this region, Marin County, was conserved and how the same landscape has set off a long running controversy about the role of public lands raises important questions about preserved places and living landscapes. So far this is a tale without an ending. Read more.

Read More »

Climate Change and Heritage Landscapes

Our changing climate is causing radical alteration to the earth’s ecosystems and the focus has been on the impact to flora and fauna. Less recognized have been the impacts that are wrought on our treasured cultural landscape. However, as the climate threat looms larger the discussion is broadening to look at cultural heritage impacts.

Read More »