Imagine trying to create a landscape design without knowing anything about the site you’re designing for. Can you imagine how difficult that would be? When we are creating landscape designs, our initial assessment and observations are the most important steps to start.
In this article, I’m going to go over how you can do a landscape assessment, why it’s important, and what to do with it. As a farmer and someone who has studied sustainable agriculture, I’ve found the following steps to be immeasurably useful.
Because permaculture design is my area of expertise, this article is going to specifically be about assessing a site for permaculture design. However, even if you are not creating a permaculture design, you can still use the tools and questions in this article.
Why Perform a Landscape Assessment?
A landscape assessment is arguably the most important aspect of the permaculture design process. The very first permaculture principle we follow when we are designing tells us to observe and research the land before anything else. When we are in the process of observing the land, we learn about all the ways the landscape and environment will be influencing the site. These influences will dictate what elements we introduce to the site to promote sustainability and resilience. If our property is prone to flooding, for example, we don’t want to plant flood-sensitive plants in flooding zones. The goal of permaculture design is to create landscapes that thrive sustainably. Our landscape assessments help us do that.
Performing a Landscape Assessment
In order to perform a thorough landscape assessment, a few things are important. First, it’s important to make observations throughout every season of the year. The landscape and environment shift dramatically from season to season. These changes could affect your design. For this reason, it’s important to observe a site for a full year. If that’s not possible, be sure to talk to neighbors and local farmers to get a better understanding of the local climate.
Second, the assessment should be ongoing. Make your observations for a year and then, once you begin to make changes to the landscape, continue making these observations. It’s remarkable how much a landscape can change throughout the years, especially in areas being affected by climate change.
Third, write everything down. Whether it’s on a digital document or in a physical notebook, it’s important to write down all of the information we discover. As a farmer, I understand how easy it can be to forget to stay organized! But, especially in the beginning, it will be really helpful.
Elements of a Landscape Assessment
When doing your landscape assessment, there are many things we research and observe. Here’s a checklist of all of the observations and research that should be done in a landscape assessment:
History and Community
- History of the usage of the land
- Native history and usage of the land (you can use this tool by Native Land Digital)
- Local and Federal laws as well as HOA restrictions
- Climate change predictions for the site (you can use this interactive Köppen climate map)
- Activity from your neighbors and public areas like the street (noise, children, pets, schools, event areas, industry, etc.)
- Resources in the community (community compost, seed banks, building materials, equipment that can be rented, etc.)
- Potential nearby pollutants (local farms, mills, power plants, highways, etc.)
Weather and Climate
- Annual and seasonal rainfall
- Average seasonal sunlight
- Sunlight availability throughout different seasons (you can use this sunlight calculation tool)
- Average temperature highs and lows as well as your growing zone
On-Site Observations
- Utilities (power, phone, sewage, gas lines, etc.)
- Areas of shade and sun (both initially and once trees and shrubs on site have matured and buildings have been constructed)
- Wind direction and intensity throughout the seasons
- Microclimates (such as areas that stay warmer or get colder than others in winter)
- Where rainfall flows and pools
- Topography and slopes
- Rock outputs, boulders, and rocky areas in the soil
- Soil types (your local extension should have resources for soil testing)
- Bodies of water, both natural and human-made
- All buildings and structures on site (past, present, and future)
- Views, both pretty and ugly
- Vegetation and natural community guilds (this video by Star Hitch Farm explains how and why)
- Animals, both wild and domestic (be sure to note animals that may be dangerous or predatorial)
How to Use Your Landscape Assessment
Once you have your assessment done, it’s time to start the second step in the process: visioning. In this step, we start dreaming up all of the elements we wish to include in our design in relationship to the needs and capacity of the landscape. We don’t worry about restrictions just yet, this step is all about brainstorming. Learn more about the visioning process here.
The Free Permaculture Visioning Workbook
Once you’ve completed a landscape assessment, it’s time to start the second step in the permaculture design process: visioning. This is, arguably, the most fun and creative step in this process. Type in your email above and get the workbook sent right to your inbox.
Summary: Landscape Assessment
Before we begin a landscape design, it’s critical to do an assessment. When we do research on the land, climate, and community and make long-term observations of the site, we are giving a lot of important information. This information will show us how the outside environment will be interacting with the site, which places and animals will best thrive on the landscape, and how we can create strong, stable relationships and plant communities.
If you’d like more information about permaculture, read this article about permaculture design.
Have you done landscape assessments for a site? Or do you have questions? Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for reading and happy designing!
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