The purpose of this module is to demonstrate how designing with natural processes and conditions can help address climatic, environmental, social and economic challenges. For students of Landscape Architecture, this module addresses the following required 'areas of knowledge and skill' as set out in Appendix 1 of the Addenda to the International Federation of Landscape Architects IFLA/UNESCO Charter for Landscape Architectural Education when implemented in the European Region: -"Ecology: Knowledge of the physical and biotic basis of natural systems and the ability to appraise their existing and potential value; both for protection and development: finding design and planning potentials." -"The ability to fit new development into an existing environment within the scope of comprehensive regional planning with an emphasis on visual and ecological requirements and potentials." -"Knowledge of various land use types, their developments over time, their internal functioning and their territorial claims, interrelationships, compatibilities. Requirements in terms of layout and management." "Landscape management: a knowledge of the relation between the layout of urban and rural parks systems and their long term use, development and maintenance."

The following is indicative of the content of the module. Through the module students will identify contemporary threats and conflicts in landscape, such as population growth and migration, climate change, planning and development, economic and political impacts. In this, agriculture, tourism and green energy will be studied, with a particular focus on the Irish context. The impact of these threats in the landscape will be considered, such as soil degradation, biodiversity and habitat loss, and the disruption of natural systems. The key concern of the module, then, is to focus on ecological approaches and strategies that can help address these issues concerning landscape threats and conflicts. These strategies include nature-based-solutions and landscape restoration practices, along with green and blue infrastructures, landscape rehabilitation, and regenerative design. Resilience will be a key area of focus, as will a consideration of the challenges and opportunities for landscape architecture professionals to adopt these approaches whilst operating within the statutory context of environmental planning, policy and regulation.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Identify the broad scope of conflicts and threats to landscape and ecological systems in an Irish and global context. Recognise how landscape threats and conflicts manifest across a range of landscape typologies and scales. Describe the ecological impacts of these conflicts and threats to landscape. Propose sustainable approaches to working with vulnerable landscapes. Design solutions that promote ecological sustainability and growth.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Value the role and skillset of the landscape architecture professional to challenge the identifiable problems to adopting sustainable approaches in landscape design within current planning, policy, development and management of landscapes.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: n/a

The module is taught through lectures and seminars, as well as workshops and field-visits. The learning environment is studio-based, both inside and outdoors. Recent research findings in the field are to the fore-front of the students' learning due to the intrinsically multidisciplinary nature of the knowledge bases being brought together in this module to critically and creatively address specific environments. The students taking the module are RESPONSIBLE in confronting seriously the real-world challenges of proposing sustainable solutions to the ecological impacts on landscapes that are threatened by forces such as climate change, politics and economy. Students on the module are immersed in both consideration and practice of ethical responses, demonstrating COURAGEOUSNESS in developing design proposals that foster ecological biodiversity in ways that push beyond given limitations to challenge frameworks and policies in order to develop better ecological futures for local, regional and global contexts. The students on the module develop AGILITY through the independent thinking required of their design proposals and they demonstrate their capacity to be adaptive and responsive to the dynamic nature of the vulnerable landscape types under consideration in the module.