AWWA SOURCES59246

AWWA SOURCES59246 Landscape Aesthetics and Water Use: Research Report
Conference Proceeding by American Water Works Association, 01/11/2004

Lander, Paul W.

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The argument of this research is that there exists a relationship between currenturban landscape aesthetics and the water used to maintain them. The predominant urbanlandscape aesthetic is that symbolized by the highly manicured, deep-green lawn. In the western United States this type of aestheticis maintained only through the regular application of supplemental water. In the case of water, there is a general awareness that most western urbanlandscapes require significant amounts of water. However, little work has been done todocument the understanding of the aesthetic-water relationship as held by the urbanprofessionals and property owners whose every-day decisions create and maintain theselandscapes and the aesthetic associated with them. The contributions of this work will be in the areas of theory, method andempirical research. This work will focus on the activities within a Colorado county as acase study of the interplay between aesthetic preference and water use in urban waterwiselandscapes. Boulder County is an ideal setting for this type of work. It has arepresentative semi-arid climate, cities with extensive and expensive water systems, andmany researchers and writers in the field of water conservation and a number of existingwater-wise landscapes. The purpose of this study is to look at the relationship betweenurban landscape aesthetics and water use, in the realm of water-wise landscapes. This research will investigate landscape perceptions and preferences held by twogroups: 1) experts, i.e., design, planning and ecological professionals working in the areaof water-wise landscapes; and, owners of water-wise properties identified byexperts. Data collected in the interviews with experts and owners will be analyzed;comparisons and contrasts of data will be fully noted. Specific comparisons will be madeof the responses of experts and owners on: landscape aesthetics, water conservation,water-wise landscapes, and the correlation between stated opinions about water use andactual water records. Upon review of the findings, general conclusions will be drawnfrom the research, and issues for future research will be identified. Includes 67 references.