Region 40: a national park for the Anthropocene epoch

Abstract

As a unit of design, the national park remains one of the most ambitious ideas set forth by the early adopters of the title landscape architect. For over one hundred years, national parks have played a prominent role in defining Canada’s relationship to its environment. In the Anthropocene, there is no greater crisis than that of awareness, of the possibility of bearing witness, yet the consequence of this new reality is not reflected in the landscapes Parks Canada curates to represent the quality of this relationship. This practicum proposes through research and design, a prospective scenario for how Parks Canada could incorporate contemporary landscape architecture practices and aesthetics into the selection, development, and management strategies of future national parks.