Unit 09
6—11 | Unit 09

Landscape is a Network

Landscape connections are crucial for biodiversity and ecosystem interactions. Today, the ecological system is threatened by human activities that compromise the landscape quality especially in the context of climate change.

Age
6—11
Time requirement
6 lessons (45 min each)
InfrastructureBiodiversityEcological networkEcosystem servicesMobility

Content

Landscape connectivity enables the internal/external movement of humans and other animal and plant organisms and also concerns movement in and through a landscape.
The landscape is made up of various connections: natural, ecological/green areas, large parks, places with animal or plant biodiversity, hydrographic elements such as the sea, rivers, ditches etc. or green linear roads/infrastructures etc.)  and anthropic.
As we know, the influence of human activity, industrial development and large transport infrastructures (roads, airports, railways, etc.) have an impact on the landscape, its natural elements and the capacity for movement within it. These impacts threaten the biodiversity present in a natural landscape, weaken natural and ecological connections and limit the landscape's ability to cope with environmental and climate challenges. This means that it is no longer able to provide all the ecosystem services that humans need, such as controlling pollutant gases, absorbing rainwater, producing food and regulating temperatures, to name but a few. An interconnected natural and ecological system is capable of counteracting the consequences of human activity and hindering the progressive impoverishment of biodiversity.
The unit focuses on learning the fundamental elements of the ecological network to realise that landscape design and the enhancement of networks are imperative actions for nature as well as for man.
By observing the natural and anthropic elements and connections of the landscape through images, photographs and digital tools (e.g. Google Earth), students will learn to identify and assess the different connections (ecological, anthropic, natural, etc.), the current state and the state of health (quality) of the ecosystem networks in the territory.

Pupils will learn that:

  • Landscape allows for multiple connections at large and small scales: ecological, flora-fauna, etc.;
  • Human beings have an impact on the physical-natural environment (anthropogenic footprint) that alters the ecosystem balances that form the basis of human life/health also feeding into the ongoing climate imbalance and the impacts of climate change (cause-effect relationship).

Pupils will also acquire methodological and awareness skills such as:

  • Ability to read and identify different types of connections in the landscape.
  • Capacity to identify protection actions, enhancement of natural resources and ecological networks to limit landscape fragmentation.

Students will therefore be motivated to look critically at the landscape they inhabit, recognising the system of relationships and connections that are important for preserving biodiversity, promoting a sustainable, respectful lifestyle and counteracting climate change starting with everyday actions in our neighbourhood landscape. The contents aim to encourage a high quality of urbanism and landscape, reasoning and recognising the different green areas that exist in our landscapes to preserve them, connect them and understand their importance against climate change.

Activities

The landscape is made up of different connections: natural, ecological and anthropic. Pupils acquire the first knowledge of the primary concepts of connections, also the definitions related to biodiversity.

Pupils recognise anthropic and ecological connections hypothesising the value of their interactions to promote biodiversity.

Outdoor activity is important to recognize the connections and the landscape that surrounds us. Pupils recognize and identify the observed elements by also drawing on a map.

Understanding the landscape it is necessary to identify the quality of the natural, ecological and anthropic elements of the connections. Students identify and present their considerations on landscape quality.

Having acquired a knowledge of the place, and the existing connections, pupils define simple objectives and actions to improve the landscape.

Understanding the different connections helps you understand who passes through them and why these landscape elements are important and need to be as connected as possible.