Marion Hourdequin and David Havlick, co-editors of the 2015 book “Restoring Layered Landscapes,” will present on the challenges of restoring and conserving “layered landscapes,” which they define as landscapes with complex histories shaped by ongoing interactions between humans and nature.

Layered landscapes, such as former military or industrial sites, are not only characterized by natural ecosystems worth preserving and restoring, but also embody significant political, social, and cultural histories. What should we aim to restore in such places? How can restoration adequately take the legacies of human use into account? Should traces of the past be left on the landscape, and how can interpretive strategies be creatively employed to make visible the complex legacies of an open pit mine or chemical weapons manufacturing plant?

Marion Hourdequin gave us a glimpse into the ethical questions surrounding layered landscapes in the August issue of SERNews (http://ser.org/resources/sernews/volume-30-issue-4-august-2016/Layered-Landscape), and will continue the conversation with her co-editor in this webinar.