ABSTRACT:
As our nation enters the 21st century, issues of energy production and consumption will
not only affect our population, but also the landscapes in which we live, work, and play.
With the quest for a more sustainable energy ethic rising to the forefront of discussion,
sources of alternative energy production, such as wind power, are becoming more of a
reality.
However, while the relative benignity of wind power production has endeared the
technology to the environmental community, visual intrusions posed by these beacons
of sustainability usually remain the primary opposition voiced by communities in the
landscapes in which projects are proposed. The size, number, scale, motion and visual
prominence of wind turbines makes visual mitigation nearly impossible and communities
are faced with challenges in embracing green technology while protecting landscape
views they value.
Planning, locating, and designing these facilities so that they fit into the landscape and
minimize intrusiveness is both an art and science and represents a rapidly expanding
field of opportunity for the landscape architecture profession. Yet significant questions
remain beyond pure design mitigation. Does the type of landscape setting in which a
project is proposed make a difference in regards to public perception of a project? Are
individuals more likely to embrace the sculptural qualities of a wind farm in a relatively
featureless prairie landscape and object to the same if proposed along the rugged
ridgeline of a magnificent mountain view? Are issues of environmental justice being
ignored when wind projects are proposed elsewhere along a coastline due only to
wealthy community opposition?
This session will be structured as moderated panel presentations and forum on the
history, trends, and debate regarding wind energy and landscape values. Panel speakers
will discuss the current demand for wind energy projects and the potential impacts to
the visual character of American communities and landscapes. Panelist will share
professional experience and academic research in highlighting opportunities for
landscape architects to take the lead in this rapidly expanding field through planning,
design, and visualization services, as well as through skills in helping affected
communities balance issues of sustainability with aesthetic and community impacts.