Desert riparian landscapes: Values and change, 1981-96

This paper presents first, a brief overview of research activities in the Landscape Architecture Program at the University of Arizona. Included is both the pedagogical foundation for the research emphasis and a brief summary of research topics pursued by faculty and graduate students during the past 15 years. The second and major part of the paper summarizes selected components of a long-term research project in which graduate students in Landscape Architecture and Renewable Natural Resources Studies played significant roles. Primary emphasis is on riparian landscapes located in southeastern Arizona. The research was developed in three phases. First was an exploration of people-landscape relationships via open-ended interviews; second, was survey research to explore perceptions of landscape values and attitudes about appropriate uses for these landscapes; and third, was the assessment of landscape change, both perceived and physical, in the same landscapes. Together, the three phases span 15 years, from 1981 to 1996. Case studies of two riparian areas that represent diverse contextual settings are discussed.