SELT: Reading Rural Landscapes
On March 25, I attended a presentation at Burley Farm hosted by the Southeast Land Trust, focusing on Reading Rural Landscapes of Northern New England. Rob Sanford, a Professor Emeritus from the University of Southern Maine, referenced influential works such as "Reading the Landscape of America" by May Theilgaard Watts and "Reading the Forested Landscape" by Tom Wessels. He discussed how features like stone walls, trees, and shrubs provide insights into historical land use and past human activities. Following the presentation, we visited the stone wall adjacent to the Nan and George Mathey Center for People and Nature. The stones had been recently repurposed to create the courtyard, illustrating how landscape features can be reinterpreted and reused. The group was then encouraged to explore the property and interpret the land's stories. Rob frequently mentioned the ice pond, which I intended to check out but forgot. My job requires that I be a morning perso...