The Landscape Futures Initiative is analyzing how the landscape planning professions need to respond to global landscape change. A series of seven symposia on the drivers of landscape change--urbanization; culture and technology; connectivity; economy and politics; global environmental threats; and population and social dynamics--have been held since 2002.

The seventh symposium, Leadership and Landscape Change, was the series capstone. Hosted by Clemson University, this three-day conference featured panel presentations and group discussions on a broad range of speakers and topics. A key concern:  how the land design and planning professions should evolve to creatively solve complex and rapidly changing challenges.

Post-Symposium materials are being created and will include 1) six chapters covering the content of previous conferences with context and commentary to be published in a scholarly publication, 2) white papers from workshop groups that will be compiled in an online publication, 3) podcasts of selected speakers and panels and  4) a video overview of the capstone symposium.