Climate change mitigation and adaptation through suburban sustainable landscape : a case study of the city of Colwood

Abstract

This case study explores sustainable landscape features and solutions to the impacts of climate change in the City of Colwood, a suburban area on Vancouver Island in Canada. It does so by addressing this research question: What landscape features could be incorporated into a suburban landscape to enhance its ability to mitigate and/or adapt to climate change? The main goal of the case study is to define relevant sustainable suburban landscape features that will potentially help the City of Colwood mitigate and/or adapt to climate change. A qualitative approach has been taken to data collection from a variety of primary and secondary resources—reports, government publications, articles, and case studies from other jurisdictions. These documents have been used to identify landscapes that can address climate change mitigation and/or adaptation. The study’s results on sustainable landscapes in suburban areas could contribute to revisions in laws and policies on sustainable urban landscapes and to future plans and developments in this area. Key words: climate change, mitigation, adaptation, sustainability, regenerative thinking, landscape ecology, urban landscapes, suburban landscapes, sustainable landscapes, City of Colwood.