Unit 8: The cultural landscape

(Holly Innes)

The human imprint upon the land is a result of the interplay between the physical base and the economy, technology and the society who occupy it. The first typical human made landscape that will be discussed are the the farmscapes. The Canadian Prairies with their seemingly endless fields of wheat [1] are commonly seen as a typical Canadian landscape. Early settlement [2] of the Prairies became a mass movement once the Canadian Pacific Railway was completed in 1885. Subsequently the natural landscape rapidly changed to a human landscape [3] of a very typical (Canadian) character. It is interesting to note that in 1931, Canada had more than 50% of its population living on farms. In 1941, this had decreased to 27% and in 1981, only 5% of the population lived on farms. The share of employment in this sector today is minimal [4].

Another example of farming moving from the past to the present in Canada, is the potato industry on Prince Edward Island. The process of planting, cultivating, and harvesting the potato has remained essentially unchanged, but the instruments used to perform these tasks has gradually improved [5] with the introduction of new technologies. In the early years [6] potato growing was very labor intensive year round with plowing, planting, cultivating, and harvesting. Progressively, modern machinery [7] has replaced human labor. Today, Global Positioning Systems [8] and precision farming are methods to manage soil and crop variability within the fields. The land is the same throughout the time period, but the techniques used to produce Prince Edward Island's potatoes has drastically changed.

The second landscape to discuss are cityscapes. What is most interesting about cityscapes are the diversity they possess. Toronto, Ontario portrays this diversity in a very particular way , including unique elements such as its Music Garden [9]. This is the only park of its kind in the world. The Garden was inspired by the pictorial element in Johann Sebastian Bach's Suites for Unaccompanied Cello. Internationally renowned cellist Yo?Yo Ma worked with landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy to interpret in nature [10] the music of Bach's first suite, the Music Garden. Each dance movement within the suite corresponds to a different section in the garden.

A cityscape does not necessarily have to mean a large urban dwelling. For example, Peggy's Cove [11] in Nova Scotia has a year round population of approximately one hundred residents. It was settled in 1881 by six families. It was named after a young woman, Margaret, who swam ashore from a schooner wrecked on Halibut Rock. Margaret was only fifteen and had lost all her family. The people of Peggy's Cove took her in as one of their own. Peggy (Margaret) is now believed to be a ghost. Peggy's Cove may well be the most photographed location in Canada. It is a small fishing village that surrounds a narrow ocean inlet which provides safe haven for boats during the Atlantic's rough weather. A lighthouse was built on the large smooth wave washed granite rocks. The lighthouse is the only lighthouse post office in North America. Peggy's Cove is a wonderful example of a scenic historic fishing village.

The third landscape are frontierscapes, such as mining areas, and forest based communities. Quebec's forest industry [12] began in 1665 when the King of France commanded Jean Talon to see to the conservation of useful timber. This was followed by various decrees which were designed to reserve oak and white pine timber. By the early 1800s lumber was generating two thirds of the total value of exports from Lower Canada. In addition to pursuing squared timber production, about 100 sawmills were exporting toward Europe and the northeastern United States. In the 1960s and 1970s the lumber industry truly began to take off. The Twentieth Century also marked the beginning of the pulp and paper industry, and Quebec became one of the world's largest pulp and paper producers. Another example of a frontierscape is Snow Lake [13], a mining community of 1400 located in north central Manitoba. Major ore deposits were discovered in the 1950s, which led to Snow Lake's development as a major mining center.

The final landscapes are areas that demonstrate various patterns of land survey. The area known as the British Columbia Rockies [14] is composed of series of north/south extending valleys and mountain ranges, including the Monashee, Columbia, Selkirk, Purcell and the world renowned Rocky Mountains. Within the region one can find four National Parks [15]. The largest herds of bighorn sheep in North American, along with deer, elk, moose, black and grizzly bear, coyote, wolf and eagles can also be found here.

Newfoundland is home to castles of ice [16]. These 10 000 year old castles, also known as glacial ice are made of the purest water. The icebergs come in a variety of sizes, millions of tons to one hundred and two hundred thousand tons. Hundreds of ice sculptures make their way southward from Greenland and the Arctic past Newfoundland. Some have been travelling for more than a year. They impose beauty and magnificence upon the aquatic landscape.

The Canadian North [17] is harsh and forbidding as it is beautiful and sustaining. It is home for the indigenous people who create extraordinary art from its rugged landscape. They create simple, yet beautiful sculpture, all inspired from their surroundings. For the members of the Group of Seven, it was also a powerful inspiration. The Caribou Trail [18] passes through the most beautiful regions of the Yukon. Carcross, originally called Caribou Crossing, is a small village and was the scene of much gold rush activity. It is here that the Caribou Trail meets the famous Whitepass Railway, built through some of the most difficult terrain in the world. The drive from Carcross to Whitehorse follows the gold rush overland trails and passes by the world's smallest desert. The foliage that can be found here cannot be found anywhere else in the world.