The Imagined Landscape | Illumination

The Imagined Landscape. Story by Bob Thomas.

Parallel to his historical study, Urban conducted a survey study for the journal Society and Natural Resources in which Central Illinois farmers, landowners and district commissioners in the Upper Embarras River watershed were asked to describe how they viewed their effect on the land.

Urban found that farmers, surprisingly, consider themselves to be environmentalists or environmentally responsible. Of course, their idea of environmentalism, however, didn't always fit with that of environmental advocates who stress a hands-off approach to the landscape.

To the farmers, being "environmental" is not so much valuing a stable ecosystem, but rather valuing the productivity and sustainability of the soil, Urban says. "Without exception, farmers pointed to a tension ...between economic viability and their desire to act as good stewards of the land. This is misunderstood by the non-farm population and leads to farmers being vilified as environmentally insensitive."

Farmers in the study also expressed concern about a disconnect between them and the general public. Some farmers blamed the media for characterizing them as environmentally insensitive and not good stewards of the land, which is how they see themselves. Urban says they may have a point: "Many environmental issues can't be reduced to normative rights and wrongs that diminish the complexity of the issues. Too often the dialogue becomes reduced to rights and wrongs, where everything is always black and white."

One thing does seem certain: environmentalists and farmers see the landscape differently. In his study, Urban describes a unique "farming aesthetic" characterized by visual cues of order and neatness. Agricultural drainage is an important component of this aesthetic. Straight drainage ditches express an orderly aspect that helps define what farmers consider an efficient operation. Such ditches are also important in communicating these values to the rest of the farming community.

The farming aesthetic is reinforced by economic necessity. Every farmer interviewed, Urban says, said farms were becoming more orderly and businesslike. To survive, they felt they needed to bring more land into production. In other words, "Get big or get out."

Intensifying drainage systems is one popular strategy for increasing yields and decreasing the risk of crop loss. This usually means installing subsurface tile to speed the dissipation of spring rains, a practice that allows farmers to get crops planted and established before the summer weather turns hot and dry. It can also mean intensive usage of chemical inputs.

Published by the Office of Research.