Critical Cartographies to Sustain and Care for Biodiversity in Central Europe

The design research project focuses on the observation that maps play a central role in information and knowledge transfer in the field of biodiversity conservation. However, the production and reception contexts of these maps have hardly been questioned yet. Critical map theory points out that the paradigm of objectivity and truthfulness can lead to false assumptions and thus have negative consequences for the perception and recognition of the needs of ethnic groups as well as the natural environment. These findings have not yet been reflected in ecological mapping practice. The ways in which we measure, visualize, and communicate our non-human co-living world should better encompass the dynamics and interdependencies of natural systems, as well as the species-specific needs.
Using the case study of urban tree mapping, the project examines the impact of the cartographic design on communication, planning, and decision-making within the context of biodiversity conservation: To what extent does the design of maps influence both the perception of the nature depicted and the resulting actions and decisions? What new or different forms and techniques of mapping are required to represent the diversity of the existences involved?