Isabella Jacoby

12 Capstone
Review of Literature

East Coast vs. West Coast:

How Human Connections to Landscapes Affect Culture

I set out to explore the history of the United States National Parks in the context of
conservation today, and have arrived at an examination of how the cultures of the East and West
coasts have been shaped by geography and landscapes. The ever-popular debate over which coast
is the best coast can actually say a great deal about how environmental factors shape our
culture, and through this I believe I can harness a social power to bring attention to conservation
and what it really means to every person. Although environmental issues have become much
more prominent in the last several decades, the vast majority of the public is still relatively
uneducated about the exact issues we face and what areas are in the most danger from human
action. The preserved land in federal and state parks serves to represent the spaces that our
country over the years has deemed most worthy of saving. The following sources have helped
me to examine why that is, and what cultural and social forces go into our perception of the
intrinsic value of landscapes and ecosystems.
The first article helped me understand that the formation of the National Parks System
was not a single act but a series of legislation that took place over many decades. For example,
Yellowstone National Park was established on March 1, 1872, and began a worldwide national
park movement (NPS). However, it was not until 1916 that the National Parks Service was
actually formed. This article also provides information about the purpose of the National Parks

through the years. As the system grew and more sites were added, it became a larger part of
society. As a source, this article is very factual and has a light tone, which makes sense as it
comes straight from the National Parks Service website. The information in this article is very
reliable, however its not the best source for formulating opinions as it really does only state
facts. Instead it serves as a good background for the rest of my discussion.
I also wanted to explore the psychological connections between human perception and
the environment. Ervin H. Zubes paper, Perceived Land Use Patterns and Landscape Values,
discusses land use and what it can tell us about human relationships with the environment. It
focuses on three distinct aspects of the interaction: humans as they impact the environment,
humans as they perceive the environment, and humans as an active part of the landscape (Zube).
The text mostly addresses how human experiences and needs dictate their use of land. Its not
biased, but it does focus on a specific area of the country, particularly Arizona. However, it is
very helpful in that it provides raw data to consider when discussing the entire issue.
The second paper I looked at is a chapter titled Landscape Perception, from a book on
landscape architecture. This is helpful because the connections between human perception and
use of natural settings relates to my topic of cultural connections to land. The paper delves into
the psychological phenomena behind visual recognition and appreciation of not only landscapes
but any visual and auditory stimuli. Kaymaz discusses how the term landscape refers to much
more than just scenery and in fact has been used in many disciplines, such as art, history, and
politics (Kaymaz 251). In addition, it discusses landscape architecture and the way it links
humanity and the natural environment. It concludes that our society is tied to its landscapes as
heritage, and that our values and perception of these landscapes determine what we do with them

(Kaymaz). Its a valuable resource for considering the more human-oriented side of the
relationship Im examining.
An article I found from a 1983 edition of New York Magazine gives a real life, artistic
account of the perceptions of the west and east coasts and how they define our cultures. Its one
of the most rich references that I found because of its pertinence to my topic and also its real life
source. It comes from a magazine from the 80s, before environmental issues were as popular as
they are today, which makes it relatively unbiased in describing how humanity relates to their
environments on each coast. The article highlights particular works of two photographers,
Carleton Watkins from the West coast and Alfred Stieglitz from the East. It contrasts the subject
matter of each photograph. Both are considered landscapes, but Watkinss shows just cliffs
dropping off into the ocean, while Stieglitzs relies on train tracks and industrial buildings to tell
its story. The article accurately discusses the difference here by considering how the West coast
attitude realize[s] that some things are beyond words, as can be seen in the unaltered portrayal
of natural landscape which stands alone as a piece (Larson 61). However, the East coast attitude,
demonstrated through Stieglitzs capturing of a man-made landscape, feels that nothing is
beyond words (61). While the West coast is defined by nature and untouched landscapes,
enabling an attitude that is more accepting of nature as it is, the East coast is more defined by
human activity and its stories center around this history. This is one of the main points I hope to
bring into my discussion, as it centers around the relationships people form with their
surroundings and what implications that has for their natural and cultural worlds.
While there are many factors that influence human relationships with our environments, I
believe focusing on aesthetics, cultural ties, and the social prevalence of conservation efforts will
yield the most valuable insights into the issue. Through examining these sources as well as

others, I hope to use the East Coast vs. West Coast cultural debate to answer questions about our
connection to the environment and what it means for conservation today.

Annotated Bibliography:

Isil Cakci Kaymaz (2012). Landscape Perception, Landscape Planning, Dr. Murat Ozyavuz
(Ed.), ISBN: 978- 953-51-0654-8, InTech, Available from:
http://www.intechopen.com/books/landscape-planning/landscape- perception
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This paper focuses more on human perception of landscapes in general, and on

what constitutes perception. Its taken from a book on landscape planning, so it is from
a more aesthetic viewpoint.

Larson, Kay. "Lenses of America." New York Magazine 8 Aug. 1983, The Arts sec.: 60-61. Print.
-

This article gives a real life, artistic account of the perceptions of the west and

east coasts and how they define our cultures. It uses photography as a lens to look at
human perceptions of landscapes and how they vary in a specific instance from the
East to the West in the U.S.

Lund, Nick. Pipelines in Parks. Fact Sheet. National Parks Conservation Association.
Washington, D.C. June 2015. Web.
-

This fact sheet was made by the National Parks Conservation Association and

aims to convince the public to rise against political efforts to put pipelines through state

parks. This is a valuable source because it shows a real-life implementation of the Parks
Service and federal departments implementing environmental conservation through
democracy.

Maggie. "East vs. West: A Comparison of Americas Hiking Landscape." Appalachian Trials.
N.p., 12 May 2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
-

This article is a colloquial and casual comparison of the two U.S. coasts, from

firsthand experience and with plenty of opinion thrown in. The writer is a recreational
hiker who has had experience hiking on both sides of the country. While its virtually
entirely subjective, it does offer compelling insight into the views of the American
people, without the pressure of a formal setting for the text.

Maloy, Jeff. "Psychographic Profile: East Coast vs. West Coast Stereotypes." GreenBook.
Pureprofile, June 2010. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
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This shorts article deals with psychological data on differences between west

coast and east coast residents. It recounts results from surveys which asked questions
about agreeing with certain laws, and makes several claims on the attitudes of the
different populations directly based on this data. The sources doesnt have a main point,
which is fine as I will probably use it mainly as information to support my explanation of
the differences in cultural values across the U.S.

National Parks Trail Map. Digital image. University of Texas Libraries. University of Texas at
Austin, n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.

Digital image of a map showing the distribution of national parks in America,

showing the greater land mass in the western United States.

Pappas, Stephanie. "East vs. West: Stark Coast-to-Coast Culture Clash Revealed." LiveScience.
TechMedia Network, 18 Sept. 2012. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
-

This article focuses mainly on the differences between people on the East and

West coasts of America. It asserts that while the culture of the East coast is marked by
tradition, the counterpart to this on the West coast is the sentiment of freedom. These are
supported by various examples and experiences characteristic of specific places in each
part of the country.

United States National Park Service. "History (U.S. National Park Service)." National Parks
Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 29 Nov. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
-

This article contains information about the history of the National Parks

System/Service in the U.S. It explains the origins of the movement to create parks and
preserve land for cultural, social, and environmental reasons. It also gives information
about several dates that laws were passed which represented milestones in the process.

Zube, Ervin H. "Perceived Land Use Patterns and Landscape Values." Perceived Land Use
Patterns and Landscape Values 1.1 (1987): 37-45. Forest Ecosystem and Landscape
Ecology Lab. University of Wisconsin - Madison. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
-

This paper discusses land use and what it can tell us about human relationships

with the environment. It focuses on three distinct aspects of the interaction: humans as
they impact the environment, humans as they perceive the environment, and humans as

an active part of the landscape. The text mostly addresses how human experiences and
needs dictate their use of land. Its not biased, but it does focus on a specific area of the
country, particularly Arizona. However, it is very helpful in that it provides raw data to
consider when discussing the entire issue.