The Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) released a free guidebook entitled Evaluating Landscape Performance: A Guidebook for Metrics and Methods Selection. The new publication outlines the process of evaluating landscape performance, presenting over 100 metrics in 33 benefit categories as ways to measure potential environmental, social and economic impacts. According the guidebook, "Landscape performance can be defined as a measure of the effectiveness with which landscape solutions fulfill their intended purpose and contribute to sustainability."

Each benefit category spans two pages that include a brief introduction to the topic, assessment considerations, a list of potential metrics and methods for measuring performance, resources and an example of a performance benefit from an actual project that fits the category.

The guidebook also provides an overview of the performance evaluation process and three printable worksheets for evaluators to use at the beginning of a landscape performance assessment to predict potential environmental, social and economic metrics and corresponding methods and datasets.
To download the guidebook, click HERE.