Ecological Impact of a Landscape Project

Activity Brief

Study of an already developed landscape project, primarily a public realm such as riverfront, lake redevelopment in terms of the existing and shifted contours and levels, impact on the watershed inclusive of the site, existing and proposed biodiversity, soft and hard landscape and its impact on groundwater and soil and affected communities while development of this public project

Objective

To understand the ecological impact of large scale landscape or beautification projects such as Lake or riverfront, large public parks, etc.

Outcome

Students will understand the critical implications of altering the existing ecology and the importance of ecological sensitive and responsive design approach.

Requirements

None

Prerequisites

Understanding of environmental impacts (ex: watershed, contour levels, land patterns, groundwater, soil erosion, communities, etc.), selection of the project, background of the project site

Procedure

This activity should be ideally a field visit to the project site, guided by a Nature/landscape/water expert or a planner who can critically view and understand the impact of a designed project of a natural landscape.

Step 1: Visit to the project site: lake redevelopment/river front/large scale greening project. 

Step 2: Understand the before-after of the project either by secondary research, guided tour, interaction with the communities around. Have there been any rehabilitation, watershed changes, changes in landscape and trees, biodiversity impacts, soil quality, soft to hard proportion, increase in pollution, noise, etc. 

Step 3: Reflect on the changes in the ecology that we make in the name of development. The question that can be addressed is does all landscape need to be ‘designed’ or can some be natural? 

References:

None

Source of Idea