Ecological restoration and design

Abstract

The field of sustainable design has too often been reserved for site remediation projects and and has too often been ignored in creating aesthetically pleasing sites. If sites are created that combine the functional aspects of these technologies with the aesthetic character of the surrounding area then the community benefits from a visual, educational, and eventually an economic level.The chosen site for this study is located in Muncie, Indiana along the White River. Located to the southwest of McCulloch Park (* see site map on page 5) and bordering the Whitley neighborhood to the north the site offers a variety of ecological opportunities. The city owned section to the south of the river, which is still heavily maintained, is populated by a number of fowl and other river wildlife. The larger parcel to the east is also well used by wildlife, but has lost a great deal of its ecological potential through road layout and dumping. By focusing on these areas as the primary locations for ecological restoration several issues were brought forth for study. Wildlife corridor development (with breeding ground potential), vegetative management, human interaction levels, wetland restoration and maintenance, and future design implications are all subjects that were studied in the proposed ecological master plan.The goal of this study was to take an environmentally struggling landscape within the city and begin to remediate it on an ecological level and propose how to best maintain the area within a social framework in the future. This obviously benefits the site on an ecological level, and also increases the already heavily used wildlife habitat. From an aesthetic standpoint looking at environmental art pieces provide a solid foundation for incorporating design into an ecologically sound landscape. Using the art as a functional piece as well as an obvious aesthetic work begins to fuse the natural and human interactions.