New Park Cty: Re Wilding The Urban Forest

New Park City : ENGAGING NATURAL SYSTEMS

Rewilding Center

Georgia Piedmont ATHENS-Clark County WATKINSVILLE - Oconee County Caroline Bowles . 4.29.2013

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS MAP

ATHENS AREA INFRASTRUCTURAL CHARACTER

Greenspace:

Park + Conservation Land

Water Systems:

Streams, Rivers, Buffers + Floodplains

Infrastructure:

Roadways + Utilities

Lost Space: undeveloped

parcels + easements

Significant ecological areas show strength in ACC in large patches; however there is a large gap missing key ecological connections for wildlife to prosper

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Health Safety and Economy Map shows economic and social spots in Athens. As well as areas of weakness. walkability as a strength shows the core; Athens core is downtown, it is Strong in all aspects, however, the periphery is weak. SWOT circles show the missing links of Athens periphery

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Lost Spaces including Right of ways, undeveloped parcels, and utility easements &

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Sidewalks Sidewalks telephone_lines

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SWOT ANALYSIS is based on evaluations of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of an Area; by analyzing these you will be able to create achievable goals and objectives.

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Infrastructure and Roadways can be seen as an economical strength, as well as an ecological threat. After considering the threats, it can be viewed as a leveraging opportunity. ! .

Integrated Systems Map

The Loop

The site was chosen based on these findings. It will add to the context of Athens by creating connective green corridor ribbons from the botanical gardens to the proposed Re-Wilding Center and into Oconee County.

Through SWOT analysis, these are areas for potential leveraging. These findings and interpretations are based on the social, economic, and ecological needs of Athens and it’s surrounding areas.

CONTEXTUAL SYSTEMS Analysis: 500 scale

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WATER (STREAMS, RIVERS, CREEKS, RESERVOIRS, LAKES)

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These maps shows an overall view of the area that is being considered for the project. It shows the systems that are key to the site, both ecological and infrastructural.

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+FLOOD PLAINS

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+ UTILITY + INFRASTRUCTURE

+ BUILDINGS + IMPERVIOUS SURFACE + PATHS, WALKWAYS

+ PARKS + GREENWAYS + RIGHT OF WAYS + CONSERVATION LAND

Location Choice: - Large amount of conservation and park land to re-introduce keystone species;

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area leads to Botanical Gardens close to large stream that runs into Middle Oconee River Peri-Urban context surrounding Macon Highway and Watkinsville Area connects ACC and Oconee County Brownfield redevelopment for conservation habitat center

+ VACANT PARCELS

HABITAT CORRIDOR CONNECTIONS: 500 SCALE The green highlighted areas represent potential corridors for native keystone species to migrate and roam. Although the selected area is in ACC it is on the border next to Oconee County.

Using undeveloped parcels, easements, farmland and the occasional backyard, The ReWilding Institute is able to connect large mammal patches with linked corridors, allowing for proper wildlife migration.

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FOCUS AREA: 100 SCALE ANALYSIS 1. Potential for Building Restoration/Re-Use

+ Brownfield Redevelopment

+ Historic Mill Site

+ Using low emitting regional materials

+ On site recycled materials 2. Riparian Wetland Restoration 3. Existing Dam and Watershed for McNutt Creek:

+ Stream Decontamination 4. Potential Land Development 5. Potential Wildlife Restoration Area

+ Botanical Gardens Connection 6. Need for Speed Reduction on Macon Highway 7. No Bus Stop - Transit Route needed 8. Parkway and the Loop heavy traffic area

+ Turn Macon Highway into Boulevard

+ Slows traffic

+ Reduce heat island effect 9. Abandoned Gas Station

+ Redevelopment Potential as Outpost/Bus Stop

+ would allow extra parking for park 10. Undeveloped parcel

+ trail and canopy walk 11. Existing residential

+ To benefit from ecological development

+ To benefit from proposed boulevard

+ Many neighborhoods not shown on 100 scale

+ Oconee County School within a mi.

12. Existing Commercial/Industrial

+ To benefit from Re-wilding Center

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SITE EXPLORATION

Site Analysis Photos show that the Site is in desperate need of help, from toxic creek water to a poorly maintained piece of Athens History, the Puritan Mill. You can see that there is human and animal activity around the Creek’s forested area. The roads are wide and depressing, and the land surrounding it, not taken care of.

PROGRAMMING THE WILD AVIAN CONSERVATION

+ protective habitats that only allow

entrance through flight + reforesting the areas inside the loop with native tree population

WILDLIFE CORRIDORS

+ create native habitat for wildlife

+ re-introducing keystone species

through re-wilding process (bringing

the animals back into the area that

may have previously been in zoos or

other rehab centers

+ Interior Species include fox, wolves,

bats, mountain lions, lynx, white tail

deer, etc.

RIPARIAN RESTORATION

+ re-plant with native wetland grasses

+ create conservation areas

+ allow for flooding events

+ Natural wetland filtration

OBJECTIVES:

1. Restore Native Plants and Trees for Wildlife Habitat

GOALS:

1. Creating New Habitat for Wildlife

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Creating Large Corridors for Wildlife Contemporary Re-Wilding Stream Decontamination Create safe Human-Animal Interactions Historic Homage to Puritan Mill Promote safe, user friendly Pedestrian Corridors Educate the public on the importance of native Ecosystems 9. Promote Recreation 10. Promote Aquatic Ecosystems 11. Provide better connections between Oconee County and Athens

and Vegetation 2. Provide safe greenways and routes for animal passage, typically used during the night 3. Use undeveloped parcels and easements to create wildlife corridors and reforested areas to connect to Oconee County, Botanical Gardens, and other parks 4. Create “Re-Wilding Institute” for native keystone species to get re-introduced into the wild. Institute formerly known as Puritan Mill 5. Create Fish Labs (hatcheries) to not only add back into the streams, but also used to feed local fish markets for a new take on local seafood 6. Restore Puritan Mill’s outer frame for Historical Homage, but need for new innovative materials and technologies in restoration process 7. Restore and Increase size of Riparian Wetlands; as to create a Natural Filtration System around the building and through the site for education ecology; allowing the water to re-enter the stream once it has gone through series of wetlands 8. Use Solar Power Energy to Power the site 9. Create scenic trails and canopy walks through the forest to allow scenory experience of Animal-Human Interaction 10. Turn Macon Highway into a Boulevard to slow traffic and allow for animal crossing; also reducing heat island effect and allowing safe pedestrian corridors 11. Use abandoned gas station site as a bus transit stop as well as outpost

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SITE PLAN: 100 SCALE

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The ReWilding Center Eco Fish Lab Outdoor Cafe Existing Dam with proposed Hydraulic Pump 5. Solar Panels 6. Restored Riparian Wetlands 7. Lowland Trail 8. Highland Trail with Canopy Walk 9. Parkway with Green Spine 10. Proposed Trail to Larger Wildlife Corridor 11. Wetland Trail 12. Bridge Expansion for Pedestrian Connectivity 13. Outpost and Bus Transit Stop 14. Proposed Mixed Use Development 15. Avenue of Trees Main Entrance 16. Restored Native Bird Habitat 17. McNutt Creek 18. Macon Highway with Proposed Boulevard 19. The Loop

INTEGRATED LEVERAGING SYSTEMS

Solar Panels Wetlands

Wastewater treatment Stormwater runoff treatment Habitat Restoration Riparian Wetland Restoration Water Quality improvement

Clean Water Untreated Water Solar Energy Native Fish Species Watershed Area

Stormwater will enter the site and go through a series of created wetlands that will naturally clean the water with native plants and UV treatment before entering McNutt Creek.

Wetland Restoration will include adding additional acreage of wetlands to the site to promote natural stream filtration, allowing safe recreation in and around McNutt Creek.

This process not only helps create a safe environment for the chosen site at Puritan Mill, but also downstream where McNutt Creek meets a larger waterbody, the Middle Oconee River.

Green Boulevards added to roadways to reduce traffic speed and heat island effect.

DAY VIEW: BRIDGE/RIVER CORRIDOR SECTION

BRIDGE GREENWAY TO SLOW AUTO TRAFFIC AND ALLOW FRIENDLY PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY, RECREATION, AND VIEWS

RESTORED WETLANDS

NATURE VIEWING OPPORTUNITIES FISHING OPPORTUNITIES

NON-MOTORIZED WATER SPORTS AQUATIC HABITAT

AVIAN HABITAT

NOCTURNAL VIEW: BRIDGE/RIVER CORRIDOR SECTION

LARGE MAMMAL CORRIDORS: WHITE TAIL DEER

SMALL MAMMAL AND LAND BIRD HABITAT

LARGE MAMMAL CORRIDORS:

REVITALIZED WOLF POPULATION

AQUATIC CONSERVATION:

Freshwater Mussels

Freshwater Fish Turtles + Beavers

Stormwater/ Riparian Wetland Park

CANOPY

Hickory Sweet Gum Beech Birch Oak

NATIVE UNDERSTORY

SOLAR PANELS RESTORED WETLANDS NATIVE WETLAND GRASSES RECYCLED MATERIALS PATHWAY

“Large wilderness areas are not only necessary for inspiration and a true wilderness experience, but are necessary for the protection and restoration of ecological integrity and native species diversity.”

- ReWilding Institute “Habitats and Ecosystems are complex, open-ended, self organizing systems. They are flexible and resilient.”

“ Wilderness without animals is dead - dead scenery.

Animals without wilderness are a closed book.�

- Disney cinematographer, Lois Crisler (written after years of filming wild wolves)