successful environmental leadership = ?

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Natalie Somerville

I am currently sitting in Portland, Oregon, with the current Earth Lodge community (aka GeoJames) members scattered around various parts of the city, traipsing and exploring and finding dinner. This year’s SSIR is taking their trip just before the school year begins, which I believe is a great idea – it promotes community bonding so that the group is (hopefully) already on the road to being great friends and can then spend the entire year with that jump-start to community and friendship having already occurred.

As my last blog post in conjunction with my James River Park System summer internship under TLB’s mentorship, I am publishing one (well, two-in-one) more of my reflections, a response to a couple journal prompts I had created. I’ve been thinking a lot about environmental leadership this summer and wanted to try to parse out a bit of what I’ve thought through or learned.

In thinking about environmental leadership, what do you consider to be qualities/strengths of a good leader? What skills will put them on a path to greater success?

A good environmental leader should be passionate about their field and area of leadership. I feel like it goes without saying, but a good leader will be stable and grounded in a fairly or very comprehensive knowledge of their sphere – people can rally or persuade others all they want, but unless they are actually educated and an expert in their field, their leadership will not hold much water. An effective leader will be charismatic enough, and possess sufficient interpersonal skills, to work with people and help their cause spread through human networks. They ought to be energetic and enthusiastic; and a healthy dose of optimism sure helps them retain their motivation and momentum and keeps them from getting too discouraged. A good leader will possess excellent communication abilities and be skilled in conveying and listening to/understanding points and messages and information. It is crucial, for good leadership, to remain open to outcomes and to be flexible. Someone should be able to work with others on a team – teamwork is SO key to accomplishing goals, and a good leader will be strong in working within a team context and communicating with their co-workers to keep the same vision and utilize each others’ strengths to get things done. Skills they should possess to reach greater success: education, persuasion, enthusiasm, passion, flexibility, creativity, openness and receptiveness, clarity of thought and communication, and ability to think in terms of small and big scales – close and far/big pictures.

Define success, according to your opinion of it, in regards to environmental leadership. 

Successfully leading in an environmental context looks like making steps towards achieving your goals, in a healthy and sustainable way that neither harms the environment nor causes everyone to get mad at you. It entails garnering support for your cause with a solid background of knowledge. Success would take all stakeholders into consideration and make the most informed and best decision possible for all involved parties. Successful leadership should protect biodiversity and natural environments while/through educating the broader public about issues and promoting good environmental stewardship and realizing any necessary mentality shifts.

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the importance of wilderness

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Natalie Somerville

As I was recently researching some background into why wilderness therapy exists and into the various benefits of the great outdoors, I read a wonderful article about “Why We Need Wilderness” (http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/why-we-need-wilderness-zmaz04aszsel.aspx?PageId=1). Most of the article is comprised of a letter written by Wallace Stegner, an author and conservationist, to David Pesonen, a consultant to a commission reviewing the need for wilderness legislation. It is a beautifully written letter and does a great job capturing the essence of what the wilderness, that beautiful, natural, outdoor environment, is and what its value is to mankind.

A few of the reflection prompts I created this summer (while interning for James River Park System, looking ahead to interning for Earth Lodge) were about the purpose and importance of parks and green spaces. I have included a couple of them below; I felt like the Wilderness Letter within the article above was a good segue into the topic.

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What is your opinion of parks and green spaces? Are they vital components to a community? Are they wasted spaces that could be utilized for bigger and better purposes? Are they in fact important – if so, why, and if not, why not?

According to my view of them, parks and green spaces are very important physical locations and spaces. They allow for the enjoyment of nature and wild, natural, growing things; they provide cleaner air, a dynamic of peace and quiet, and the chance to not be surrounded by so many other humans or so much chaos and noise. The existence of parks and green spaces keeps some semblance of the natural world and environment within reach of civilization and society, allowing humans and nature to come in contact with each other in a mutually beneficial way, one which neither degrades the natural environment nor excludes humankind.

I believe these places are indeed vital components of a community – the concept of parks and green spaces hearkens back to, or reminds us of, the Commons: shared, public spaces which were owned and managed by an entire community, spaces which anyone was free to use and enjoy. The Commons foster a sense of community by allowing shared living within a context of less regulation, less personal ownership, and less exclusion. I think it is a sad thing that shared living, being in community, and having the Commons are not as present in modern-day American society. It could be very beneficial to human relation, interaction, and rapport to have common, publicly available spaces. This need is met in some part by parks and green spaces – although these locales are usually technically owned by a municipality (a city, a state, a federal government), they are open to the public (within reasonable limits, hours, and regulations) for enjoyment and use.

As is probably evident from the preceding musings, I do not consider the currently discussed allocation of land – to become parks and green spaces – as a waste of space. I hold the view that nature, the great outdoors, and wild environments must be respected, held in high esteem, and allowed to continue existing. Granted, I do value the natural environment and prioritize the retention of beautiful, wild spaces far more than many other humans in the world, who would much more quickly see industry, business, money-making endeavors, and human-oriented and human-progressing development as top priorities. So part of it boils down to conflicts of interest and where priorities lie. But as for me, I view parks and green spaces as important locales that ought to be given priority. Their importance as peace-bringers, recreation-providers, beauty-holders, and community-promoters cannot be overstated.

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What is the goal of parks, reserves, green spaces, conservation areas, and the like? What is their purpose for existence?

The conglomeration of purposefully set-aside natural environments and spaces exists with a goal of keeping some of the wild beauty of nature in a protected and managed way to allow mankind to interact with and enjoy it to an extent. The National Park Service and the national parks they manage, for example, were started and created because people felt like the great outdoors ought to be protected from degrading use or human development, protected in perpetuity so that man could recreate in beautiful, natural spaces and reap the benefits the wilderness provides. Mankind has money in his eyes; the desire for progress, development, profit, and improvement often bulldozes over (literally and figuratively) the natural world and its place on the planet. Motions, laws, regulations, and rules must thus be implemented in order to protect our natural environments from the destruction and damage brought by the historic trajectory of human progress and development. Conservation areas and reserves are created to keep plants, animals, species, and ecosystems in existence. Parks and green spaces allow people to recreate and adventure on semi-wild land and to witness the grand diversity of environments we have in the world. These lands must continue to exist; I am glad, therefore, that many of these locales are protected in perpetuity by laws that cannot be changed or revoked. I just hope climate change and negative human impacts on the world do not harm the protected, green areas too much.

 

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HJA 1, HJA 2-4

Posted on August 13, 2016 by John DeAngelis

Jack DeAngelis

2) Forest Under Story: Creative Inquiry in an Old-Growth Forest

Edited by Nathaniel Brodie, Charles Goodrich, and Frederick J. Swanson https://www.washington.edu/uwpress/search/books/BROFOR.html

HJA 1: In the introductory material (pages 1-14) the author asks the fundamental question, “What’s the story here?” After you have read the first chapter, answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

* What do you expect to observe when we visit the forests of the H.J. Andrews?

I expect to observe the combination of both untouched and preserved land while also viewing experimental sites full of equipment.  At first, this apparent human trash scattered across the area will seem as a perverse defiling of the natural wonder of the old growth forest, but I hope to grow used to the homemade equipment and see the beauty of scientific data gathering.

* What are some different ways of telling the story of these forests? How do methods of creative reflection support scientific inquiry and vice versa?

It all comes down to the story of the relationship between the land and the people.  Scientific inquiry is a way for the forest to speak for itself and tell its own side of the story, but it can only answer the questions that scientists ask.  Poets can patiently wait for the land to reveal itself to them in a slightly more organic manner and record the story as they feel the land has told them.  Additionally, scientific research can start the story while literature can frame it in a captivating and heartfelt way that penetrates the lives of others.  The balance of both science and literature in this story telling project is quite breathtaking.  Simply put, there are “multiple ways of knowing” (Goodrich 11) and understanding the places around us and “cross fertilization” (Goodrich 11) between the sciences and humanities is vital when telling the story of these forests.

* Why is the long-view critical to understanding the role of humans in the natural world?

The long-view is so critical to understanding the role of humans in the natural world mostly because of the urgency of issues such as climate change and the depletion of natural resources.  By taking a step back and looking at the big picture, one can track the rapidly changing conditions of the planet and witness the extrapolated figures that project human kind into an unfortunate, yet self-inflicted, doomsday.  Additionally, the long-view can potentially “offer keys to questions for which we don’t yet have good answers, even questions we have not yet learned to ask” (Goodrich 13).  In other words, collecting information and tracking change now could prove to be very useful in the future.

HJA 2-4: For each of the main sections of the book (Part One, Two, and Three), read the Ground Work essays and at least three other entries for the section. Then answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

* Why was this theme chosen (e.g., Research and Revelation for Part One) to tell the story of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest?

The first section of this book was aptly titled Research and Revelation because scientists and poets did exactly that.  To research the forest, scientists devised experiments and collected data while poets explored and observed the spaces around themselves.  Both parties then experienced revelations by either interpreting data on the forest’s behalf or constructing literature in a fashion that helped to tell a story.  On another level, scientists collect data and do the research while poets tug at heartstrings and experience revelations.

* What do you expect the landscape to look like from the passages in this section?

I am glad we will be visiting the Andrews during the dry, summer season as the Ground Work essays and poetry set during the winter seem damp and cold.  While numerous bird species are referenced often, only a few select tree species seem to dominate the wooded areas of the Andrews.  The debris and decomposition scatted among the thriving flora and vegetation should create an interesting landscape.  I expect the trees to be tall, thick and utterly breathtaking.

* Provide an example or two of how the scientific context presented in the Ground Work essay is reflected in creative storytelling for the section.

The concept of reincarnation is repeatedly alluded to in many of the creative pieces while the Ground Work essays explain how new saplings grow from the decaying trucks of felled trees.  This topic is clearly explained in the more scientific writings because so much research and study at the Andrews is devoted towards this natural phenomenon.  It is often the main theme of the poetry because life and death are the unifiers of all people and continue to fascinate the human mind on a spiritual level.  Scientists seem to research reincarnation while poets seem to experience revelations while pondering rebirth.

* What’s a question you have about the forest from reading these passages?

Is everything really covered in moss?  How can a tree collect sunlight and grow if it is draped in moss?

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Moss really does cover the trees as show here on the Old-Growth Look-Out trail.

* Why was this theme chosen (e.g., Research and Revelation for Part One) to tell the story of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest?

In an old growth forest, it is easy to forget that the landscape is alive and constantly changing.  Change and Continuity reminds the reader that this forest is a dynamic place, but because a simple walk in the woods will not reveal this change, a long term view is necessary to fully experience the forest’s transformations.  This section deals with change and how it is understood as a function of time.

* What do you expect the landscape to look like from the passages in this section?

I expect to see areas of clear cut forests and areas of selective cut forests.  The Ground Work essays explain these forest practices, their effect on the surrounding environment and the surprisingly resilient succession of new species moving in.

* Provide an example or two of how the scientific context presented in the Ground Work essay is reflected in creative storytelling for the section.

The Ground Work essays explain change and disturbances over time which is reflected in the poetry by reminding readers that change is not necessarily bad.  Yes, major disturbances can bring about losses, but there are gains, too.  In New Channel, Fearnside asks, “why do we focus always on the destruction and not the regeneration?” (Fearnside 124).  In another creative piece from The Mountain Lion, Fox notes the transition of symbols representing the majority’s mentality on forestry practices.  This is another example of a creative story tracking the changes that come with the forest.

* What’s a question you have about the forest from reading these passages?

How much change will we witness during our short time at the Andrews?  Considering such a long term project, will a few days give us enough time to witness any minute transition at all?

* Why was this theme chosen (e.g., Research and Revelation for Part One) to tell the story of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest?

Borrowing Others’ Eyes is all about witnessing the Andrews through unexpected or nontraditional methods.  Understanding the forest ecosystem via hydrology or sound does not seem like the primary method a scientist or poet would use to better comprehend the land; however, these areas have proven very important when comprehending the forest.  One may experience the forest anew by simply changing their perspective.

* What do you expect the landscape to look like from the passages in this section?

Because it is the summer, the forest should not be quite as aquatic as described in the Ground Work essay; however, I would expect it to still be very damp.  The second Ground Work essay explores the soundscape of the Andrews.  Many creative pieces in Part I mentioned the various birds and their sweet songs, so this is something I expect to hear during our trip along with the other sounds described in the poetry.

* Provide an example or two of how the scientific context presented in the Ground Work essay is reflected in creative storytelling for the section.

In This Day, Tomorrow, and the Next, Rogers sets up a creative situation where a blind man and deaf man walk together in a forest.  This story fits perfectly with this section’s theme of seeing the forest in a new way.  Because the men have limited senses to use, they must rely on the little that they do have to experience the forest around them.  The physicality of the Andrews is highlighted by Rogers’ strong use of description which really places the reader in the forest.  By the end of the poem, the reader may realize that they themselves are viewing the area through a new set of eyes too: Rogers’.

* What’s a question you have about the forest from reading these passages?

What is in the future of studying the soundscape?  How can understanding the soundscape of a forest be used in a way to better protect the land?

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Portland 1, Portland 2-4

Posted on August 13, 2016 by John DeAngelis

Jack DeAngelis

Portland 1: Read the introductory material (pages 1-29) and answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer)

* Both books emphasize the study of place. Define the geographic concept of “place”. Illustrate the concept by describing the place where you are this summer.

The introduction sets up the culture atlas by briefly defining Portland and the surrounding area by its geographic boarders, physical scenery and societal mentalities.  This ultimately will come to define how one understands and “structures” (Banis and Shobe) Portland as a place.  Because the world is simply made up of many places, the authors argue that geographic areas are a means for people to understand the world around them.  This summer, I am in my hometown, Wilton, Connecticut.  I live in my family’s house on my family’s property.  There are forests nearby and rivers that run under the streets that connect me and my family to other people that make up Wilton.  This town is part of the state because it is connected to other towns in Connecticut which functions as one of fifty states within the USA.  Of course, America is one nation on a planet full of others.  My understanding of place connects me with people all over the globe.

* Before reading this book, think about your preconceived idea of the City of Portland. From this introductory material, describe two things that matched your preconceived notion of Portland.

Describe two things that you had not previously associated with Portland.

Before reading this book, I unfortunately always imaged Portland to be packed with extreme liberals and tie-dye-loving hippies.  While this may be true to some extent, Portlandness’ introduction clearly wipes away this preconceived idea of the city by framing the idea of place as a widely varying entity.  I had never noted the apparently exceptional public transportation system and had always linked rainy days with Seattle, not Portland.  In fact, it seems as if the city possesses an innovate and industrial progressiveness that is quite the opposite of my preexisting notions.

* Why did the authors choose to introduce Portland as a Cascadian City? What does it mean to be a Cascadian City?

The main reason for introducing Portland as a Cascadian City is to prevent “conventional and often stereotypical views about Oregon, the Northwest, the West Coast, and the United States” (Banis and Shobe 16).  This helps to introduce the concept of place as a dynamic and multilayered idea.  Additionally, presenting the idea of an independent Cascadia helps the reader to understand the many cultural, societal and political issues that the area faces today.  While the many explanations of Cascadia can be defined by differing geographic boarders, they all seem to include a united yearning for Callenbach’s Ecotopia.

* What is the essence of Portlandness? Why are maps a useful way of presenting this idea?

The authors have cleverly devised their own scale of measuring the city: Portlandness.  This gauge attempts to capture the crux of Portland which means Portlandness’ essence is quite literally the city itself.  The varying levels of Portlandness can be measured best with maps because this spatial representation can help readers to visualize the degrees of each characteristic of Portland that contributes to the Portlandness scale.

Portland 2-4: For three of the main sections of the book (I-VII), choose one of the perspectives presented (e.g., for I. Urban Landscapes, you could choose Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City), and answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

* What is the main concept illustrated in this section (e.g., what is an Urban Landscape)?

The first section, Urban Landscape, is the perfect way to follow the introduction.  By leading off the main sections of the cultural atlas, Urban Landscapes helps to initially break down the city.  Portland is renowned for its “forward-thinking planning and innovative urbanism” (Banis and Shobe 31), but does it really live up to its reputation?  Is the landscape really dominated by parks, gardens and bicycle lanes?  This section seems to tackle this question head on while also beginning to separate the city into discrete neighborhoods.

* What perspective did you choose to read for this section (e.g., Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City)? Why? How would you describe Portland according to this perspective in a few sentences?

I chose to read this section through the perspective of Manufactured Spaces because this subsection deals with the negative space of Portland.  While initially exploring zoning, industrial and slough areas near the Willamette, this subsection continues to track the cryptic no-man’s- land of the Taylor Electric Supply warehouse.  The area is dynamic and ever-changing while simultaneously remaining a nook of culture that helps to define the city.  This almost awkward space grants people an outlet for “unscripted and emergent activities” (Banis and Shobe 49).

* What map would you produce for Richmond to represent this concept? Why? What would be the title of the map? What might the map look like? (go ahead and sketch it, if you feel you can.  Don’t worry about the technology, if you can’t post the drawing.)

Locating, tracking and mapping spaces similar to the Taylor Electric Supply property would be difficult considering that, by definition, they are off the beaten path; however, Richmond has its own areas where grassroots efforts have produced exceptional artwork, especially downtown near the Pipeline Trail.  Perhaps the title would be “Awkward Areas, Stubborn Spaces and Impromptu Places.”

* What is the main concept illustrated in this section (e.g., what is an Urban Landscape)?

The Once and Future City explores what Portland could have been by recounting much of the city’s history.  By looking back into the past and tracking the changes of the landscape, one can understand why certain areas have developed into what they are today.  Imagining what isn’t there can be difficult, especially when concrete structures forcefully cover much of the ground, but this view is imperative when understanding any location.

* What perspective did you choose to read for this section (e.g., Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City)? Why? How would you describe Portland according to this perspective in a few sentences?

I chose to read this section through the perspective of Ethnic Imprints because this seems to define many east coast cities while failing to define Portland.  While New York City and Boston have distinct neighborhoods that are known for being predominately comprised of a certain ethnicity, Portland’s ethnic communities failed to significantly mark the city for a long period of time.  Instead, immigrants “assimilated and dissipated” (Banis and Shobe 62) very quickly, leaving the city with little culturally European neighborhoods.

* What map would you produce for Richmond to represent this concept? Why? What would be the title of the map? What might the map look like? (go ahead and sketch it, if you feel you can.  Don’t worry about the technology, if you can’t post the drawing.)

A map that tracked nationality, heritage and ethnicity of the people of Richmond could possibly represent this concept.  The main flaw of the map would be in the actual celebration of the people’s nationality, heritage or ethnicity.  For example, one family could be marked on the map as a foreign-born group while, in reality, they assimilated into Richmond quickly and gave up the traditions of their old country.  In this situation, the family would be poorly represented on the map.  If such a map were produced, perhaps it would be titled “Lasting Effects of Foreign Ethnicity on the city of Richmond.”

FB Map of Portland and Ethnic Map of Portland

Perhaps a combination of these two maps would match my description.

* What is the main concept illustrated in this section (e.g., what is an Urban Landscape)?

The main concept of section three, Wildness, sets up the constant tension of the rural verses the urban.  While the two entities are often contradictory in many US cities, Portland is renowned for fusing the two into a peaceful and balanced way of life.  While this is the main predisposition tied to the city, it may not be all true.  This section of the culture atlas challenges this stereotype and explores where anthropocentric and manufactured areas rub up against organic and natural lands.

* What perspective did you choose to read for this section (e.g., Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City)? Why? How would you describe Portland according to this perspective in a few sentences?

I chose to read this section through the perspective of Heterotopia: The Columbia Slough because it clearly describes the “verdant utopia” and the “industrial dystopia” (Banis and Shobe 95) that reside within the city.  While Foucault’s concept of a heterotopia does not mean that the rural and urban elements are balanced or complementary in a specific area, the idea does represent where the two very different landscapes intersect.  Perhaps Portland is just one huge heterotopia where urban sprawl continues to grow deeper and deeper into the surrounding forests.  This conflict seems to take center stage in most of Portland’s political and societal issues, but it seems as if residents have been able to forge a middle path that acquires at least some sort of balance between lifestyles.

* What map would you produce for Richmond to represent this concept? Why? What would be the title of the map? What might the map look like? (go ahead and sketch it, if you feel you can. Don’t worry about the technology, if you can’t post the drawing.)

A map that represented this concept for the city of Richmond would have to be separated into tiny squares covering the entire city.  Any square area that was dominated by vegetation would be represented in green while any square area that was dominated by industrial structures would be represented in grey.  Finally, any square area that seemed to balance the two equally would be represented by a third color, thus depicting the heterotopian regions.  I would title this map “A Timeless Battle: Rural and Urban at the Crash Zone.”

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Forest Under Story

Posted on August 12, 2016 by

HJA 1

I expect to see huge trees born in a time before they were uncommon. I expect to see many flora and fauna not found on the east coast. I expect to see people who care intensely about preserving and discovering the forest and about sharing their observations. Based on the introduction, I expect to see a sort of magic that can never be adequately described, but only experienced.

 

One way to tell the story of the forest is through quantitative measurements- variety of species, density of species, and change in water nutrient composition. Another is through qualitative description- to describe it, to create stories about or inspired by it, to draw it. The two methods of inquiry support each other by creating new approaches to measuring and defining the world. Both methods are about asking questions, and by integrating the methods new questions can be asked and answered.

 

The long-view is critical because our role in nature isn’t stagnant. If our relationship with the natural world in the next two hundred years changes even a fraction of the amount it changed in the past two hundred, taking snapshots each year will help understand each small change in the context of movement that is impossible to fully understand as a whole. Not only will our relation with nature change in that time, but also our interpretation of our relation. Writing is critical to understanding the subjective feeling of society towards nature at a given time.

 

Part I- Research and Revelation

Research and revelation have two separate relationships. When scientific findings from places like the Andrews Forest concluded that old-growth forests were essential to maintaining their ecosystems, both scientists’ and everyone elses’ understanding of the forests changed sides. Scientific data led to a revelation. However, the pursuit of data through research can also suppress revelation. As Robin Kimmerer says, “[Being in the forest] makes for better scientists, too, because the land is more than data and we are more than data analysts”. Tracking data without experiencing the forest firsthand creates distance from the very data being collected. Data should be a tool to help ask questions and understand where to find revelations, but it shouldn’t always be the source of revelations itself because it is just one way of observing something that can’t be described by numbers alone.

I expect the landscape to be varied. I didn’t realize how much altitude difference there would be within the forest. I also didn’t think fully about the aftermath of clearcutting, and what would be growing in the cleared parts of the forest. I didn’t realize how important water, both in springs and rivers, was when measuring a forest.

Vicky Graham, in her poem Cosymbionts, compares the scientific study of decomposition and disection to the art of creating a poem. She asks, “How else, except by keeping whole through breaking down, can a forest grow?” She might be saying that change is inevitable, and that by understanding the forest and its acceptance of change, we can understand our own lives.

In the Old Growth ground work, It is stated that the canopy lichen lobara oregana makes nitrogen usable for the entire floral ecosystem. I’m sure this isn’t the only species without which the forest would not exist, and I wonder how ecosystems develop so fully while depending on so many fragile links in a chain that would fall if one were broken.

Part II- Change and Continuity

Although we generally think of change happening over long periods of time, the most drastic changes in the forest are in some ways the short term ones. Barred owls are replacing Spotted owls, but they will occupy the same niche. Swap six of one for half a dozen of another, and the forest will endure just as it has for thousands of years. The ground work about forest practices tells about the change in mindset from clearcutting to preserving forests, but also the change from focusing on what has been taken in a clear-cut site to what is left over that can thrive.

 

Jeff Fearnside admires the power of a flood to alter the landscape and create new beginning in his poem New Channel. While appreciating the ruin that the flood causes, he also discusses the life starting anew as the “moss gorges itself” and “a stand of willows waves gently”. As disturbance ecologists observe changes caused by floods and fires with changes in data and landscape, Fearnside questions why we focus on destruction and endings instead of regeneration and present life.

 

I expect to see much more diversity on the ground than in the canopy. When I hear of a diverse forest my mind goes immidiately to the imposing trees, but the region is dominated by less than a dozen species. The animals and plants on the floor, though, give the ecosystem its diversity. I hope to see the interactions between all these small organisms. I expect to see barren land where clear-cut forest has not yet started to recover.

 

I wonder how often now species enter the forest. Are invaders like the Barred owl a rare occurance, or do species swap places often? When invaders come does it disturb the ecosystem or do the settle in as the author thinks the Barred owls will take the niche of the Spotted owls? Is the old-growth forest, as a diverse and ancient ecosystem, more or less likely to be threatened by invasive species?

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Part III- Borrowing Other’s Eyes

In this section, the focus is again on the long view. As Jane Hirshfield quotes, “we percieve acutely changes that are relatively quick, but are blind to the gradual”. It takes research seen from the eyes of generations before to piece together a story and observe change in a forest that’s on a completely different time schedule than our short lives. The theme also references the goal of resident writer project- to help both scientists and writers experience the forest in new ways with the help of a different perspective.

 

Robin Kimmerer uses hydrology to explain her own outlook on the passage of time. She observes throughfall and stemflow, and after deducing what controls the size of water droplets she wonders how time passes for plants that produce drops at different rates. Like a researcher she focuses on the individual moments of the forest, but with a less scientific outlook- the falling of a tree from the river’s perspective instead of transpiration from the tree’s stomata. To Robin, life is only experienced in moments that are nothing to the eternal flow of a river.

 

I now expect the lines between water and land to be blurred by the everpresent rain and the hyporheic flow beneath the ground. I expect the sounds to be as diverse as the flora and fauna, and to create a background noise to the forest.

 

I want to know what changes they’ve witnessed in the parts of the forest least touched by humans. Are the measurements of water and land stagnant, do they vary greatly in the short run and equalize in the long run, or do they trend toward a certain direction? Are they free of humans’ pollution, or have manmade chemicals permeated the deepest areas of the forest?

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Portlandness

Posted on August 12, 2016 by

Portlandness

Portland I.

Geographic “place” is the intersection of one’s subjective interpretation of a location (past experiences, comfort) with the location’s objective, physical characteristics. I’m working at a Boy Scout camp called Raven Knob this summer. It’s in a valley in western North Carolina, near Mt. Airy. There is a lake, a dining hall, program areas for each area of scouting, many wooded trails, a disc golf course, and several mountains. For a week, it is the entirety of 700 boys’ lives, and then a different set of boys, and then it fades away until the next summer. I don’t love this place, but it feels natural to be here.

 

I expected a focus on the “Portlandia” side of Portland, including hipsters, microbreweries, and young people. I also associated the city with environmentalism, although not as the “ecotopia” described in the atlas. I didn’t know the geography of Portland, so I didn’t associate it with the Willamette and Columbia rivers. I didn’t know there were such distinctive neighborhoods within the city, each with their own distinct populations and color palettes.

 

The authors present seven separate definitions of Cascadia to emphasize the point that a city can’t be defined by just one explanation. None of the definitions of Cascadia are incorrect, and they all represent a different part of Portland as a place, whether as part of an economic region or as an ecotopia. A  Cascadian city is green (both environmentally and physically), on the West coast, progressive, and independent.

 

The essence of Portlandness is the way the city’s people feel about it. The authors make the point that culture and place are not rigid; they change with people’s changing thoughts and opinions. Maps are useful because they are “representations of how people see places” (9), and so they can show both the concentrations of what is currently defined as Portlandness (liberal, green, bike-friendly) and the changes over time as people’s definition of Portlandness changes.

 

  1. Urban Landscapes

An Urban Landscape is all of the manmade parts of a city that make it more inorganic. It is arranged much like a forest in a natural landscape. The skyscrapers and industrial buildings in the Central Eastside Industrial District are the large trees. The smaller buildings, individual shops, sidewalks, and strip clubs that make the city unique are the undergrowth that supports the urban ecosystem. It isn’t stagnant; it changes with its people and with changing architectural and landscaping views.

 

I chose the Ruins of Taylor Electric. To me, it demonstrates the conflict between the citizens’ desire to “keep Portland weird” by expressing themselves through graffiti and the government’s desire to maintain order. When the Doug was described, the atlas quoted Martin Patail as saying, “Political nonexistence might be Cascadia’s greatest asset.” There seems to be a conflict between the graffiti artists and eco-geeks, who stand for independence and expression, and the government, which is supposedly representing that same population. It’s interesting how a government should do its job when the people for whom it’s established are against the order that governments exist in part to maintain.

With the Taylor Electric building in mind, I would map what has happened in the last 15 years to buildings that have been vacated- whether they’ve been bought, repurposed, torn down to leave an empty lot, or replaced by another building (and what purpose a new building or company serves). This would show the path of development in places where there are buildings either old enough to be vacated or unprosperous enough to be sold/abandoned. I would call the map Old Ends and New Beginnings.

 

 

III. Wildness

This section focuses on the intersection between the natural and urban environments of Portland. Some perspectives, such as “Stumptown”, “Oaks Bottom”, and “The City Chicken and the County Cayote”, reveal how Portland has encouraged, or at least accepted, wildness within its borders. The Oaks Bottom section again shows the conflict between Portland’s government and its citizens. Others, such as

“Heterotopia” and “Lost waters and Phantom Streams”, demonstrate the ways in which the city has altered and reduced the wild landscape in order to urbanize. The dystopian side of Portland described in the Heterotopia perspective acknowledges the environmental and racial consequences of making the city perfect for some at the expense of other people and landscapes.

 

In the Stumptown perspective, the more progressive neighborhoods of Portland have embraced wildness within an urban setting by planting trees. These neighborhoods have gone as far toward the urban side of the spectrum as they’re willing to go, and are now moving away from it. It’s interesting and encouraging that after a community has sufficiently developed, it wants to transition back towards wildness instead of becoming more and more urban. Portland is embracing wildlife and the Cascadian scenery that surrounds it. However, the tree cover is far from uniform across the city. I wish the atlas mentioned if there was a correlation between tree cover and affluence of a neighborhood, and if tree cover changed as a neighborhood became gentrified or impoverished.

 

This concept is what I would map in order to witness a change as neighborhoods change. It might even turn out that encouraging the planting of flora is a strategy to improve an area socially and make it more safe/welcoming.

V. Social Relations

This section has three main topics- the amount of video surveillance in Portland, the complexity of the city’s “green” moniker, and the city’s past and present relation to poverty and homelessness. Depending on one’s interpretation, all the streetlights and surveillance cameras could be seen as a welcome safety measure or an intrusive and unwelcome method of spying. The other two sections are in part cautionary tales about what the dangerous influence of money. LEED certification is also a certification of a company’s willingness to pay for it. When the minority populations of Portland were redlined and displaced, the culture of neighborhoods like Boise was hurt, along with the lives of its residents. While Portland preaches inclusion and diversity, the potential revenue of a stadium or an area experiencing “urban renewal” pushes its government and well-off citizens to ignore their neighbors.

 

It’s both important to remember and easy to forget the poor and homeless when helping is not required. The Invisibility of Homelessness perspective was interesting. The Right 2 Dream Too settlement makes homelessness salient while still focusing on helping the homeless rather than focusing on that salience. The social relations of this community contrast with those of the gentrifying and redlining community by solving a problem rather than moving or removing it. It’s also a reminder that in a city with Platinum LEED certified buildings and bioswales, there are still basic needs that have not been met.

 

The perspective noted that although many opposed the central location of Right 2 Dream Too, the community is in an ideal place to form a support network and have walking access to the infrastructure that allows people to stop being homeless. With this in mind, I would map the low-income communities of Portland based on their access to a list of amenities such as medical clinics, washing and showering facilities, and quality food. This map would show the ease of access to help and to the infrastructure necessary to create a successful community.

 

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HJA

Posted on August 12, 2016 by

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Research and Revelation

HJA 1: In the introductory material (pages 1-14) the author asks the fundamental question, “What’s the story here?” After you have read the first chapter, answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

* What do you expect to observe when we visit the forests of the H.J. Andrews?

I expect lots of green, damp plants and trees everywhere. I expect humid, earthy smells lofting through the forest. We would probably walk on set paths and see the trails as we go through the forest. I also imagine a small stream bubbling in the distance while we walk and hike through this area.

* What are some different ways of telling the story of these forests? How do methods of creative reflection support scientific inquiry and vice versa?

There are many different ways of telling the story of these forests. There are creative ways such as photographs, anecdotes, essays and poems. And there are scientific ways such as through data and graphs.

“It’s our belief that creative writers and those who undertake other types of arts-and humanities-based inquires can be especially adept at bringing scientific information and insights into conversation with the complex emotional and cultural relationships that humans have with both wild and managed landscapes”(9).

Scientific inquiry can bring us realistic, hard data insight into creative minds and draw on scientific inspirations in their works.

“Creative writers draw on rich vocabulary and conceptual insights of science to help people understand and value the world” (11).

* Why is the long-view critical to understanding the role of humans in the natural world?

The long view helps remind us that we can never find a permanent conclusion because societal and environmental context constantly changes around us. As humans of the natural world, we have to be attuned for the past, present and future to see out ever-changing world around us.

 

HJA 2-4: For each of the main sections of the book (Part One, Two, and Three), read the Ground Work essays and at least three other entries for the section. Then answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

* Why was this theme chosen (e.g., Research and Revelation for Part One) to tell the story of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest?

The writers conducted the research by entering the forest and collecting data for their stories, just as scientists do. From the  research of entering the forest, they experience, write down their data, and translate data in forms of poems and stories instead of hard numbers and facts like scientists and researchers do. Writers express in words and sensory imagery while scientists analyze and get hard data.

* What do you expect the landscape to look like from the passages in this section?

I expect the landscape to look mess and chaotic (which is the way nature is), but I expect it to look chaotic in an organized matter. There would be a variety of trees(Douglas-fir, western hemlock, true firs, etc.) scattered throughout with different little insects and beings inhabiting these trees. I expect fresh green moss on logs and everything having a damp touch to it.

* Provide an example or two of how the scientific context presented in the Ground Work essay is reflected in creative storytelling for the section.

In the chapter “Varied Thrushes”, it talks about Oregon Robins. The author uses great detail by using sensory imagery to describe what the bird looks like and the distinct movements made by the bird. In the end, it describes their contact calls to be “subtle, metallic, yet sweet”(29). And in the Groundwork, it describes how there are over 170 bird species reside or visit the Andrews over the course of the year. Also, animals provide “a limited choral complement to the wind soughing through the evergreens and reverberation of streams cascading over boulders.” So I imagine that the forest would be mostly quiet, with the occasional bird call every once in a while.

* What’s a question you have about the forest from reading these passages?

As described in the groundwork, there are thousands of species of invertebrates in a variety of living conditions. How, and how long did it take for researchers to gather all the information about those small invertebrates?

 Change and Continuity

HJA 2-4: For each of the main sections of the book (Part One, Two, and Three), read the Ground Work essays and at least three other entries for the section. Then answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

* Why was this theme chosen (e.g., Research and Revelation for Part One) to tell the story of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest?

Change and Continuity is to explain how forests change after periods of disaster. The environment around us will never be the same or stagnant. The world is constantly changing and never stopping.

* What do you expect the landscape to look like from the passages in this section?

The H.J Andrew Experimental Forest , or an forest for that matter, will never look quite new. It will always be filled with newborn trees, old deteriorating trees, and varieties of types of trees. The forest will look run down from the periods of natural disasters that it probably faced over the years.

* Provide an example or two of how the scientific context presented in the Ground Work essay is reflected in creative storytelling for the section.

In the Groundwork “Disturbance”, it talks about how forests suffer and researchers can see how disturbance changes the forest and the life in the forest. So the lookout creek flood revealed what species survived, such as the cutthroat trout by finding refuge in slack water close to the stream banks. In the poem “New Channel” by Jeff Fearnside, he writes about his experience of walking along the creek and describes vividly how many fish died, and how other creatures have died such as spiders, caddis flies, waterskippers, etc.

* What’s a question you have about the forest from reading these passages?

I wonder how many other species survived the lookout creek flood other than the cutthroat trout. And if so, how they did so. What about the invertebrates? I imagine it must be difficult to document the smaller insects. 

Borrowing Others’ Eyes

HJA 2-4: For each of the main sections of the book (Part One, Two, and Three), read the Ground Work essays and at least three other entries for the section. Then answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

* Why was this theme chosen (e.g., Research and Revelation for Part One) to tell the story of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest?

The section “Borrowing Others’ Eyes is attaining a new perspective or a new lens to view the experimental forest.

* What do you expect the landscape to look like from the passages in this section?

I expect it to be very damp, since it does rain about a hundred inches per year on average. Even without rain, there seems to be lots of moisture in general. In the trees, in the flora, and in all the life in general. I also expect it to be quiet with small, quiet nature sounds in the distance.

* Provide an example or two of how the scientific context presented in the Ground Work essay is reflected in creative storytelling for the section.

In the piece “Denizens of Decay” by Tom A. Titus, he writes a piece about the Oregon Slender Salamander and how it it has skin so thin that “the oxygen made by green photosynthetic needles int he canopy movies easily into her body, so thin that the carbon dioxide flows freely outward”(210). The author paints this beautiful picture with words. In the Groundwork “Water”, it explains how water from the soil can move upwards into trees, through the stomata and into the atmosphere.

* What’s a question you have about the forest from reading these passages?

If water is pumped to the atmosphere through many ways, one way being that it is soaked through soil, up the trees and into the atmosphere, what are other ways water is pumped to the atmosphere?

In the Groundwork “Soundscape”, it talks about how stream sound can be used as a cover for some species and deflect other species to quieter locations where stream noise doesn’t complicate communication. What are other uses of stream sound other than this?

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Portlandness

Posted on August 12, 2016 by

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Portland’s food carts!

Portland 1: Read the introductory material (pages 1-29) and answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer): * Both books emphasize the study of place. Define the geographic concept of “place”. Illustrate the concept by describing the place where you are this summer.

The geographic concept of place can be described as what is physically around you, how everything around you is placed, and sensing this “place” through your senses. In the summer, I went back to my suburban home in Corona, California. My area is close to a desert region in the sense that it has relatively high temperature particularly during the summer. I live on a mountain and I am surrounded by mountainous regions, but also has shops and food places nearby.

* Before reading this book, think about your preconceived idea of the City of Portland. From this introductory material, describe two things that matched your preconceived notion of Portland. Describe two things that you had not previously associated with Portland.

Before reading Portlandness, I didn’t know much about Portland.The extent of my Portland knowledge would be seeing a couple pictures on Facebook and Instagram from time to time. I knew that Portland was geographically and environmentally green in a sense that the area had many forest areas and that the people were environmentally friendly and aware of their actions. I had no associated Portland to be such a politically liberal city and to have it be famous for food carts, especially vegan-friendly food.

* Why did the authors choose to introduce Portland as a Cascadian City? What does it mean to be a Cascadian City?

The authors chose to begin with Cascadia because they wanted to introduce from a different context from conventional and stereotypical views of Portland. Many of those, including myself, who read this book will have a preconceived notion of what Portland is like. The book portrays the culture of a Cascadian as more than an alternative west-coast lifestyle. Cascadia, according to the authors, is to “learn to live with less…develop deeper cultural and spiritual formulations for the kind of existence we seek to map out for ourselves in this particular corner of the continent and of the planet”. To me, a Cascadian city seems to be a place striving to be a utopian society such as having more bike roads and having a multitude of vegan options, but it has its faults like existing tensions between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver.

* What is the essence of Portlandness? Why are maps a useful way of presenting this idea?

The essence of Portlandness seems to be a very liberal culture with an environmentally conscious community with many delicious food options and beautiful green outdoor places. Maps are useful because they can depict certain aspects of  Portland on a visual scale. As humans, we are naturally very visual creatures, therefore maps can aid us in visualizing various aspects of Portland. For example, we can see where more liberals are concentrated near Portland and spreads out slowly and becomes more sparse along the outskirts of Portland.

Portland 2: Food and Drink: For three of the main sections of the book (I-VII), choose one of the perspectives represented (e.g., for I. Urban Landscapes, you could choose Bridgetown, Under the Bridges,Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City), and answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

* What is the main concept illustrated in this section (e.g., what is an Urban Landscape)?

The main concept of “food and drink” is how food and drinks are a key element of Portland. In fact, food and drink would be key in any city a traveler visits. The food you eat and the beverages you consume is all part of a city’s culture and the way people live. Though according to the book, coffee and beer seem to have a good reputation. But there are other foods that are good as well, such as their various fun flavors of ice cream.

* What perspective did you choose to read for this section (e.g., Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City)? Why? How would you describe Portland according to this perspective in a few sentences?

I chose “Anything you can do, I can do vegan” because I am a vegetarian, and as a vegetarian, I find it difficult to find places to eat that offer vegetarian options, especially while traveling. To see that there are not only vegetarian, but vegan options delights and amuses me. Environmental and human rights are integral to the Portland culture, so vegan culture seems to go hand in hand with these Portland values. With many vegan options at places ranging from supermarkets dedicated to vegan life to barbershops, being vegan seems to add on and go along with the Portland stereotype. Vegan life is a key part of the Portland culture.

* What map would you produce for Richmond to represent this concept? Why? What would be the title of the map? What might the map look like?

Richmond has some food culture, but not many vegan/vegetarian friendly options. After living in California and being surrounded by amazing food places everywhere, Richmond seems incomparable. I would call Richmond the “so-so vegan friendly” in places such as Carytown.

Portland 3: Views of the City: For three of the main sections of the book (I-VII), choose one of the perspectives represented (e.g., for I. Urban Landscapes, you could choose Bridgetown, Under the Bridges,Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City), and answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

* What is the main concept illustrated in this section (e.g., what is an Urban Landscape)?

The main concept is to talk about the city in relation to psychogeography, or how we experience the city through our sense and our own particular unique perspective.

* What perspective did you choose to read for this section (e.g., Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City)? Why? How would you describe Portland according to this perspective in a few sentences?

I chose to read “Street Emotion” because I never heard of anyone describe a place using street emotion. The time of the day can influence one’s emotion. For example, the morning is associated with calmness. As it gradually turns night, a person can feel more and more stressful throughout the day. More industrialized places faced more negative emotions and stress while nature places had more pleasant emotions.

* What map would you produce for Richmond to represent this concept? Why? What would be the title of the map? What might the map look like?

Richmond would be calm throughout the day. There is not much crime in the city (that I know of), and it is not as stressful or fast-paced like New York or LA. I would name the title of the map “Richmond=calm and mellow”.

Portland 4: Social Relations: For three of the main sections of the book (I-VII), choose one of the perspectives represented (e.g., for I. Urban Landscapes, you could choose Bridgetown, Under the Bridges,Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City), and answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

* What is the main concept illustrated in this section (e.g., what is an Urban Landscape)?

The main concept of social relations explores relationships between the people and the city throughout time.

* What perspective did you choose to read for this section (e.g., Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City)? Why? How would you describe Portland according to this perspective in a few sentences?

I chose Green Paradise because I heard about Portland’s “greenness” and I wanted to read more about it. Portland seems to be a leader in environmental and sustainable movements with it’s  many bike paths, public parks, and environmentally sustainable transportation methods. Most of the residents use bikes and Portland also has the most vegans per capita.

* What map would you produce for Richmond to represent this concept? Why? What would be the title of the map? What might the map look like?

I would say Richmond is environmentally friendly, but not as much as Portland. Richmond is physically very green with many trees, which definitely has more trees than California does. Our school itself recently started gradually using solar panels, but I don’t know how environmentally friendly Richmond is as a whole. I would label the map “Richmond’s somewhat green area”.

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HJA 1-4

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Parr

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Parr McQueen

HJA 1: In the introductory material (pages 1-14) the author asks the fundamental question, “What’s the story here?” After you have read the first chapter, answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

What do you expect to observe when we visit the forests of the H.J. Andrews?

One thing that stood out for me from the introduction was the prevalence of old growth conifers. I have never been to a forest in this section of the country before and I imagine it will be quite different. The trees and all around them will be full of life, but different than what I have seen.

What are some different ways of telling the story of these forests? How do methods of creative reflection support scientific inquiry and vice versa?

There are many different ways to tell the story of the forest and that is the idea behind this book. While it may be quite easy to perform scientific studies and publish data, that is not what the normal person sees. In this book are poems and essays and reflections about people’s time in the forest. It is this humanities work that allows us to make the connection between the data to our experiences, and better understand the world around us.

Why is the long-view critical to understanding the role of humans in the natural world?

The long-view is critical to understand because change always happens, but not always for the better. Protected forests were not originally for scientific research or enjoyment. They were protected as a way to manage profit and make sure that business could keep logging. Some of the changes that we do can have a long term affect. A relativity minor fault might magnify over time to become something larger than anyone thought possible. The forests will be here for way longer then a single person’s life. It is much harder to clean up a problem than not to start it in the first place so we must first stress the importance of learning the long-view of the human impact in the natural world.

For each of the main sections of the book (Part One, Two, and Three), read the Ground Work essays and at least three other entries for the section.  

HJA 2

Why was this theme chosen (e.g., Research and Revelation for Part One) to tell the story of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest?

“Research and Revelation” is the theme for part one of the book. This is a fitting topic for the first section of the book, because it defines what the purpose of Andrews forest is. Andrews is an Experimental forest, and is focused on providing access to research and experiments. Its not a place for only site seeing or enjoying nature, it has a more serious purpose. The use of the word “revelation”, tries to explain how much we have learned about the inner connected nature of life. Inside and outside of the forest things are more connected then people think, and one small change can have a larger affect then thought before.

What do you expect the landscape to look like from the passages in this section?

From these passages I imagine that the forest will be full of very tall old trees; lots of tall 500-year-old undisturbed nature. Yet next to this I think there will be many of the scientific experiments and modern tech. The section on decomposing and the 200-year log study gives me the impression that the ground will be very squishy, simply because I think that it will all be undergrowth that’s rotting away.

Provide an example or two of how the scientific context presented in the Ground Work essay is reflected in creative storytelling for the section.

One example I found is from the “Each step an Entry” response. Here Linda Hogan stresses how much life she experienced in the forest. Hogan describes how much the life is almost palpable in the air. She goes on to say how “micro filaments of life passing around and across one another”, and there are millions of things moving in and among the soil.  This all sounds very weak to me, but the science does actually support it. The ground work essays talk about how interconnected life is in the forests, and simply the immerse abundance of it. It will be hard to walk in the forest understanding every single thing going on around me.

What’s a question you have about the forest from reading these passages?

One question I have is the level of activity of scientific research. I understand that the purpose of the forest is mainly scientific research, but is there actually that much research going on at once? It almost seems that the book is glorifying how many discoveries come from this forest.

HJA 3

Why was this theme chosen (e.g., Research and Revelation for Part One) to tell the story of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest?

After talking about what we have learned about forests, the book gives us “Change and Continuity” which focuses on how much this forest in in particular has changed. Disturbances in the forest always happens, sometimes manmade sometimes not. Flash floods and fire have always changed the landscape of Andrews Forest. Sometimes these disturbances can be small, but other times change can flip the entire landscape upside down. Andrew lets us study these large change events, in order to draw parallels to how man made disasters can change other places. So far it has shown the reliance of the forest as a whole.

What do you expect the landscape to look like from the passages in this section?

Section two focused a lot on the human impact on the forest. While section one stressed the untouched nature of old growth forest, this explained clear cutting experiments and other scientific setups. I imagine that in the forest there will be a hard line between the natural and unnatural. It will not always be a hard line between clear cut and not, rather subtler things like compacted leaves. The contrast however will always be there, because this is an experimental forest, where people need to change things for their own studies often.

Provide an example or two of how the scientific context presented in the Ground Work essay is reflected in creative storytelling for the section.

Every story has two sides, and the essay titled “the otherside of the clear cut” shows this exceptionally well. Here owl protection and forest conservation battles loggers and profits. Although not a literal warzone, the author reminds us how there is always a winner and a looser to one situation. Then concludes with how the forest will always survive and adapt to what have happened to it. Much of the science in the groundwork supports this, although it is not as simple as it may seem. Even in the clear cut sections, new organisms may thrive in the open land where they did not enjoy the covered forest as much. The science supports that the small plants will be able to use the never before seen sun and raise to new heights. Even in what may appear to be all bad good can happen. Through all of this change, the forest will keep on living to another day and hopefully century.

What’s a question you have about the forest from reading these passages?

Regarding the clear cutting method for logging I wonder what percentage of the timber industry uses this method? In the media I know there are anti clear cutting articles but how much has this translated to actual practice. This question is slightly less about Andrews itself, and more about other less known forests and how lumber is harvested in modern times.

HJA 4

Why was this theme chosen (e.g., Research and Revelation for Part One) to tell the story of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest?

Concluding this book is, “Borrowing Others Eyes”. This refers to how different people interact with the forest and how their experiences differ. There is only one Andrews Forest, but a thousand different people who walk through it. Every single one looks at the forest in a different way, hearing different things and never observing it all. Different people focus on different things and not one person can process all the information out there. It is important to listen to what stands out to other people, because it may differ from your own.

What do you expect the landscape to look like from the passages in this section?

The main thing I took away from this concluding section was the amount of pure sounds the forest will have. I have been in deep caves where you cannot hear anything at all, and it is almost an alarming feeling. Being surrounded by not only tall trees but also the sounds of birds and insects will remind me how much is alive in the forest. All that life needs to be protected, but that can only happen if we observe it is there.

Provide an example or two of how the scientific context presented in the Ground Work essay is reflected in creative storytelling for the section.

Watershed hydrology is one of the topics presented in the ground work essays, and this is the study of how water moves in its environment. The reflection titled “Listening to water” best shows this key role water holds in the ecosystem. Here the author tells the story of the stream next to him. He presents the water as the life force behind the entire forest. Every drop of water on each leave, all the water in the stream, or dripping down his neck is connected. Every drop of water has the most stories to tell because it has traveled through the forest playing the most important role. For the author it is this water that supports the forest, not sunlight or other important nutrients. Yet much of this romanticized view is supported by the science in the ground work essay. Water does play one of the most important roles as it travels from the top of the mountain to the lowest valley, carrying important minerals and nutrients to living things that need it.

What’s a question you have about the forest from reading these passages

A more open ended question I have about Andrews forest, is how is the best way to preserve its legacy? Each person who wrote an essay came away with a totally different perspective. Everyone thought different of the forest. Yet most people agreed how special it was, and this makes me think that it needs to be shared with others.

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Portland 1-4

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Parr

Parr McQueen

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Portland 1:

Both books emphasize the study of place. Define the geographic concept of “place”. Illustrate the concept by describing the place where you are this summer.

Place is what makes a location different. There are many distinctions between locations that may have very similar characteristics. When looking at certain statistics many different geographical regions can seem to be exactly the same, when in reality they are very different What makes up the place are things that make these locations different from the places. Every place is unique and includes the people and things that cannot be found anywhere else. Most of my summer was spent on campus for research. The UR campus exists in a relative bubble of isolated learning. Sometimes it is hard to remember that there are real things going on in the outside.

Before reading this book, think about your preconceived idea of the City of Portland. From this introductory material, describe two things that matched your preconceived notion of Portland. Describe two things that you had not previously associated with Portland.

I enjoyed reading more about where Portland is described as an “Ecotopia” where alternative lifestyles flourished. I was again reminded of the common use of bicycles for transport and function, instead of simply recreation, this is a great thing. Similar to this is the commonness of renewable offsets for electricity, as I know this is something my family does because it costs very little but can have a big impact. One thing I was not aware of that has connections to Portland is the Cascadian Independence Project. I knew that many parts of Oregon are very rural and almost self governing, but I never made the connection that the more liberal city of Portland would be connected to this. Another thing I did not associate with Portland is their seeming obsession with beer, I pictured that as more of a Midwest thing.

Why did the authors choose to introduce Portland as a Cascadian City? What does it mean to be a Cascadian City?

The authors chose to introduce Portland as a Cascadian City because this is the best way to note the geographic location, without drawing in similarities to other cites. Other descriptors like north west or American would be too broad and non descript. It would make the reader try to imagine what that descriptor means and then assume Portland is exactly like the other cities which are described in that way. The word Cascadian allows the reader to see where Portland is, but it also shows how Portland is different. This in turn invites the reader to try to learn more about Portland. A Cascadian City is not defined by any straight lines on a map. One could define it by its water shed, or the tectonic plates or mountain range, but it is more then that. A Cascadian City is flexible, and it is this uncertainty and uniqueness defines Portland.

What is the essence of Portlandness? Why are maps a useful way of presenting this idea?

Portlandness is all of the things that make Portland a different place then other cites; from the eco-hippies and the public transport, to the craft brewers and the old fashion loggers. To understand Portland one cannot rely on “default interpretations” and instead need new perspectives. This book attempts to do that by collecting all the different maps, with all the things that define Portland as a place, and make it special.

For three of the main sections of the book (I-VII), choose one of the perspectives presented (e.g., for I. Urban Landscapes, you could choose Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City), and answer the following questions (no more than a short paragraph per answer):

 Portland 2

 What is the main concept illustrated in this section (e.g., what is an Urban Landscape)?

This first section of the book focuses on the “Urban Landscape”. Landscapes traditionally refer to natural settings of foliage and assorted plants, but an Urban Landscape is different. Inside the city there is not much untouched by man. Everything was brought in, placed or created, for a reason. Changes could be done for the purpose of more housing or the light rail system and other public transport. Even simpler the Urban Landscape could be the trash on the sidewalk. But every city, and every place has different trash on their sidewalks, and different styles of buildings. These manmade differences between locations help form the Urban Landscape.

What perspective did you choose to read for this section (e.g., Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City)? Why? How would you describe Portland according to this perspective in a few sentences?

The “Stop! Writing on Stop Signs” is an intriguing section that raises a few questions for me. I chose this section because the idea of stop sign graffiti is puzzling to me. The examples shown in the book are all supporting one cause or another. Someone cared enough to go write on the stop sign in an attempt to share their views with others. But this is still vandalism and I personally think would make the city less attractive, but it is not tagging or thoughtless destruction. For these reasons I would start to describe Portland as a place where its residents really care about issues. Then I would spoil that statement by adding that while the residents have great passion, they don’t always have productive ways to express that.

What map would you produce for Richmond to represent this concept? Why? What would be the title of the map? What might the map look like? (go ahead and sketch it, if you feel you can. Don’t worry about the technology, if you can’t post the drawing.)

Following the general idea of stop sign graffiti, I think a compelling map might be one of different bumper stickers on parked cars in Richmond. People love expressing their opinion on their cars, and I feel like mapping where different political or social view points are more common would be a fun way to describe Richmond.

Portland 3

 What is the main concept illustrated in this section (e.g., what is an Urban Landscape)?

This section is called the “The once and future city”, describing the fact that Portland can not be described with a single snapshot. Portland is always changing, as soon as someone takes the picture, it has changed already. Anything from street names, township organization to the political views of the residents. Cites are dynamic and Portland is no different. If anything, it seems that Portland is able to evolve at a faster rate, and respond to new and improved trends than other comparable cites.

What perspective did you choose to read for this section (e.g., Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City)? Why? How would you describe Portland according to this perspective in a few sentences?

The section I focused on for this was “From Isle to Peninsula Swan Island”. Here the focus is on Swan Island, a place where extreme changes have happened. The city physically changed the landmass from an island to a peninsula, in order to improve transport and better use it as an airport. I chose this because it shows an extreme case of “The once and future city” physically changing their landscape. Most of the changes the city makes are minor, but the change that is happening right now has always been happening, and sometimes at an even larger scale. From this perceptive I would describe Portland as a place that is always looking for perfection, always looking for a better way and evolving into an improved form.

What map would you produce for Richmond to represent this concept? Why? What would be the title of the map? What might the map look like? (go ahead and sketch it, if you feel you can. Don’t worry about the technology, if you can’t post the drawing.)

A good way to illustrate this concept in the city of Richmond is to map out the the old rail road bridges that are no longer active. Over the James river there are a handful of old rail road brides that that are no longer in use. Many have degraded so much they are just concrete pilings in the sand. I have to imagine at one time these bridges were very active and carried thousands of tons of cargo or many people. Over time transportation trends have changed, and now Richmond has much wider highway bridges over the James. Comparing the new to the old shows the changing nature of the city by mapping out the important and very busy transport routes that were used at one time, but shifted to new locations.

Portland 4 

What is the main concept illustrated in this section (e.g., what is an Urban Landscape)?

This section is called “Views of the city”, which dives into the more qualitative aspects of Portland. Very few people care about statistics. Normal people don’t stay up late at night pouring over census data. What matters the most is how people feel about the city they are in. How the people there experience it, what stands out and how does it make them feel is much more important than population density.  It’s the using one’s gut to get a feel for what’s its like. These are the things people share with friends, not how many billboards there are per street.

What perspective did you choose to read for this section (e.g., Bridgetown, Under the Bridges, Where the Sidewalk Ends… or Naked City)? Why? How would you describe Portland according to this perspective in a few sentences?

The perspective I chose to illustrate the concept is “Sounds of the city”. I chose this section because it is the perfect example of unquantifiable data. There is no way to describe the differences in how streets sound without recording hours of audio and listening to it back to back.  Its not just total decibels that matters, its what stands out, and what people hear. Maybe the cars on the street are louder, but when walking downtown one hears the street performer instead. After reading this section, I would describe Portland as very diverse. The map in the text shows many different sounds coming from very different sources all within the same close area.

What map would you produce for Richmond to represent this concept? Why? What would be the title of the map? What might the map look like? (go ahead and sketch it, if you feel you can. Don’t worry about the technology, if you can’t post the drawing.)

Building height could be used to represent this concept in Richmond.  A person walking downtown and next to buildings like Federal Reserve sees a totally different view then someone walking in the the suburbs sections. Building height is also a way to visually see different statistics like population density and maybe even rent without looking at plain numbers. If someone was just dropped in to different parts of the city and was not aware of the others he would think very different ideas about what Richmond is as a whole.

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