Encountering grasslands: a collective approach to urban biodiversity

While the prolific nature of many grass and herbaceous species in urban parks offers an opportunity to cultivate more biodiverse and dynamic grasslands, widespread maintenance practices and complex cultural, economic, and bureaucratic forces often result in the undervaluing and regular destruction o...

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Main Authors: Chloe Walsh, Penny Allan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Sustainable Cities
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsc.2023.1195807/full
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author Chloe Walsh
Penny Allan
author_facet Chloe Walsh
Penny Allan
author_sort Chloe Walsh
collection DOAJ
description While the prolific nature of many grass and herbaceous species in urban parks offers an opportunity to cultivate more biodiverse and dynamic grasslands, widespread maintenance practices and complex cultural, economic, and bureaucratic forces often result in the undervaluing and regular destruction of these plant species. The research described in this paper reimagines the way grassy landscapes are cared for and understood in urban environments. Located in an urban park in inner Sydney, Australia, and using design research methods of observation, physical care, storytelling and installation, the research proposes three “frames of care” to assist landscape architects and other spatial designers to engage with communities at a local level. The frames have the potential to expand collective understandings of grassland communities, test alternative maintenance practices, and better support urban biodiversity and seasonal flux. With acknowledgment to the complexities of urban sites such as these, experimental installation provided a promising space to meaningfully engage with the local community and build a foundation to generate greater reciprocity between humans and non-humans of the site.
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spelling doaj.art-47a41f3922ee48958868830bd62e35662023-07-28T11:28:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Cities2624-96342023-07-01510.3389/frsc.2023.11958071195807Encountering grasslands: a collective approach to urban biodiversityChloe WalshPenny AllanWhile the prolific nature of many grass and herbaceous species in urban parks offers an opportunity to cultivate more biodiverse and dynamic grasslands, widespread maintenance practices and complex cultural, economic, and bureaucratic forces often result in the undervaluing and regular destruction of these plant species. The research described in this paper reimagines the way grassy landscapes are cared for and understood in urban environments. Located in an urban park in inner Sydney, Australia, and using design research methods of observation, physical care, storytelling and installation, the research proposes three “frames of care” to assist landscape architects and other spatial designers to engage with communities at a local level. The frames have the potential to expand collective understandings of grassland communities, test alternative maintenance practices, and better support urban biodiversity and seasonal flux. With acknowledgment to the complexities of urban sites such as these, experimental installation provided a promising space to meaningfully engage with the local community and build a foundation to generate greater reciprocity between humans and non-humans of the site.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsc.2023.1195807/fullurban resiliencecommunity resilienceurban grasslandsadaptive managementlandscape architecture
spellingShingle Chloe Walsh
Penny Allan
Encountering grasslands: a collective approach to urban biodiversity
Frontiers in Sustainable Cities
urban resilience
community resilience
urban grasslands
adaptive management
landscape architecture
title Encountering grasslands: a collective approach to urban biodiversity
title_full Encountering grasslands: a collective approach to urban biodiversity
title_fullStr Encountering grasslands: a collective approach to urban biodiversity
title_full_unstemmed Encountering grasslands: a collective approach to urban biodiversity
title_short Encountering grasslands: a collective approach to urban biodiversity
title_sort encountering grasslands a collective approach to urban biodiversity
topic urban resilience
community resilience
urban grasslands
adaptive management
landscape architecture
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsc.2023.1195807/full
work_keys_str_mv AT chloewalsh encounteringgrasslandsacollectiveapproachtourbanbiodiversity
AT pennyallan encounteringgrasslandsacollectiveapproachtourbanbiodiversity