A Creek Runs Through It: Museum Being Constructed in a Ravine
Keith Bowers, President, Biohabitats
Check out the cover story of the July 4, 2011 issue of Engineering and News Record:
http://enr.construction.com/buildings/construction_methods/2011/0704-artfulbalancing.asp
It's ironic that ENR features this project in the same issue that lists the top green design firms. Placing this project in the ravine and stream bed means it will have irreversible and devastating impacts to the stream valley, the aquatic habitat of the stream, fish passage, and riparian connectivity. By fragmenting the forest, it will also facilitate the invasion and spread of invasive species, change the microclimate of the stream valley and cause the extinction of forest interior dwelling species. The effects the ponds will have on aquatic habitat will be many. "A creek runs through it." Will we ever learn?
Check out the cover story of the July 4, 2011 issue of Engineering and News Record:
http://enr.construction.com/buildings/construction_methods/2011/0704-artfulbalancing.asp
It's ironic that ENR features this project in the same issue that lists the top green design firms. Placing this project in the ravine and stream bed means it will have irreversible and devastating impacts to the stream valley, the aquatic habitat of the stream, fish passage, and riparian connectivity. By fragmenting the forest, it will also facilitate the invasion and spread of invasive species, change the microclimate of the stream valley and cause the extinction of forest interior dwelling species. The effects the ponds will have on aquatic habitat will be many. "A creek runs through it." Will we ever learn?
3 Comments:
Humans just get enamored by the pretty, shiny, "neato", challenging things that we CAN do and forget to ask the ethical question of 'SHOULD we?'. It's really just the 10 year old boy's mind-set taken into the adult world. I think many engineers are trapped in this outlook on the world. In fact they shun the ethical questioners as stopping "progress". Also, ultimately they just have a lack of a basic education in biology and ecology and refuse to seriously consider consultation with people who do, beyond jumping through over-simplified regulatory hurdles that "take care of" the environmental issues.
Ambulance-chasing pseudo "environmental" consultants are also a big part of the problem. Anything can be spun, any uncertainty can be exploited to get the permit. This is ultimately why regulation is only a half-measure. We really just need give our projects and money to engineering firms who really care about and really do ecologically integrated design work.
keep grizzlies in natl. parks and wilderness areas! now, approve that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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