On “Forests and Trees,” in Earth in Mind by David Orr
“Most colleges and universities intend their campuses to look like country clubs, weedless and biologically sterile places maintained by an unholy array of chemicals. Campus landscapes ought to be more imaginatively designed to promote biological diversity and ecological resilience and to raise the collective ecological IQ of the campus community.” (68)
Just this past summer, Orr’s complaint became a whole lot more applicable to Humboldt State. I hope this trend doesn’t continue. If it does — Yikes!
So, I guess I’ve started to launch in on the whole “gateway” thing and as tired as everyone has probably become of it I’m going to bring it up again. The first thing to note about the Gateway is that it was recommended by an out-of-the-area consultant, illustrating Wendell Berry, Barbara Kingsolver, and David Orr’s principle that local decision-making is the best way to manage the local landscape. Of course, the HSU President Richmond, while a resident, is a relative newcomer; I think that Bob Shultz, director of facilities has been here for a while.
Anyway, I agree that a new gateway was needed, and I actually like the new open feel of L.K. Wood with its enhanced visibility, but I think that the gateway is too large; its scale is intended for autos rather than pedestrians and bicyclists, and that the lawn along L.K. Wood might be irrigation and chemical intensive.
aaron :: Oct.09.2005 :: Inscape / Landscape class ::