The Muir Woods are a momumental international landmark that exemplifies the traditional of environmental preservationism (protecting spectacles in wilderness from disruption and development).
The site of the Muir Woods Visitor center is an rather astounding work of landscape architecture. Indeed, my experience there was not focused on the trees, so much as the desgin choices about how to protect the place while increasing visitor accessibility to the area. Of particular interest:
- An immaculate boardwalk that creates a sense of almost ethereal levitation above the forest floor, protecting the soil from the compaction of visitor foot-traffic, which could disrupt the sequoia’s root functioning.
- Several polished bridges over the rambling creek that serves the giant sequoia’s giant thirst. These bridges evoke a sense of the bucolic pioneer era with there broad beams and hand-crafted workmanship.
- Notably failing erosion-prevention measures in the exposed black netting present on trails with a steep grade. Many tree roots were exposed on level hillside paths as well.
- Wood post railings keep visitors from wandering off paths, provide for a momentary restful lean, and dignify the human position in the landscape through the display of a well crafted fence.
I am struck though by the similarities of Muir Woods to any theme park or amusement ride. We, the visitors, are expected to remain within rather narrow bounds (rightly so, avoiding the threat of mobs trampling the forest floor) and simply gaze onto the boxed in, frozen idea of “nature” in its actual state. While the design measures in this case (except for trail compaction and soil retention) seem well placed and effective, it perfecting represents the modern industrial mindset of the forest–to be seen as an amusement, not as a home. I wonder how we in the 21st century can work to design preserved spaces for exploration, discovery, meditation, and reconnection. Some ideas:
- Have a constant tree tending and planting area. Let visitors help propagate and cultivate the next generation of redwoods by planting them in the soil.
- Maintain not only interpretive signage cataloging some of the historical, cultural, and ecological information, but some signage declaring the intent of meditative intent of the area. Have silent areas for reflection and more areas to sit and contemplate.
- Create doubled trails so that they may rotate annually/semiannual (like rotating crops) so trails get some time to recover from compaction.
My hope is that my career in landscape architecture can bring people closer to the land they inhabit through some of these means.
