A lot of woodland, but not only woodland

Reforestation measures, planting for nature conservation, as well as spon­taneous processes of succession in declining regions such as the Ruhrge- biet are leading to increasing forestation of developed areas. Even if the increase of wild woodlands in urban-industrial areas is unquestionably valuable, they do not have to be protected at any cost, their natural devel­opment needs not stay free of designing intervention. On the contrary, the denseness and closed-ness of spontaneous woodlands require design inter­ventions in the places where the woodlands meet developed areas in order to open up the space, create lines of sight, and allow public use.

In addition to semi-natural cultivation, the development of artificial vi­sions of the woodland, especially along the borders of developed areas, in­creases in significance. The woodlands no longer stand in opposition to developed areas, but rather are a part of the urban-industrial landscape. The “natural woodland” gives way to more transparent forms such as tree plantations, extensively maintained park landscapes, or agricultural land. A mosaic of open spaces and woodland types requiring differing intensities of care from wild industrial woodlands to production tree plantations open for recreation activities is possible by combining types.

Updated: October 15, 2015 — 8:56 pm