Habitat Planning
I think if I were "released" from whatever constraints the architecture department has on me while still having an impact on the environment, I would probably choose to design habitats. First, a little background. I am obsessed with the outdoors and hate the city life. I moved out to a more rural area when I was young and frequent trips to the BWCA keep me content. I have come to both love animals as well as love hunting them. That may sound like it contradicts itself but I believe that if you respect the environment and give back to it while appreciating the sport of the hunt, it is easy to see that that is, in fact, quite true. One of the most progressive movements in the hunting world is providing sustainable habibat for wild animals. This might mean planting trees, planting foodplots, planting a specific or diverse range or trees, or using a controlled burn. The idea of designing a landscape to suit the maximum number of animals as well as human inhabitants really intrigues me. There is a plethora of different options when considering how to design a landscape. One must consider the region, the climate, the typical weather patterns, and the different species of animals as well as plants just to name a few. By considering all of these and more, one can design a landscape that can provide habitat as well as human development. I picked up last Sunday's newspaper and flipped to the outdoor section, which I look forward to reading every weekend, only to find something disturbing. Minnesota's moose population is declining at an alarming rate. Although not completely certain, researchers believe that this is due to broken up habitat poorly managed. This is just one of many instances where the right habitat planning could maximize native animal populations while still inviting development. This topic, I believe, is much overlooked due to the increasing demand for housing and the effects of urban sprawl. In Minnesota a trend has occurred in which the "baby-boomers" have homesteaded cabins in the northwoods and in turn, have broken up animal habitat. I believe that with the right knowledge and planning, we can live happily in an environment that is lush with a array of different species of animals and plants.