CITY NEIGHBORHOOD and OAK SAVANNA by NANCY M
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CITY NEIGHBORHOOD AND OAK SAVANNA by NANCY M. ATEN (Under the Direction of Darrel Morrison) ABSTRACT Ecological landscape rehabilitation is explored in cities, especially the significance of scale, and the sense of place that is encouraged through the use of an indigenous vegetation model. The natural landscape and natural processes in cities have been modified beyond recognition, simplified, and obscured; however, the dependence of people on those processes and resources remains in a critical, tenuous, and not completely understood balance. In process-based ecological restoration, considerations of scale are related to ecosystem spatial characteristics and potential connectivity of restored patches. In cities, with unbuilt ground in very small fragments, the idea of a whole ecological landscape integrated with dense human population encourages consideration of larger scale rehabilitation. A process of ecological rehabilitation at a neighborhood scale is suggested, toward “success” in ecological and social terms, by considering case study neighborhoods in central city Milwaukee, their characteristics relevant to landscape rehabilitation, and oak savanna as a vegetation model. INDEX WORDS: Urban Ecology, Oak Savanna, Ecological Restoration, Landscape Scale, Milwaukee CITY NEIGHBORHOOD AND OAK SAVANNA by NANCY M. ATEN B. S., University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, 1981 M. S., Stanford University, 1982 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ATHENS, GEORGIA 2003 © 2003 Nancy M. Aten All Rights Reserved CITY NEIGHBORHOOD AND OAK SAVANNA by NANCY M. ATEN Major Professor: Darrel Morrison Committee: Ian Firth Kathleen Parker Susan Mudd Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2003 DEDICATION For the poet in my life, who shares and inspires my hope and passion. For my parents, who gave me paths, wildness, climbing-trees, and mysteries instead of a yard. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS With gratitude and respect for Darrel Morrison; he is the reason I entered this field. With appreciation for the thoughtful reviews of Dan Collins, Rene Shoemaker, and my committee, especially Ian Firth, whose collective suggestions have improved the clarity and completeness of my writing and expression of ideas. With thanks to the faculty of environmental design, geography, botany, and ecology, who have broadened and deepened my thinking tremendously. With thanks for the to-be-lifelong collaboration of a few very special classmates. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES...................................................................................................................vii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1 Introduction.............................................................................................................1 2 Southern Wisconsin Oak Savanna ........................................................................12 3 Case Study Neighborhoods...................................................................................27 4 Fit and Feasibility .................................................................................................46 5 A Speculative Proposal at Neighborhood Scale ...................................................67 6 Conclusions...........................................................................................................76 APPENDICES .........................................................................................................................82 A Lapham’s Milwaukee Flora ..................................................................................82 B Census Data ..........................................................................................................93 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................96 vi LIST OF TABLES Page Table 2.1: Oak savanna indicator species Categories 1 and 2 found by Lapham....................25 Table 4.1: Oak savanna species availability at two local nurseries.........................................55 vii LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 2.1: Milwaukee and regional geography ......................................................................13 Figure 2.2: General area of study in historic context...............................................................13 Figure 2.3: Savanna as perceived by early settlers ..................................................................16 Figure 2.4: Vegetation of Milwaukee County, 1835-1836......................................................18 Figure 2.5: Observed open prairie in Milwaukee County, 1940 .............................................18 Figure 2.6: Milwaukee, 1836...................................................................................................20 Figure 2.7: Milwaukee, 1840...................................................................................................20 Figure 2.8: Milwaukee, 1855...................................................................................................20 Figure 3.1: General area of study in contemporary aerial photo .............................................28 Figure 3.2: Brewer’s Hill neighborhood..................................................................................32 Figure 3.3: Harambee neighborhood .......................................................................................33 Figure 3.4: Brewer’s Hill land use pattern...............................................................................34 Figure 3.5: Harambee land use pattern....................................................................................35 Figure 3.6: Race.......................................................................................................................36 Figure 3.7: Household size ......................................................................................................36 Figure 3.8: Children.................................................................................................................36 Figure 3.9: Education of residents...........................................................................................37 Figure 3.10: Household income...............................................................................................37 Figure 3.11: Age of houses (and other buildings) ...................................................................38 Figure 3.12: Length of residency.............................................................................................38 Figure 3.13: 7th Street Foods, 2001 Mayor’s Design Award...................................................43 viii Figure 3.14: Harambee neighborhood graphic sign.................................................................44 Figure 3.15: Harambee neighborhood site general character ..................................................45 Figure 3.16: Harambee neighborhood site, view from hill to the north ..................................45 Figure 4.1: Harambee neighborhood today .............................................................................46 Figure 4.2: Oak savanna remnant ............................................................................................46 Figure 4.3: City patterns; the block southwest of Malcolm X Academy ................................47 Figure 4.4: Funk’s Grove savanna patterns .............................................................................47 Figure 4.5: City patterns; the block east of Malcolm X Academy ..........................................48 Figure 4.6: Illinois Beach State Park savanna patterns............................................................48 Figure 4.7: Shadows, June 21st, Milwaukee ............................................................................49 Figure 4.8: Between-houses vegetation ..................................................................................50 Figure 4.9: Harambee neighborhood study area topography, with vacant lots .......................57 Figure 4.10: Granularity and integration: after Time Landscape ............................................59 Figure 4.11: Granularity and integration: an alternative..........................................................59 Figure 4.12: Fanciful paving by private gardener on public street..........................................61 Figure 4.13: Lloyd Street School murals.................................................................................61 Figure 4.14: Chain-link boundaries .........................................................................................62 Figure 4.15: Immigrant garden, c. 1925 ..................................................................................63 Figure 4.16: Garden Park on Locust........................................................................................63 Figure 5.1: A vacant lot savanna solstice garden in plan.........................................................68 Figure 5.2: A vacant lot savanna solstice garden, birds-eye view...........................................68 Figure 5.3: Re-imagined chain-link fence ...............................................................................69