Flight 93 National Memorial “Heal the Land, Heal the People”
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FFlightlight 9933 NNationalational MemorialMemorial Advanced Landscape Architecture Studio Heal the Land Department of Landscape Architecture College of Agriculture University of Kentucky Heal the People May 2012 Flight 93 National Memorial “Heal the Land, Heal the People” Advanced Landscape Architecture Studio Department of Landscape Architecture College of Agriculture University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky May 2012 Undergraduate Students Faculty Jason Dabbikeh Steve Austin J. D. Tyler Dixon Brian Lee, Ph. D. Spencer Heuke Jason Kulsveen Editorial Assistance Brandon Perry Karen Goodlet Moore Russell Corey Wilson Cameron Stone Derek Triplett FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL : UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY 2012 I Table of Contents Acknowledgements. III Chapter I: Introduction. 1 Chapter II: Inventory & Analysis. .. 19 Off-Site Chapter III: Inventory & Analysis. .57 On-Site Chapter IV: Proposals. .91 A: Healing Connection B: Educational Healing C: Healing Landscapes D: Healing Education E: Hidden Sustainable Energy F: Visible Sustainable Energy G: Locating a Landmark: Tower of Voices H: Acid Mine Drainage Pond Area Design I: Connecting the Triangle Chapter V: Conclusion. 165 FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL : UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY 2012 II Acknowledgements Green Forests Work- Project Sponsor -Dr. Chris Barton Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) -Scott Eggerud -Dr. Patrick Angel National Park Service -Keith Newlin -Leroy Renninger -King Laughlin Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement -Paul Coyle -Tom Shope Paul Murdoch Architects -Paul Murdoch University of Kentucky Department of Landscape Architecture University of Kentucky Agricultural Communications Services -Jeff Franklin -Carol Spence FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL : UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY 2012 III FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL : UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY 2012 |IV Chapter I: Introduction FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL : UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY 2012 |1 The University of Kentucky’s Landscape Architecture 5th Year Advanced Studio has partnered with Green Forests Work, through the invitation of Dr. Chris Barton, to help provide design ideas for the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) is working to implement a wind-break on the site to protect the memorial and wanted the team’s input on the reforestation effort from a design perspective. Ideas are also being explored as to what other opportunities may be possible for this 2,200 acre site. The primary purpose of this report is to explain the research and analysis that went into creating these design proposals. Extensive inventory and analysis was done to help gain a broad understanding of most of the important biophysical and cultural aspects in the area of The Flight 93 National Memorial. As landscape architecture students, we were asked to develop a range of ideas for consideration about ways to extend the memorial throughout the 2,200 acre National Park. Eight students worked on individual projects, proposing two options for the implementation of each concept. The project subjects range from introducing renewable energy concepts, to looking at ways to implement psychological healing aspects throughout the site. Sixteen different proposals are introduced in this report to help provide ideas as to the future of this internationally significant site. As a team, we travelled to the Flight 93 National Memorial to collect inventory and to analyze specific site conditions. In addition, we served as planting team leaders as part of the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative’s efforts to reforest this reclaimed strip mine. Trips in early March and late April provided crucial information to help inform important design decisions. The team looked at features such as viewsheds, weather conditions, topography, existing plants, wildlife, and desirable areas that could create a desirable visitor experience. The on-site time is essential because of the difficulty of understanding aspects about a site from hundreds of miles away in Lexington, Kentucky. Team members co-lead planting teams in an organized volunteer tree planting effort as a way to interact with the community and gather their opinions on the transformation of the site over time. It also functioned as a means to have a personal stake in the creation of this memorial. At the beginning of the semester, the team sat down and discussed the themes surrounding this memorial landscape. We talked about the site being on a reclaimed strip mine and the opportunity it presented to implement another level of cultural significance to the design. We saw this as an opportunity to heal the INTRODUCTION land from years of coal mining. The functions and impact of a memorial was also discussed. This presented the team with a chance to assist the community and nation in addressing the emotional pain since the attacks on September 11, 2001. FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL : UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY TRIPLETT : 2012 HEALING LANDSCAPES |2 With these concepts in mind, “Heal the Land, Heal the People” has been adopted Green Forests Work and Appalachian Regional Reforestation as the central driving theme behind most of these design ideas. Healing what was Initiative there before in the landscape as well as mending the emotional scars through sensitive design proposals. The organizations that got us involved with this project is the Green Forests Work and Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI). Green Forests All of this was done with as much thought and respect for the existing Work is a non-profit organization working on many levels to return native forests design for the Flight 93 National Memorial by Paul Murdoch Architects, which won to surface mined lands in Appalachia. Ultimately, this sponsoring organization for the design competition that was held by the National Park Service. Our team’s this work is to identify successful and replicable models that can be implemented task was to work with this winning design and look at ways in which we could pull throughout the coalfields of Appalachia. The work focuses on enabling native aspects of the design into the entire site. Our team also looked at certain design habitat restoration, ecosystem services, water quality improvement, as well as aspects of the plan that have not been implemented, and developed ideas with social and economic community development (GFW, n.d.). which the intended function of those features could be potentially enhanced. ARRI was created in 2004 by different groups of people from the mining This report will begin with a broad introduction of the Appalachian Regional industry to government agencies and people in academia that noticed problems Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) and the role they play in the Flight 93 National with reforestation. They decided that something needed to be done to promote tree Memorial. This aspect speaks on the “Heal the Land,” portion of the team’s overall growth on former surface mine sites that would have previously supported forests concept. The next section is titled “Healing Landscapes,” and looks at the purpose (ARRI a). ARRI works in conjunction with a group known as Green Forests Work of memorials as a whole and how they can assist a visitor in healing from emotional to use the research ARRI has done in order to plant reclaimed strip mine lands in pain caused by a traumatic experience. To accomplish this, memorials across Appalachia. In 2009-2010, ARRI partnered with several organizations to coordinate many different cultures are explored to inform the reader of the impact culture has 22 volunteer tree planting projects and events throughout the Appalachian Region. on the healing process. These events involved 156 ARRI partner organizations and over 2,500 volunteers and resulted in the planting of over 175,000 trees on about 237 acres of previously The report will then transition into a broad scale inventory and analysis reclaimed mine sites, this is about 738 trees per acre (GFW). section. Chapter II will investigate the features of the physiographic region, through analysis of hydrology, bedrock geology, soils, climate, etc. The chapter will also ARRI represents an effort of the existing design to “Heal the Land. ” This is look at local population statistics, the Somerset County Comprehensive Plan, an important aspect of this team’s overall project and is addressed by each of the roadways and utilities of the area and tourism attractions. design proposals done by the team members. The next part of the team’s overall concept of “Heal the Land, Heal the People,” is the “Healing Landscapes,” portion Chapter III is also an inventory and analysis section, but with a narrower of the book. This addresses the design concept of “Heal the People. ” After reading geographic focus than Chapter II. The team will address many of the same issues, the next section, the reader will gain a better understanding of the purpose and hydrology, geology, soils, etc.,but they will be specific to the Flight 93 National function of a memorial in a collective healing process. Memorial site. Chapter IV transitions to the project section of the report, where the team members utilize the inventory and analysis of Chapter II & III to create designs. By the end of this report, the team hopes to communicate several key ideas to the reader. These ideas include the knowledge of what a memorial landscape consists of and how it can function to assist a community in the healing process. By looking at the proposed designs, the reader