THE WILD CITY The coexistence of wildlife and human in

1970

3)

2020

future

URBAN DESIGN THESIS PROJECT

KEXIN CAI University of Sheffield School of Architecture ARC6982 Urban Design Project 3: Thesis The Wild City Academic Year 2019/2020 Module leader: Dr Beatrice De Carli Coexistence of wildlife and human in Sheffield

Kexin Cai Registration no. 190249405

Supervisor: Beatrice De Carli, Cathryn Klasto, Esra Can

Thesis submitted to the University of Sheffield in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of

MA in Urban Design

Sheffield, 4 September 2020 Abstract

In the UK, over 90% of the population already lives in cities. Human activities heavily impact on living conditions of wildlife and they alter wildlife habitats in cities. It is of great importance to bring wildlife back to cities and build wildlife-inclusive cities where humans and animals can friendly coexist. This thesis design aims to explore and analyze how urban design practitioners could deploy design methods to support wildlife and designing coexistence of human and wildlife in contemporary cities.

The design-based research starts with the background context of both United Kingdom and Sheffield, investigating the state and pressures of wildlife. Due to the threatened situation of Willow tit in the UK and Sheffield, the analysis mainly focusses on the state of Willow tit in Sheffield, considering the background and specificity of this species. Then develops the problem statement and research questions in 3 aspects: space, social and management aspect. Next, the research of theoretical background strongly supports the whole thesis. The concept of ‘Care’ plays as a guiding principle in each aspect and ‘rewilding’ is the key practice throughout the development and design, aiming to construct a wildlife-inclusive city in Sheffield. Next, the site exploration is illustrated to show the progressive research process, problems, potentials of site and population needs through field work, mapping, interviewing and personas. Case studies which focus on willow tit and rewilding, help develop the design section.

After that, the design proposal is further developed and the rewilding process is divided into 3 phases according to the scale: wild woodland, wild greenspace and school and wild street. Strategies are developed in three aspects and toolkits for willow tit in spatial aspect are proposed. The strategies and toolkit can be further extended to other species and areas. Finally, the reflection and conclusion are made, hoping to provide new ideas and approaches when applied to other similar contexts. Table of contents

11 INTRODUCTION 12 Context 16 Problem Statement 18 Theoretical Background 22 Research Question 24 Methodology

26 SITE EXPLORATION 27 Location 28 Species focus 30 Site selection 32 Mapping 34 Field Work 36 Interviewing 38 Personas 40 Summary

41 CASE STUDIES 42 Framework 44 Case study 1/2 46 Case study 3/4

48 DESIGN PROPOSAL 49 Design framework 50 Initial Ideas 52 Collaborative Network 54 Design Process 56 Masterplan 58 Phase 1 62 Phase 2 66 Phase 3

71 IMPACT ANALYSIS 72 Future growth

74 CONCLUSION

76 BIBLIOGRAPHY Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the following people for helping with this research project:

I would first like to thank my thesis advisor Dr Beatrice De Carli, Cathryn Klasto, Esra Can of the School of architecture at the the University of Sheffield. Thank you for your willingness to impart your knowledge. Your insight and knowledge into the thesis project steered me through this research.

I would particularly like to thank those involved people who agreed to be interviewed. Thank you for taking time to complete my questionnaire and contributing through further comments and emails.

I would also like to express my very profound gratitude to my parents and friends for providing me with unfailing support and continuous encouragement throughout my years of study and through the process of researching and writing this thesis.

Finally, I would like to say thank you to other important people for your patience and encouragement. Without your help, I would not have been able to complete this research, and I would not have made it through my masters degree. 1 Introduction Context Agricultural management Climate change Context of United Kindom1 1 State of Nature Re- port 2019 State of Wildlife

Since the 1970s, agricultural productivity Since the 1980s, the average decline in average decline in average have decreased has gradually increased by 1.5 times. In the temperature in the UK has risen by species’ abundance species’ distribution in abundance past 45 years, agriculture is considered to nearly 1°C. Climate change is affecting be the most important factor in changing various indicators of British wildlife, biodiversity. However, most of the impacts including abundance, distribution, are negative. Among them, the indicator of and ecology, and these changes will farmland birds has fallen by 54%. continue for decades or even hundreds of years. Pollution of species show of species are most CBD targets Urbanisation strong changes threatened won’t be net While the spread of air and water pollution continues to have a serious impact on Britain’s sensitive habitats and According to the State of Nature Report 2019, the abundance and distribution of species freshwaters, new pollutant threats are also in Britain has been declining since 1970, which has continued for the most recent decade. emerging, despite the discharge of many In the UK, the loss of nature has been lasting for a long period. As early as 1970, British pollutants has been greatly reduced in wildlife had been persecuted and degraded for hundreds of years. recent decades.

Pressures on Wildlife Hydrological change

In six years, 1,000 hectares of British wetlands will be converted into artificial Between 1970 and 2018, the proportion surfaces. In 2018, only 35% of water bodies of the British population living in urban had ‘good’ or ‘high’ ecological conditions. areas increased by 8%. Between 1975 and 2017, the UK’s breeding The biodiversity value of existing urban water and wetland bird indicators dropped green spaces and natural areas rich in by 6%, but in the short term it increased wildlife resources may be affected. slightly, increasing by 3%.

Woodland management Changing agricultural management had the biggest impact upon wildlife, with the great Despite the overall expansion of the area covered by woodland, woodland species are still majority of species’ populations downwards. The second most significant driver was declining. The British Woodland Bird indicator shows that it fell by 25% between 1970 and climate change, which is causing range and population change in sensitive species, 2017. alongside landscape-scale alteration to vulnerable habitats. Other important impacts Woodland specialists, such as Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, flycatchers and willow tits, included pollution, hydrological change, urbanisation and how woodlands are managed. have fallen most significantly. 12 13 Context Main Actors Context of Sheffield 1 https://app.bto.org/ The mapping of involved actors in Wildlife protection shows five main actors. Nonprofit birdtrends/species/ groups play an essential role, they lobby government for change, driving political actions. 1 willow tit State of Willow Tit It contains campaign groups and wildlife groups. Such as Yorkshire wildlife trust, Sheffield&Rotherham wildlife trust, RSPB an SBSG. They already have some agendas and ongoing projects related to Willow Tit, which respond and aim to address the main At present, the willow tit is the most existing pressures. threatened resident bird in the UK, and Businesses, Volunteers And Supporters invest and support Nonprofit. Communities and its population has fallen by 94% since residents engage in activities hold by Nonprofit and they will get benefit from the action 1970. Currently, the British population plans. of willow tit is estimated to be only 2,500 pairs, and most of their previous haunts in southeast and south have been extinct.

Main Pressures2 2 https://woodlandwild- Willow Tit has decreased by 47% in Sheffield, making it lifetoolkit.sylva.org.uk/ difficult to observe them in central Sheffield now. The main causes of degradation are the fragmentation and loss of habitat and lack of proper management3. In detail, due to the maturation of the young woodland and the increase in trunk diameter and closure of the canopy, the shadow area has increased. At the same time, loss of shrub layers and bushes, reduction of soil moisture, reduction of dead wood nesting sites, succession within respond or redevelopment of post-industrial sites, overgrazing of livestock, destruction of the structure of bushes, fragmentation of habitats, and prevention of movement through landscape are the underlying cause.

3 Sheffield State of 3 Woodland Birds main species in Sheffield who share the same habitats Nature Report 2018

These 10 woodland bird species have close connection and share the same 64% decrease 40% decrease 221% increase 238% increase Red-listed species habitats with Willow Tit. Protecting the 47% decrease Lost from habitats of Willow central Sheffield region Tit will also have a 73% increase Widespread 20% increase 79% occupancy 327% increase 335% increase 94% occupancy 86% occupancy positive impact on other species.

14 15 Problem Statement habitats? As development and urbanization continue to consume and destroy natural habitats, the main problems are divided into 3 1. Space Aspect different aspects. In the space aspect, lack of habitats which connectivity? are suitable for Willow Tit in central Sheffield as well as the 1) Lack of habitats which are suitable poor connectivity between habitats. In the social aspect, the conflicts? for Willow Tit in central Sheffield. conflicts between human and wildlife. In the management aspect, lack of consistency in data collection and ongoing 2) Poor connectivity between habitats. management resources. management?

a group of people who wants to do investment 2. Social Aspect City Centre 3) Conflicts between human and wildlife.

a group of people who is negotiating Woodland habitats and speaking for wildlife for Willow Tit

3. Management Aspect

4) Lack of consistency in data collection and ongoing management resources.

16 17 Theoretical Background 'Rewilding'

'Care'

1Architekturzentrum Wien., Elke Krasny., Angelika Fitz. Critical Care: Architecture And Urbanism For A Broken Planet.

Architecture and urbanism have always focused on the future, and reshaping the future Rewilding is a large-scale restoration of the ecosystem, where nature can take care means long-term commitment to planetary care based on human and non-human of itself. It seeks to restore natural processes, and where appropriate, restore missing habitability, rather than developer-led and capital-centred architecture and urbanism. In species so that they can shape landscapes and habitats. our era of catastrophic destruction, we regard the ethics of caring as the most important Rewilding can promote the balance between human and nature, so that everyone can aspect of architecture and urbanism. thrive. It provides communities with opportunities to diversify and create a nature-based economy; provides life systems with ecological functions that all of us depend on; and Caring emphasizes processes and relationships that extend forward and backward allows people to reconnect with wild nature. over time, and involves all relationships created in this process. Applying ‘care’ theory to architecture will produce a fundamental change in perspective: Care will not regard The reintroduction of major disappeared species is important to the rewilding of the UK. complete ‘things’ such as buildings, parks, and urban areas as its objects. It starts with The discovery of the trophic cascade shows that where large animals disappear, life the responsibility of caring, not only about things, their creators, builders or guardians, systems cannot function properly. This is why the reintroduction of key species is a key but also about all people who come into contact with things1. factor in rewilding2.

From this book, I have come to the point of view that the efforts of architecture and urbanism should have a more concerned focus, especially on those who traditionally have no voice (wildlife). Think of them (buildings, parks, urban areas) not as things, but as relationships For my thesis, reintroduction of willow tit is essential and the concept and to the ongoing environment, people, plants, and animals. Caring architecture principles of rewilding give me a strong support to work out the design strategies. considers how to adapt in a complex network of interconnected people, animals, The process of rewilding is the main practice throughout the design section which plants and other artificial objects. It sees interdependence as an inherent condition involves wildlife, nature, people and communities. People and communities are key -- that the built environment cannot be separated from political, social and actors in the process and benefits are secured for the long-term. cultural structures. It helps me to see the site and everything around from another perspective and make a good connection between them.

I aim to apply the theater of critical care as a guiding principle and method in addressing many of the environmental, economical, and societal issues occurring in the whole process. 2https://www.rewildingbritain.org.uk 18 19 Overview

The concept of ‘care’ plays a guiding principle in three aspects. ‘Rewilding’ is the main practice in the entire development and design process. These interventions are aimed at 'wildlife-inclusive' building a wildlife-inclusive city in Sheffield.

Care Interventions

create wildlife-friendly (as a guiding principle In an urbanized world, making cities a nature-inclusive environment is increasingly in each aspect) becoming a priority. Cities provide places for humans to experience wildlife, and therefore habitats and improve connectivity provide extensive social support for biodiversity conservation. In urban planning, urban in urban core of Sheffield. design, and housing development, biodiversity is often not a complete theme. In urban areas where people live and work, wildlife-rich urban green spaces are often lacking. 1. Space Aspect

Introduce the 'wildlife-inclusive urban design' concept into the built-up areas and integrate the needs of wildlife into the urban planning and design process. The main features gathered from architects, landscape practitioners, ecological cooperate with consultants, natural resource conservationists and urban ecologists are: 1) Early multiple stakeholders and give a interdisciplinary design team with ecologist participation; 2) Consider the entire life cycle voice to them. of the target species; 3) Monitoring and evaluation after occupancy, and feedback to make best practices; 4) Stakeholder involvement and participatory methods1. 2. Social Aspect

strengthen management, maintenance and feedback of these practices. 3. Management Aspect Designing Wildlife-inclusive cities is the general aim I would like to achieve in my thesis. Biodiversity should be taken into consideration when building up cities for urban practitioners. These 4 features above could enable urban environments where humans and animals can thrive in the built-up areas. They are of great importance when coming up with design strategies. Rewilding

wildlife- 1 Apfelbeck, B. et al. inclusive (2020) ‘Designing wild- (as a guiding practice life-inclusive cities that support human-an- in each aspect) imal co-existence’, Landscape and Urban (as the general aim) Planning.

20 21 Research Questions Design Aims Research questions and design aims are corresponding to each other. Starting from the key aim and research question, there are several sub-aims and sub-research questions proposed according to three different aspects.

General question General aim How to make new and existing urban areas more wildlife-inclusive city hospitable for wildlife and achieve a wildlife-inclusive city in Sheffield? Intervention Sub-questions Sub-aims 1. Space Aspect rewilding the habitats 1. Space Aspect &improve connectivity - How to rewild habitats which making hospitable new and are suitable for Willow Tit and other species? existing urban areas for wildlife - How to improve connectivity between habitats? involve (habitats&connectivity)

cooperating with multiple stakeholders 2. Social Aspect Residents 2. Social Aspect

-How to give wildlife voice? Wildlife Communities bring willow tit and then other species back into Sheffield -What's the roles of urban designer? Government speak for wildlife and give then Volunteers/ voice -How to negotiate conflicts social? relations and achieve coexistence Supporters coexistence and interaction of human and wildlife? between human and wildlife NPO (Designing with Businesses stakeholders)

3. Management Aspect 3. Management Aspect

-How to strengthen unified and enhanced data management, maintenance and management/ collection and management feedback of the practices? feedback systems

22 23 Methodology

coexistence The first part in the understanding phase includes the background research and literature review which are the preconditions for further Remote sourcing initial explorations. background research helps me Gathering wildlife research deeply understand our studio coexistence and my interests own interests about wildlife through gathering.

Background Literature review gives me understanding and wildlife inspiration about willow tit, concept of care, inclusive rewilding, and ideas and guidance about how to design wildlife-inclusive cities. The understanding Theoretical Literature rewilding review phase helps me to construct thoughts about how background / Understanding urban designers could create comfortable urban Research Care conditions for wildlife, especially the Willow tit in Questions Literature review Literature 3 aspects: space, social and management, finally addressing problems and achieving design aims. Walking Mapping Personas perceptions Interviewing The second part comes to the developing phase. Situating in the habitats, gathering information Site Situating Mapping through remote sourcing, mapping spatial exploration Gathering practices and perceptions to make visible some of the challenges, problems and needs Site analysis Mapping spatial Remote sourcing of willow tit are going through; also exploring practices some of the values, positive potential aspects in

Lessons / Developing rewilding sites. Interviewing and personas gather further design in urban scale information about both local residents' and inspiration willow tit willow tit's thoughts, demands and willings.

Case studies Case studies focus on rewilding practices in rewilding different scales and existing projects of creating in street scale Mapping social the habitats of willow tit. Lessons from the cases relations inspire me to think of design strategies.

Design phase1 Then, reviewing the above two parts and design Strategies Proposing Mapping proposals are coming out. Through scenario

Proposal phase2 building and designing social relations, imagine

Implementing how toolkits and strategies could change in three Scenario building phase3 phases of different scales in three aspects and finally achieve the final aims.

24 25 Location

South Yorkshire England

South Yorkshire

Sheffield 2 Site Exploration Sheffield

Central Sheffield

The research site is located in Central Sheffield. This part first analyses the basic information and preferences of willow tit. Then mapping the Central Sheffield and select the appropriate site. Next, mapping the existing spaces and exploring the potentials in this site. After that, situate in the site by walking through the woodland and residential areas.Then local residents are interviewed and use the method of personas from both wildlife group’s and willow tit’s perspectives to show their thoughts and experience. Finally, summarise potentials, problems and needs within the site to support further development.

27 1 https://www.british- 2 ‘Willow Tit ( Poecile Species Focus birdfood.co.uk/bird- montanus ) Potential guide/bird/willow-tit habitat management issues associated with decline ’: (2007) Basic information1 Preferred habitat2

characteristic: grey-brown and off-white plumage, a black Preferred habitat: wet woodland or wet woodland edge, with small cap and bib diameter birch and shrubs, such as hawthorn, sallow and elder; deadwood Length: 12cm sedentary, most birds do not migrate needed to dig its own nest. Wingspan: 19cm

Weight: 12g

Average lifespan: 3years

Conservation status: Classified in the UK as Red under the Birds of Conservation Concern 4: the Red List for Birds (2015). Willow tit When to see: January to December wet woodland, young woodland

Breeding1

The willow tit excavates its own nesting hole, even piercing the hard bark. It is usually in rotting tree stumps or trees that have rotted more or less. Most of the nests riparian scrub inspected were cup-shaped felt materials such as fur, hair, and wood chips, but sometimes feathers were used. The number of eggs varies from six to nine, with reddish deadwood spots.

Food and feeding1 small diameter birch and shrubs Willow tits mainly eat Prefered food insects, but they also eat berries and seeds in winter peanuts coconut halves when food is insufficient. live mealworms live waxworms

28 29 Site Selection

B Woodland

Wincobank Greenspace 4 considerations School Loxley & Wadsley Yes No 1 in Central Common Wood Scraith Wood Roe Wood Water Sheffield 1 Road 2 Residential area Little Roe Wood 2 residential area River Loxley 3 surrounded 4 Acorn Hill/ Park Wood Springs potential 3 wet woodland Little Matlock Walkley Bank Plantation C (near river Tinsley Hill Woods valleys,springs, Roscoe Plantation Don River ponds,etc.) A Bolehill Wood Yes No River Rivelin Yes No 1 Tinsley Park Woods 4 good environment Rivelin Glen 1 2 Millstone Edge Rough 2 3 Sheffield City Centre 3 4 potential 4 Bowden Blackbrook Wood potential Howsteads Wood

Porter Sheaf Norfolk Park Smith Wood Woods Woodlands Smelter Wood The mapping Carr Bank Wood Yes No aims to select the Gilcrest Wood D Bingham Park Woodlands appropriate project Porter Brook 1 Jervis Lum sites. According to Whiteley Wood 2 preferred habitats Festival Wood Black Bank 3 type of the willow Allotments Wood tit and aims to Sorby Plantation 4 Normanton Valley Woodlands achieve, there are Cat Lane Wood Spring Wood Brincliffe Edge potential four considerations Woods Buck Wood to choose the site. Wickfield Carr Wood Plantation Finally, the site in Park the West part of the Woodland Rollestone Wood city centre is chosen Limb Valley Plantation Woods Spa Wood because of its great potentials. Lees Hall Wood

30 31 Mapping There are two rivers across the site, one is the River Riverin and the other is Porter Brook, with many woodlands and greenspaces along them. Also, several types A of greenspace, schools and residential areas are Woodland located within the site. Greenspace Most of the buildings have WOODLAND Stannington Residential green gardens. These Park area different components School have different functions Bolehills and different practices Water can be carried out in the Road design part. Rivelin Valley Site Cloughfields Equestrian Centre River Rivelin Crookes RESIDENTIAL Valley Park AREA Crookes Sheffield City Centre Cemetery

Hallamshire Golf Club Tapton 2.7km Secondary Sheffield School Sunnybank Hallam Botanical Gardens Nature Reserve Primary School

Spider Park Sheffield General Cemetery GARDEN Endcliffe Park Porter Brook

Bingham Park/ Whiteley Woods Brincliffe Edge Woods

32 33 Field Work Walking, observing in the study area and taking field notes are good ways to situate and experience the site. The fieldnotes records my own experience and how I feel about the habitats. The woodland was quite mature. There were a lot of people running, walking dogs, riding horses, and at first the bird sounds were very loud, but as I moved toward the city centre, the bird sounds became smaller, people became more and more, the greenspaces were separated by roads, and the noise was louder. What’s more I send questionnaires through the residents’ letter boxes in order to collect their thoughts.

34 35 Interviewing

Me sending questionnaires A resident who lives near through the letterbox Endcliffe park Q4: A4: Where are the specific places you Birds have different habitats would like to meet birds in cities? including trees, hedgerows, water, Woodland, parks, gardens or other fields and buildings. I would like places? to see birds protected in all these places.

Q5: A5: What would you like these places In gardens much could be done to be? What kind of activities you to encourage the rarer species would like to engage there? by providing appropiate food and shelter. I have campaigned against the felling of healthy street trees. Me Patrick

Q6: A6: What are your aspirations for the I see a future of electric vehicles future and visions of change? thus cutting out noxious diesel Q1: A1: fumes, noises and vibration. Also, Do you often see birds in the city? Yes, at home; in the sky; in Endcliffe I hope to see animal-friendly Where do you see them? Park where we often walk. living conditions and positive conservation measures, wildlife can be seen everywhere in the city.

Q2: A2: Patrick's Experience What do you think of the context There are plenty of trees in and and current living situation of birds? around Endcliffe Park but birds What are the problems they face? face air pollution and noise from Ofen seeing birds Plenty of trees in parks Sheffield has great vehicles. at home, in the sky, for birds but they face potential to have people in parks pollution and noise and wildlife coexist in the city Q3: A3: Do you want to see wildlife (birds) Yes, Sheffield is fortunate in having Loving to see Willing to participate in Hoping to see positive in the city? How do you feel about green 'fingers' -- parkland following birds in trees, protection activities and conservation measures coexistence of human and wildlife the river valleys into the city. hedgerows, water, transform the garden to and a variety of wildlife in cities? Positive or negative? Positive! fields and buildings protect wildlife in the city in the future

36 37 1 https://www.youtube. Personas com/watch?v=WRd- qsEuDAaI

Willow tit is right on the brink of extinction. Our urban living environment is not Back from the brink partners put out optimistic. Once our population was stable these bird feeders at this time of year to and large, it is now less than 2,500 pairs in A prsenter of wildlife groups help them survive through the winter. The UK. feeders bring in lots of other birds too: Human always disregard our feelings and great tits, long tail tits, blue tits, coal tits hurt us for profit. As a result of human then finally willow tits after a long wait. activities in cities, such as building houses, Willow tits have declined catastrophic industrial areas, roads and so on, some of over the past 50 years, over 94% of them our original habitats have been destroyed. are being lost because their habitats have Add in noise and pollution, our population is been taken over by our towns and cities. shrinking fast, and we are not visiting city That's why back from the brink are working center anymore. hard to save these last remaining refuges. We like old industrial areas which generate It's amazing to see this tiny bird in these scrub and young woodland, but these are places that we forgotten. It's a symbol often considered wasteland, and not worthy of how nature can reclaim our industrial of conservation effort. Even if these areas wastelands. are not developed, this will eventually turn Tim Be part of the solution, volunteering at Willow tit to mature woodland if not managed, and your local nature reserve in town or in become unsuitable for us. the country and find out which awesome It's hard and upset to see our habitat keeps animals and plants are living there1. losing and the mobility we have in Sheffield keeps diminishing in time. Although some conservation groups have taken care of us and taken some protective measures, but the move did not go far enough. We hope that more people can Wildlife group's Experience take part in animal and nature protection because we are really willing to live in harmony with human beings in this beautiful Willow tits suffer a The decline is mainly Actions should be city. catastrophic decline because of the habitat taken to protect the modification threatened bird Willow tit's Experience

In protecting Willow Protection is a long Participation of Conflicts between The population has Poor management of Tit, it also protect process. Nature can local residents is wildlife and humans sharply shrunk, living woodlands also makes other species reclaim industrial essential as a part lead to habitat loss conditions are very habitat unsuitable wastelands. of the solution harsh and need to be protected

38 39 Summary

mature woodland, poor diversity, few shrubs

too wet, muddy ground

Potentials habitats WOODLAND GREENSPACE SCHOOL ROOFTOP/GARDEN

Problems unbefitting habitat conditions habitat fragmentation anthropogenic influence lack of management

Mature woodland Roads, buildings block habitat noise Maturation of young woodland connections Improper humidity pollution Decrease in soil moisture Lack of deadwood nesting sites Loss of shrub layer and scrub Lack of riparian scrub and small diameter birch and shrubs

Needs Human daily exercise interaction with wildlife raising awareness participation in protection

Wildlife more protection measures suitable habitats and coexistence with human good management good connectivity

40 41 Framework

Cases case1 case2 case3 case4

rewilding rewilding Focus point willow tit willow tit in urban scale in street scale

- designer - designer role of - mediator - designer - enabler - enabler urban - advocate - mediator designer - advocate - mediator

- approaches - approaches to - approaches to - approaches to to bring wildlife wild street create suitable create suitable back into cities habitats habitats 3 - architectural lessons - connections drawing as an - approaches - approaches learned Case Studies with local effective way to encourage to encourage residents to encourage nesting nesting in public - work with - management participation - management different approaches approaches stakeholders

- management approaches

Case studies are of great importance to help work out some of the difficulties encountered in the thesis. Cases focus on existing and ongoing projects about rewilding and creating habitats for the willow tit. Lessons learned from these cases could help me further develop the design section.

43 1 http://www.wildwest- 2 https://www.rewild- Case Studies end.london/ mystreet.org/

1 2 Wild West End The largest property Rewild My Street owners in the West End Rewild My Street provides are working together to design-oriented guidance for encourage birds, bees and people who want to rebuild bats to return to iconic houses, gardens and streets to London areas and enjoy encourage wildlife. more connections with Inspiring images show how nature with residents, to incorporate wild animal tourists and workers. characteristics into a typical urban environment. Links to stylish products and step-by-step activities illustrate how to achieve this goal, while species and habitat information highlights the value of making these changes. Vision Take a typical urban residential street. Adjust its terraces, gardens and streetscapes to make it a paradise for wildlife. The streets will be rejuvenated, and children who grow up on the streets will Vision enjoy nature at the door. Bring Enhancing biodiversity in the West End back real green plants and real life. Encourage wildlife and plants to enter the West End Every small change will make a Build a green corridor big difference. Add wildflower meadows, patio ponds, bird Create a better place to live, work and visit boxes and feeders, and insect hotels. Puncture the fence to connect Lessons learned the back garden to form a mammal corridor. - Enhance green space and biodiversity to encourage wildlife back into the city.

- Promote green infrastructure (green roof, street, open space, planter, pocket Lessons learned parksm trees, vertical greening...) and connect to establish green corridors. - Little actions can be taken by residents in their homes, gardens and on the - Link access to green space to socio-economic factors. street and finally make a big difference.

- -Monitor once every two years to monitor target species and installed and - Architectural drawings can be used to persuade residents to re-pave streets, enhanced features. Copy surveys conducted in the past to ensure that the data because drawings can be attractive, can highlight the positive aspects of urban is comparable to the baseline and to be able to track progress. re-planning, eliminate negative aspects, can effectively organize guidance and make it available to the public.

44 45 1 https://www.thestar. 2 https://naturebftb. co.uk/news/sheffield- co.uk/the-projects/ threatened-bird-proj- willow-tit/ Sheffield threatened bird project1 ect-start-446183 Back From the Brink2

Lessons learned

- Plant trees to provide suitable nesting sites Back from the Brink is one of the most ambitious in the future, install conservation projects ever. nest boxes, thin trees to The goal is to save 20 species from extinction and benefit provide suitable open from more than 200 species through 19 projects across habitats, and carry England. out drainage works to provide wet conditions Willow Tit is one of the special species they will save. to satisfy the tits.

- Through volunteer opportunities to train What they do? local people in rural management and nature Management issues Managing habitat protection. associated with decline structure &composition They will gain skills, What they do? knowledge, training and confidence. Enhancing wet Improving nesting Nest features opportunities boxes Creating the right habitat

Tree thinning was Generate the carried out to create In the final phase , damp woodland more suitable open volunteers planted environment to habitat and help to over 500 trees support the willow promote the new (elder, goat willow, Lessons learned tit. growth of species hazel, hawthorn favoured by the and alder). - In terms of habitat management, the goal should be to slow down or reverse the willow tit. maturity of young forest land; maintain or increase soil moisture to encourage the acquisition of dead wood; ensure good connectivity between habitats. It will also Encouraging nesting in benefit species elsewhere. the area Fixing them to trees - Work with professional biologists, local communities and others. with rubber strips, Build and erect Trick them into adding a strip of birch -The annual survey can monitor the impact of its work on the habitat. a number of using the new wood to the face of nest boxes. nest boxes. boxes box, filling -Maintain the future on the basis of existing good partnerships. with sawdust.

46 47 Design framework Site Exploration

Problems&Demands Potentials

respond to apply to

Design Phases

rewilding process

Phases 1 Phases 2 Phases 3 Wild woodland Wild greenspace/ Wild street 4 school Design Proposal feedback

1. Space Aspect 2. Social Aspect 3. Management Aspect

Long term impact

Based on the previous three parts and the idea of ‘care’, the design proposal is came out to achieve design aims. The design proposal responds to the current problems and needs faced by willow tit and human beings, and fully uses the potential parts of the site in the design.

The entire design part is dominated by rewilding practices, because rewilding is a long-term process, design section is divided into three different phases according to the scale of habitat: XL - Phases 1 - Wild woodland(main habitat); M - Phases 2 - Wild greenspace/school(patche); S - Phases 3 - Wild street(corridor). Each phase contains strategies of social, social and management three aspects.

49 There are different interventions and design focus in three aspects. In the space aspect, creating the suitable habitat and encouraging nesting in the areas in 3 scales; in Initial Ideas the social aspect, cooperating with stakeholders and engaging public participation; in the management aspect, training, managing, monitoring and feedback are essential.

1. Space Aspect 2. Social Aspect

XL Woodland main habitat 3 scales creating suitable habitat Cooperating with stakeholders M greenspace/ schools patch and improving of habitats connectivity S street corridor Residents

Wildlife Communities

Government Creating the suitable Volunteers/ habitat in 3 scales Supporters

NPO Businesses Encouraging nesting in 3 scales Public participation

3. Management Aspect

Training managing monitoring feedback

50 51 Collaborative Network Speaking for wildlife Lobbying for change Survey Training people

Conservation Job opportunity

Local organisations Creating conditions Management

Creating conditions Organizing activities Ecologists

Organizing activities WILDLIFE Wildlife groups GROUPS Job opportunity

Management

Government Taking action Advice (initiator/mediator) GOVERNMENT Funding In this project, there are Support LOCAL six main stakeholders. ORGANISATIONS They each share different The wild city responsibilities in this project, and their coordination and cooperation together contributed to the development of the COMMUNITIES/ project. The role of RESIDENTS urban designer in this Funding network is initiator and mediator. Schools/communities/residents BUSINESSES SCHOOLS Providing space for education

Engagement in activities

Businesses Volunteering Support Employment Donation

Providing goods & services

52 53 Rewilding Process

Phase 1 Wild Woodland Phase 2 Wild Greenspace/school Phase 3 Wild Street

2020 2021 2022 2023

Habitat type main habitat patch corridor

Scale X-Large Medium Small

Location

Process

Roles of urban Enabler/ Advocate/ Mediator DesignerAdvocate/ Mediator Designer/ Advocate/ designer Storyteller/ Mediator

54 55 Masterplan The rewilding process is a smooth process that takes time to continuously develop and spread to the entire city. ae lan The first phase is ‘wild woodland’ because it is the main habitat of willow tit. Intervention measures are used to transform existing woodland into a more suitable environment ae which takes one year eenae an l to develop.

In the second year, ‘wild greenspace and school’ forms patches between the main habitats, creating new habitat spaces in the ae ee city.

In the third year, ‘wild street’ phase takes place. Small transformations are carried out in residential areas and streets to form a corridor to connect the habitat in the city.

Applying the theory of critical care, a good social network is built at each phase, and the willow tit and ongoing environments, people and other stakeholders establish an interdependent and friendly relationship.

56 57 Phase 1 Wild Woodland

Spatial strategies improveing nesting opportunities Traditional Tailored On the basis of case studies, the spatial toolkit of phase1 is Willow Tits need soft rotting an opening organised. Tree thinning is essential to provide suitable open habitat. deadwood which they can excavate a hole Installing leaky dams to enhancing wet features to provide a suitable pre-excavated logs Toolkit a nest hole in. habitat. Ring barking, nest stumps and nest boxes are the main fill with deadwood, fill with bark chippings strategies to improve nesting opportunities in woodland. chippings or thinning trees polystyrene

Nest stumps Nest boxes installing leaky dams Stumps are left 1-2 metres above the ground. Adding some crosscuts Ring barking Due to the nature of their breeding to the top of the stump to increase habitats, Willow Tits will not use water penetration and decay from traditional nest boxes. Tailored Ring barking can the inside. encourage rotting. designs are needed to encourage Willow Tits to excavate the material themselves. Cutting logs 1-2 meters long and tie them to a living tree to mimic deadwood, creating artificial ring barking nest sites.

creating nest stumps

installing nest boxes Leaky dams

Wet features already exist in woodland, Thinning trees strategies need look to hold water Maintaining areas of early successional within habitat.Sections of trees are habitat through thinning. Thinning trees placed across the stream, slowing the aims to reverse maturation of young flow of water but not block completely. woodlands and maintain a dense shrub layer.

58 59 Phase 1 Wild Woodland engagement of people with wildlife and nature through various activities such as social media campaign to raise public awareness of wildlife and nature protection Social relations running social groups to explore the habitat, promote happiness, learn new skills and hobbies, and make new friends an annual festival of nature which engages the public combine with existing local people volunteering in creating environment conditions venmen ongoing plan(Sheffield Activities Trees and Woodlands inee Strategy 2018-2033& Wildlife Trust and local organisations biodiversity action plan) work together to carry out activities to come out an Action Management plan and engage local people in. eiel iy nil submitting bird nest sightings to help create a map of urban hotspots lan trainning local people to manage and protect monitoring target species, conditions of environment after interven- tion, the impact of the works on habitats every year repeat past surveys to ensure that data is comparable to baseline eain and that progress can be tracked nin analysis results, feedback and adjustment ly ane

viin evie i nevain eain niin i aniin aiviie nain i illie aia manaemen

mminiie illie Reien l

al aniain

eielReam eain eiel nvin vlneein illie men ee nain in aiviie

yle eiel i ainin niy

60 61 Phase 2 Wild School Planting key species: Spatial strategies elder Planting around ponds with key birch From the lessons learnd in case studies, the spatial toolkit of phase2 is concluded. species and ensuring availability hawthorn Schools and greenspace are the transition between main habitats as medium of deadwood will make the feature patches. Planting trees and enhancing wet features to provide a suitable habitat. attractive to Willow Tits. blackthorn Installing nesting boxes and bird feeders to improve nesting opportunities. hazel

Toolkit

planting trees

creating ponds

installing nest boxes Feeders Willow Tits will come to bird feeders where provide nuts and seeds when food is scarce.

contents: installing feeders peanuts seeds coconut halves Nest boxes Wildlife ponds live waxworms Due to the nature of their breeding There are no wet features live mealworms habitats, Willow Tits will not use present, creating artificial traditional nest boxes. Tailored designs wildlife ponds can enhance are needed to encourage Willow Tits to wet features and attract excavate the material themselves. invertebrates as a food source.

62 63 Phase 2 Wild School Social relations Children teach their families what they have learned in school to help develop phase 3

venmen the beauty, fun and importance of wildlife and wild places growing curious minds, awareness of protecting wildlife and nature theoretical knowledge about how to protect and creat suitable habitats mminiie Learning Reien eiel iy nil Wildlife Trust supply talks, assemblies and lessons teaching

support l cooperation

providing materials and services

inee

education

implementation vine e am illie

engaging children in a network of ‘wildlife councils’ where they Practices are empowered to make changes in their school grounds and local communities eielReam Wildlife Trust offer engaging children in a ‘recycling challenge’ which illie practical help in creating encourage them to become custodians for wildlife enviroments and volunteering in implementing wild school site enhancement organizing activities a wild fundraiser for Wildlife Trust 64 65 Phase 3 Wild Street Spatial strategies Other planter Seat planter : A bench next to a planter is a Based on the cases, the spatial toolkit of phase3 is summarised. perfect resting place for a busy shopper, staff on Providing shelters, installing various planters, raised bed ponds and bird Shelter a break, or the passing wildlife. feeders to provide food, nesting sites and bird bath. These strategies work together and construct a corridor to connect main habitats and Providing shelter, resting and nesting areas with Bike-rack planter : A bike rack mounted on the patches. a couple of silver birches, native shrubs and wall wall sits on a simple metal railing that can be Feeders greening. Shelters offer a safe place for wildlife connected to the plant, giving cyclists a safe away from inclement weather and also provide place to park. Toolkit Willow Tits will come shade for residents in summer. to bird feeders where providing shelter provide nuts and seeds when food is scarce. seat planter bike-rack planter

installing planters

raised bed ponds

installing feeders

Tree planter Ponds Advertising Many small trees can be grown in planters to A small raised bed pond, with a With eyes attracted by a row of plants and provide rapid structure and few aquatic plants to make a great shrubs, Street is a good place to install height for gardens, as well wildlife habitat. Bird can take a signs and advertising board to publicize as roosting places for birds. bath here. this project and get more people involved.

66 67 Phase 3 Wild Street Social relations Management

submitting bird nest sightings to help create a map of urban hotspots trainning local residents to manage and protect the corridors monitoring conditions of environment after intervention, the impact illie of the works on the streets. analysis results, feedback and adjustment

l enae in aiviie

eielReam vlneein n ee eain illie eain aniin aiviie Children teach their families the ainin mminiie Reien knowledge they have learned in school manaemen to help improve the gardens and streets

Providing tools and materials for eain in creating shelters, planters, ponds and feeders aniin aiviieainin

viin maeial an evie ee inee

running ‘Wild Workshop’ to raise public awareness of wildlife and nature protection, evoke ideas of inclusion and coexistence and Activities vine e am teach knowledge about how to improve their gardens and streets Wildlife Trust and local organisations engaging local people and let them volunteer in creating conditions work together to organise activities al aniain on streets and engage local residents in. engaging people in ‘Wild Festival’ on annual holidays. It allows Architectural drawings are used as residents get along and promote the exchange of technology, and a method to persuade residents to methods and inspiration. rewild their streets and guide them what to do.

68 69 5 Impact Analysis Future Growth extending to other species extending to other area Toolkit of willow tit

thinning trees installing leaky dams ring barking creating nest stumps installing nest boxes

XL Scale Willow tit Sheffield Central Sheffield

planting trees creating ponds installing nest boxes installing feeders

Central Sheffield M Scale Sheffield

providing shelter installing planters raised bed ponds installing feeders

S Scale Barnsley Sheffield Doncaster

All species in nature have same basic needs, space for living, growing, and reproducing. Make sure that the habitats and features meet these critical needs when creating space for wildlife. Even if each species Rotherham has its own specific needs, these four key resources are essential: Sheffield Nesting Sites/ Water/ Food/ Shelter1. 1https://www. South Yorkshire avonwildlifetrust.org. Toolkit of other species uk/mywildcity

XL Scale Leeds South Yorkshire Manchester South Yorkshire Other wildlife Leicester M Scale Birmingham England Bristol London

S Scale

The Wild City originated in Central Sheffield, and it is estimated to expand to the other areas in Sheffield The wildlife-inclusive city based on other species can be inspired by this project of Willow Tit. Starting within two years and other cities in South Yorkshire within five years, finally expand to other cities across dividing habitats into Main Habitat, Patch, and Corridor and XL, M, S Scale to further analyze and develop. the United Kingdom within ten years. Referring to the Toolkit of Willow Tit, the targeted Toolkit and strategies can be acquired according to These actions could improve living conditions of wildlife and make hospitable new and existing urban the specific preference of different species, while most toolkits are in common. Then, cooperating and areas for wildlife, bringing them back into cities in UK. It is expected to see a scene of harmonious connecting with different stakeholders and formulate the social networks. coexistence and interaction between human and wildlife in cities in the future. 72 73 In conclusion, the thesis of ‘designing coexistence’ is a unique and complex topic, which is also an important topic that must be discussed in contemporary cities. For me, the choice of wildlife as the main research object is inevitable. They are a disadvantaged group in cities, and they often have no chance to speak out. They are ignored in the process of urban development, and their current living conditions in cities are not optimistic.

This thesis project focuses on the coexistence of wildlife and human in Sheffield . It aims to achieve a wildlife-inclusive city by making new and existing urban areas more hospitable for willow tit and establishing good social relationship with surroundings. The project shows a dynamic change of both willow tit and residents from the situation that the species has almost disappeared from the city, to bring back the species to the city by various interventions. Since the object is too abstract if studying the entire wildlife group, it 6 is difficult to come up with targeted measures, so I narrow down the research object, chose the species willow tit as a representative, and Conclusion then the research methods and design strategies can be applied to other species. The problems are derived from the three aspects of space, social, and management. Then investigate and analyze the existing conditions of the site and the needs of the willow tit and residents. According to three different scales and phases, diversified solutions and toolkits are designed for these to respond to the problems in three aspects. This phased analysis and design approach is very efficient, clear and easy to operate.

Of course, this project has an obvious limitation. Due to the impact of COVID-19 , many aspects of the completion of the thesis project are affected. For example, there is less chance to conduct face-to-face Q&A and interviews with relevant stakeholders. This may lead to missing a lot of information and professional design suggestions from them. Considering future research, the situation would definitely change constantly. Therefore, more professionals in different fields are required to participate in the project to ensure better management, maintenance and promotion of the entire system.

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