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| Audubon's Dubi presenting "Re-wilding" |
In a kind of "sneak preview" given on Tuesday, February 15 at the Audubon Nature Center, plans for three Quad parcels were unveiled.
The plans have yet to be agreed to by the County, but -- with hopes that all will go well -- they're pretty terrific.
This is just a brief update - we'll add more detail, especially after there's been a formal agreement with County planning staff and the Board.
For now:
Jeanne Dubi and Christine Johnson made clear that the goal is about "more than birds" - it will be "a teaching and learning site," said Dubi. It will be about re-wilding, buffering, restoring clean water, introducing plants, trees and other features that will attract a greater variety of birds, give them resting places as they migrate between continents, and areas for local birds to forage and nest.
The greatest changes will come to the southeast parcel. They include woodland habitat through new forestation, a meadow and a "ravine," with a bird blind and weir. The northeast parcel will include grading the bottom of the retention pond so that birds can wade without falling into deep water. The water from the retention pond would feed an entirely new feature, a "ravine" on the southeast parcel - coming under Palmer Boulevard then surfacing on that parcel (photos below).
Beyond bringing back the natural potential, there's room on the southwest parcel for humans -- parking, recreation, open areas with picnic tables, bathrooms. Six acres of this parcel were reserved by the County for a government building at the western end, next to James Gabbert's Waste Transfer Facility.
There will also be internships for folks interested in learning about water, soil, carbon sequestration, working with government, and more, said Dubi.
She credited the community with rising up to protect the Celery Fields, adding "we're all in this together."
A meeting with the County is coming soon -- we'll be watching to see how that goes.
A lot of thinking from a lot of people has gone into this - let's hope the county has the wisdom to embrace it all, and help see it through. The re-wilded Quads will need funding, and eventually an endowment.
The visuals will be open to the public beginning Saturday at the Nature Center.
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| The NE parcel |
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| Proposed bird blind for the Southeast Parcel adjacent to the existing Celery Fields |
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| The Southwest Parcel with parking, playground, picnic tables, bathrooms, open areas for recreation |
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| The meadow and path leading to the SW parcel's bird blind on the canal |