Some Thoughts On The Boston Greenway
July 9, 2010
In a recent post on Architechts.org, Kevin Horne mentioned the potential application of an EcoMachine integrated into Boston’s Rose Kennedy Greenway. His post touched on the concept of the park as infrastructure as well as the value of a warm public green space during the gray Boston winter.
I see great potential for EcoMachines integrated into the Greenway. Properly plumbed and located, EcoMachines could act as the city’s kidneys, intercepting and treating polluted stormwater runoff, before it reaches the Charles River, Fens, or Boston Harbour. These systems would be not only contemplative public spaces but also productive spaces. A series of EcoMachines could easily provide Boston’s markets with a year round supply of fresh cut flowers. Cleaned effluent could be used to irrigate a tree farm as proposed by Erin Kelly.
For mosquito control how about a series of sculptural towers (modified streetlights?), designed to attract nesting swallows.
Swallows Nesting On Bridge Columns in Pheonix AZ
and how about some feature that would allow visitors use the water to water trees and plants when needed. In the cities, we are quite unaware of how much trees need help by being watered during our summer droughts.
Some sort of sign noting when the last rain was. How deep the tree’s roots are. How much competition they get from other plants, and each other. How foot traffic compacts soil and interferes with water absorption.
Information about temperature variations under and out from under a good tree coverage. Explain how cities don’t have the money to hire people to water trees. Think about self reliance, taking care of our own city, leaving beautiful trees to our children and their children. Reforming ourselves as we reform our cities.
And best of all, on the days when the trees need water, some way that people could participate in this watering. Teaching ourselves and our children and our neighbors by our actions about the very basics of creating an urban forest.
Take it home and water your street tree!
Bit by bit we get an increased understanding about our role of keeping trees living in our cities.