Beyond Public Utility: Designing Natural Drainage Systems for Avian Habitat

by Diana Michelle Hammer

Chairperson of the Supervisory Committee:
Associate Professor Dr. Kristina Hill , Department of Landscape Architecture


2004

Increases in urban development are negatively impacting urban creeks and salmon habitat. Urban development is also causing fragmentation of greenspace and decreasing the quantity and quality of habitat for native bird species. Corridors of native vegetation offer food and shelter for native wildlife, and may serve to strengthen connections between fragmented habitat patches. Alternative stormwater drainage system designs are proposed as a method for layering functions and extending avian habitat into the urban matrix.

By layering stormwater infrastructure and avian habitat within the public right-of-way large amounts of city-owned land could be converted to perform some of the ecological functions of an undeveloped landscape while simultaneously providing local communities with lush green landscapes that wind through the city. By creating visual cues to intentional functions of the landscape, there is potential for greater perception and cultural acceptance of a new ecological-based aesthetic.

In this design proposal, earth forms and vegetation forms are combined to create protective areas for bird nesting and foraging. Varying levels of access for humans and predators are implemented throughout. Predator exclusion strategies explored include elevated boardwalks, refuge rings, habitat islands, and continuous cover. While the design strategies discussed are intended to extend throughout the urban environment, I have focused on the intersection between a streetscape and a larger open space. This example or prototype of park and streetscape design may inform future stormwater strategies at these types of intersections.