Design for succession: Harris mill ruins & beyond

During a masters studio at Guelph, we were tasked with designing a site to encourage the adoption of ecological land management practices. I chose Harris Mill Ruins in Rockwood, Ontario to highlight ‘guided’ old field succession. Left to its own devices, old field succession may result in thickets of invasive woody plants. To ensure long-term success, and to increase biodiversity, I proposed a management strategy that would guide the landscape towards its eventual climax as a native mixed-hardwood forest. By embracing old field succession at the site of a historical ruin, I aim to draw attention to both the impermanence and the pursuit of balance in both our ecological, and our constructed worlds.

Instructor: Robert Corry

Tools used: AutoCAD, Adobe Illustrator & Adobe Photoshop.