63 accumulated strain becomes untenable, rendering resilience an inherently shortterm condition. However, just as one may heal stress in the body, we can achieve health by revealing and tending to the root cause of our maladies. In my planning and landscape architecture practice, we have been thinking about relational systems of care to create regenerative places that thrive, not just survive. We recently led a yearlong planning effort for the waterfront of the Bushkill Creek Greenway in Palmer Township, Pennsylvania. The plan was initiated specifically to protect this beloved creek from the stresses of climate change and to uplift history along the Greenway. The resulting plan is an example of a climateforward vision for a waterfront that will derive its success from stewardship and relationships with nature. The Bushkill Creek Greenway builds upon an existing rail-trail corridor, one of the first in the country, and connects a series of parks, historic sites, and ecological areas. Places like the Binney & Smith factory (home to Crayola Crayons) anchor the corridor, alongside historic dams that still shape how the creek functions today. The project integrated year-long community engagement in which over 4,000 individuals participated in the planning of the Greenway. When we asked the community about their values through a survey, there was an overwhelming mandate from more than three-quarters of the community for investment in conservation and climate change mitigation. Early on, we formed the ethos that each decision and recommendation within the plan must enhance places for people and nature, where both benefit. The plan recommends a series of restoration projects, but also active programming that brings people together within nature-based experiences. By the end of the process, our team had compiled a list of more than 100 participants who expressed strong interest in being stewards of the Bushkill Greenway. Survey respondents also provided us with a list of 50 non-profits and local businesses that they would like to see engage in expanded programming along the creek, with creative ideas such as: • Native plant identification and training for the community and maintenance crews by the Wildlands Conservancy, a regional conservation non-profit • Night-time star viewing parties by Nurture Nature Center, a local Small City Natural Environment • Respondents
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0OTQ5OA==