The Dickman Mill Park (Tacoma, WA) site has been shaped and changed over time by both natural processes and human interventions. These changes are described on the fence around the wetland at Dickman Mill Park–the following narrative is etched on metal fence post bands: This place changes, over time, by fire, flood and tides, erosion,…
Last week I wrote about the new mixed-use development at Point Ruston (Ruston, WA). This week I’ve been considering how the parks on Ruston Way (Tacoma, WA) can be viewed as one part of a continuous mixed-use development along the shore of Commencement Bay. The Ruston Way waterfront provides an opportunity to interact with nearby…
Last week I wrote about my walks along Thea Foss Waterway. This week I walked the Tacoma waterfront along Ruston Way and the new .75 mile long Waterwalk promenade at the Point Ruston development. I’ve been thinking about the importance of considering the Ruston Way waterfront in the context of a continuous and coherent whole…
How can we keep long-term environmental consequences within our view and concern? How might we perceive layered invisibility? This week I’ve walked along the Thea Foss Waterway multiple times. I’ve been thinking about the water and land that form Commencement Bay. Tacoma’s Ruston Way is only one segment of a much larger waterfront and waterway.…
How do we decide whose land a place is? How much, if any, connection to indigenous peoples is evident to, or experienced by, people as they explore the Ruston Way waterfront (Tacoma, WA)? This week I’ve been thinking about historical and present struggles over land ownership and use, and how marks of those struggles are…
In an effort to begin to hear a range of perspectives about Ruston Way, this week I solicited feedback from colleagues and students. The range of responses (a few shared below) reflects awareness of a “triple bottom line.” Valuing 1) ecosystem productivity, 2) economic productivity, and 3) social justice is highlighted in studies of urban…
The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge (DuPont, WA) is a provocative contrast to the Ruston Way waterfront (Tacoma, WA). Both are a part of the Puget Sound marine/estuary habitat and both have been sites of development and ecological restoration. The Refuge, established to protect the Nisqually delta and wildlife, features gravel walking trails and raised…
Restorative and Health Benefits of Nearby Nature Environmental psychologists Rachel Kaplan and Stephen Kaplan have studied the importance of nearby nature for human well-being. Their research shows that nearby nature, even a view of a tree outside an office window, prison cell, residence or hospital room, can have restorative power, health benefits, and provide an…
Mapping the Environment and Resources In an effort to focus my attention on the features of the 2-mile Ruston Way (Tacoma, Washington) waterfront, I began the week by walking the length of this segment with a map in hand. First I walked to the end of the site and then on my return walk…
Walking and Observing This week I walked 18.8 miles along the Tacoma waterfront parks and pathways on the 2-mile segment along Ruston Way. To begin my research about learning and visitor engagement in parks I decided to note my observations on index cards each day I walked—I counted people, birds, and cars. I noted what…