Highline, Marris, & Stalter

What comes to mind when you hear “New York City?” Most people would say skyscrapers, yellow taxis, and a (for lack of a better word) loudmouthed group of people. You’d be hard pressed to hear a native New-Yorker say “a beautiful oasis where people can relax and enjoy sitting by the water.” However, upon further inspection of Manhattan’s west side along 10th avenue between Gansevoort Street and West 34th street, New Yorkers and tourists alike are exposed to a beautiful landscape. An elevated commercial rail line once used in the 1930s now houses the gorgeous Highline Park. The Highline Park provides us city-goers with a safe haven from the bustling concrete jungle just beyond 9th avenue. Benches and greenery span the abandoned railway, not only providing people with a pretty picture, but providing the city with various ecological benefits. Now, I’ve been to the Highline once before last year for IDC, and as I walked around the Highline for the second time, I still found myself forgetting that I was actually in New York City. The cacophony from the streets below vanishes almost immediately as you start walking. But once the awe dissipated, I started to think about the reading from Marris’ Rambunctious Garden and how this park is a prime example of the conservationist efforts outline in the book.
Marris suggests the idea of a “Rambunctious Garden” – in the title nonetheless – quite a bit throughout the book. The idea of a “Rambunctious Garden” stems from the notion that humans should somewhat abandon old conservationist efforts, and instead embrace the impact that humans have had on the Earth’s ecosystems, and restore it to a specific baseline. The Highline most definitely fits into Marris’ concept of a “Rambunctious Garden” as after the railway was abandoned in the 1980s, humans converted it into a park, thus attracting many new species to the area. According to Stalter, over 161 species are currently present at the Highline; mostly consisting of plant species and their respective pollinators (birds, bees, etc.) Simply by walking through the park, a number of species can be found if you look closely enough. And once you look closely enough, you’re already buying into Stalter’s idea that the main purpose for the Highline is for nature and man to interact with one another.