Although the High Line is reputable as a park built upon on abandoned railroad track, I have not visited such area until this assignment came up. I have heard about it but did not really think about how it would look like until I was walking from the train station to meet up with other classmates to walk around the park. When I first saw it, I did not expect it to be on a suspended railroad. I thought it would on railroad tracks at ground level. After I had climbed the stairs and reach the top, I realized the park was nothing like the image I had of it. The park was a lot more beautiful then I expected it to be. There were many flowers and insects going through the plants. I mostly saw bees but I caught a glimpse of a butterfly or two before.
There were many tourists around taking pictures and walking along the park. To one side of the entrance I entered through, the 23rd Street one I believe, tall buildings were towering over the park while to the other where many stores such as restaurants, pharmacies, etc. Although this park is surrounded by city life on both sides, it still flourishes very well. I believe that the Highline fits into Marris’ concept in her book.
Although the Highline is in the city, and at some areas has tall buildings towering over it, the plants still grow there and flourish. According to Stalter’s paper, humans played a part in how the plants grow. It is said in the paper that “material washed from passing trains and wind—deposited soil added” to the mineral content of the soil. It also said humans may have accidentally transferred seeds to the area, another human interaction to the park.
The Highline shows nature can coexist one with nature not without fencing in the area and that humans may potentially add to the beauty or diversity of it just as birds and insects do. Even though the nature has been touched by human presence, it does affect it negatively as other people may believe when human interact with nature. This visit to the Highline was very pleasing and did change my perspective of how we can affect our surroundings in a positive way.
