How can small moments of biodiversity exist side by side as respectful neighbors?

Site plan and installation remnant, September 2020. 

Nestled in the heart of a locally designated historic district, and located approximately two miles from downtown Detroit, this pair of forest patches demonstrates the potential for unobtrusively re-naturalizing areas within an existing neighborhood.

The forest patches on both sides of this street are contained—to the west through a social contract, and to the east by the physical boundary of a fence. Each patch belongs to a longtime owner who lives next door. Together, they demonstrate approaches to managing the interface between a naturalized and urban edge.

The growth and evolution of this duo has been made possible through a continuity of ownership, and the incomplete demolition which served as each woodlands’ jumping off point. The uneven, partially demolished surface likely made mowing impossible, allowing the landscape to ‘catch’ seeds, which later matured.

On the west side of the street, a mix of cottonwood, ash, and elm emerge from the former footprint of a multi-flat building, partially removed in the early 1980s. The resulting hillocked landscape is densely shaded during the growing season, with a rich sense of interior that is distinct from its surroundings.

Detroit’s urban forest patches are the product of both environmental and social forces. A forest patch is an area of canopy of at least 10,000 square feet that includes understory growth. In Detroit, these forest patches are not remnants of historic, pristine landscapes, but rather a hybrid creation of human intention and a lapse in maintenance—specifically, a lack of mowing.

Just like a ‘real’ forest, most of the botanical churn and change here is occurring along the edge. Young catalpa, tree of heaven, and a funny mix of daylilies, ivy, and vinca mark different moments along the sidewalk and the transition from woodland to side yard. The longest, wildest edge has a southern exposure, making for a brilliant winter experience. 

Although we have evaluated many forest patches in Detroit, this pair stands out as a true example of what is possible when a landscape is left mostly to its own devices, and given the space-time to actualize.