Traversing urban "wildlands": an intervention within the unique plant communities of Liberty State Park

This project considers the urban “wildland” as an opportunity to provide residents in cities with access to self-organizing nature. The 250-acre interior portion of Liberty State Park in Jersey City is a spontaneously vegetated site where the rail yard for the Central Railroad of New Jersey was once located. This thesis explores what non-traditional design strategies can be implemented on a post-industrial site that has been colonized by unique plant communities. Research on fourth-nature, post-industrial landscapes, and urban ecology reveals the complexities involved with urban landscapes. Such landscapes are highly disturbed by humans and are often contaminated. A design is proposed that considers the current conditions of the site as well as how the site has transformed over time. The design consists of an educational trail that allows users to enter and experience the site and provides opportunities for people to learn about urban ecology and interact with urban nature. Several destinations exist along the trail where users can learn about the landscape. Overall, the project explores the various possibilities that can be realized within unique plant communities.M.L.A.Includes bibliographical reference