Stepping lightly: a rural site approach for habitat restoration

Abstract

In light of the global decline of biodiversity, this thesis seeks to address local issues threatening species which could lead to greater positive global impact. The local issues experienced within the Lake Erie-Lake Ontario Ecoregion, located in Southwestern Ontario, reveal habitat loss as the key threat to biodiversity. The majority of habitat was lost as a result of deforestation caused by the logging industry and the clearing of the landscape for agricultural use. Forests were once all- encompassing entities covering Southwestern Ontario, today they sit at the margins of agricultural space. To address habitat loss, this thesis argues a design approach to connect the existing fragmented habitat is required. These connections are established through ecocorridors, natural spaces which link existing habitats. A specific site in the rural land to the west of London, Ontario is selected to develop a strategy for reforesting. A site approach developed from the natural forest succession of deciduous forests is established to guide the growth of corridors and architectural interventions. A forest center as well as a number of small-scale interventions seek to support the programmatic needs of reforesting while also integrating themselves into the forest, acting as supports for the wildlife. This thesis seeks to develop a site strategy supported by an architectural intervention which connects fragmented habitat and discovers new strategies to support wildlife habitation with architecture.