The Mountain and the Valley: A Planning and Conservation Approach for the Annapolis Valley
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Date
2014-08-28
Authors
Perry, Caitlin Michelle
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Waterloo
Abstract
The Annapolis Valley Region is home to a rich and varied landscape.
Agriculture, historic sites, the Bay of Fundy Shore, and the inland forests
are just some of the aspects that together make up this unique region.
Yet this exquisite region is under threat from the dual challenges of
depopulation and unconsidered development leading to the loss of its
essential historical and environmental character. These are quintessential
rural problems and feed off of one another in a vicious circle: environmental
character decreases and makes a less pleasant place, so people leave for
other regions; people leave for other regions and the financial resources of
the region are reduced, so environmental character decreases; etc. Action
needs to be taken to break such an escalating loop.
However, to develop effective strategies to combat these intertwined
problems, the genius locus of the region must be better and more
comprehensively understood. The methods described in the work propose
an image bank and cartographic analysis to break apart the qualities of the
region and enable an in-depth knowledge of its entirety. This information,
presented in a consistent format, allows better informed decision making for
the Annapolis Valley Region’s future which will allow its people to embrace
its unique combination of circumstances. This new type of database will
prepare the region to chart an alternate path and better deal with the issues
facing the Annapolis Valley.
The proposed design scenarios utilize strategies developed around
the genius locus of the region as a whole and for a set of specific case
study sites. An approach of the type developed in this work is not only
applicable to such individual scenarios or to the Annapolis Valley Region.
It is a method that is adaptable to other regions around the world. The
strategies presented are a starting point, able to be mixed, recombined,
added to, and modified to address the wide range of rural situations. The
commonality of rural regions in general is the great issues they face in an
urban-dominated society; reconnection with genius locus will offer a path
to overcoming these threats.
Description
Keywords
Architecture, Planning, Conservation, Annapolis Valley, Rural Planning, Rural, Nova Scotia, Mapping, Genius Locus, Genius Loci, Landscape, Depopulation, Rural Revival, Regionalism