RECONNECTING FRAGMENTED ECOSYSTEMS
The site of this project is in the southern end of the Cartmel peninsula, on the coast of Cumbria, and was picked to revitalize and apply the scenario of “Coastal Ecotourism”. The design concept was based on the analysis of existing elements, such as the seawall and Haven Lakeland Leisure Park, proposing to reconnect fragmented ecosystems in order to restore coastal salt marsh habitats, promote marine wildlife education and offer local economic development.
The initial intervention focuses on removing barriers between different ecosystems to reconnect its isolated components, expanding coastal salt marsh to the inland Leisure Park, and allowing the collaboration of woodland and freshwater to create a dynamic ecosystem.
The site is split into five different strategic systems, including broadleaved woodland forest, wet woodland & wetland, salt marsh, saltwater aquaculture and suburban community space, which will lead to the creation of a new tourism experience and the restoration of habitats for land and marine wildlife.
The selected saltwater aquaculture area, with a tidal gate system, will be a key feature in the transformed leisure park, with a designated saltwater channel to allow a new flow of water to aquatic ponds for raising shrimps, crabs and mussels as aquatic industry for fulfilling recreational, educational and the ecological function.
The proposals will help to generate better understanding of the value of this coastal habitat, and to create spaces for the interaction of people with economic and ecological systems breaking down barriers between the local productive and tourism economies.
