Hello and thank you for reading this edition of Regen/Notes
For the Zoom Regenerative edition 54, Sam Shaw (at RaeburnFarquharBowen) shared insights from the John Muir Way greening study, a project aimed at promoting ecological and placemaking improvements to enhance the trail’s impact for both nature and people. The project was recognised with a Landscape Institute Award in 2022 for for Excellence in Visualisation and Digital Practice.
Sam drew a connection between John Muir’s upbringing in Dunbar, Scotland and his interest in safeguarding important landscapes, such as Yosemite National Park in America. Muir’s views on nature can be applied to both places despite the vast difference in scale between Dunbar and Yosemite. The discussion highlighted the importance of environmental consciousness and the impact of personal experiences on one’s perception of landscape architecture.
“keep close to nature’s heart, break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods, wash your spirit clean,”
Sam cited Muir’s famous quote, “keep close to nature’s heart, break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods, wash your spirit clean,” as an example of the importance of experiencing nature firsthand. The John Muir Way, a 134-mile walking / cycling trail in Scotland, seeks to do just that by promoting ecological and placemaking improvements to enhance the trail’s impact.
The Greening Study, funded by the Scottish government and other organizations, consulted with local authorities and stakeholders to address environmental and community inequalities and promote biodiversity, habitat connectivity, and landscape improvement projects. Engaging communities and volunteers in route management and maintenance is also a key part of the John Muir Way’s strategic aims.
The John Muir Way project aimed to improve the greenery and active travel network of the CSG by increasing carbon activity, supporting invertebrates, improving green spaces and targeting areas of environmental disadvantage. The project’s GIS website allows users to navigate each local authority area and prioritise sites, which include flood prevention areas, low intervention routes, and field …
