Construction And Public Perception Of Urban Nature-Approximating Landscape Architecture

In the evolving relationship between man and nature, the ideal plan increasingly tends towards reducing artificial environments, and restoring natural environments. But how can we recover natural environments while holding people's daily need and well-being as prerequisites? This requires us to renew our idea of landscape construction. Recognizing some of the weaknesses of traditional landscape architecture (LA) construction, I propose nature-approximating landscape architecture (NALA), which emphasizes nature protection and ecological recovery. This paper systematically examines theories of NALA, Wuhan citizens' attitudes toward NALA and the construction of NALA in Wuhan. This research includes the following issues.Firstly, this paper will clarify the concept of NALA and its' position within the wider context. Because no unifying definition of NALA is shared and because its position remains unclear, this term is often applied problematically.In this paper, NALA is defined as being guided by laws of nature and ecology to develop healthy green ecological systems by maintaining or simulating natural environments, and change the function of green space from ornamental and recreational to ecological recovery and protection of nature. Essentially, NALA is the idea that although ideally one would allow nature to be unmanaged, humanity can not escape transforming the natural environment in order to use nature. NALA is not only an idea of landscape construction, but also a mode of landscape construction. NALA is a specific pattern of ecological landscaping; it also provides practical methods for implementing ecological lanscaping. Ecological Parks result from NALA. NALA is a common pursuit of modern landscape architecture and urban forestry. NALA tends towards nature, is adaptable, provides mutiple-benefits, saves resources, is boundless, and provides environmental education.Secondly, developing NALA includes following principles of construction, a specific construction method, and the steps to construct a near nature plant community. Construction of NALA should follow principles such as mutualism and ecological balance; respect of nature and preservation of original environments; minimization of interference, and green zoning. The construction of NALA includes NA design, NA engineering and NA management. For the first time, this paper puts forward these concepts and specific measures. NA design is adapted to natural conditions and natural processes, it minimizes human disturbance, while satisfying human need. It includes some concrete measures such as primarily planting plants, respecting the original terrain, transplanting seedling, reducing thick stand, etc. NA engineering emphasizes saving resources, using local materials, and seeks to not destroy the local ecology and the natural landscape during the construction of green spaces. Its concrete measures include choosing abundant local materials, reusing material, constructing during suitable season, keeping soil layers separate, etc. NA management involves low level of management, using natural forces to protect bio-diversity and naturalness, promote plant community's progressive succession and simultaneously provide the opportunity for people to enjoy nature. Its concrete measures are significantly different compared to traditional horticultural management, including monitoring of ecological system, and providing a chance for public participation as well as the opportunity to learn.Thirdly, this paper will examine public perception of NALA.,Through semi-structured interviews and self-administered questionnaires, attitudes of citizens from Wuhan city toward NALA were surveyed. Results showed that although citizens generally accepted the idea of NALA, the approval rating for concrete measures of NALA is relatively lower. Proportions of respondents who approved of NA design and management in 2009 are 7.4%～12.6% and 7.4%～46.9% respectively, with an average supporting rate of 26.0%. For 2010 the supporting rates are all higher with an average supporting rate of 39.1% and NA design at 26.9%～75.5% and NA management at 15.0%～28.8%. Following the responses obtained from open questions, we found many potential supporter for NALA. The correlation analysis shows that citizen's attitudes toward NALA were influenced by age, educational level, family structure, and profession. The people who received higher education, are younger and are landscape architect were the most likely to accept NALA. The people whose family had an under school age child were the most likely to accept NALA.The most obvious reason why most citizens did not support the NALA is that they were influenced by current green space construction, and focused on the aesthetic effects of green space. As a result, they prefered cleanliness and order. Lack of ecological knowledge and environmental awareness was the root cause of this type of perspective. Hence, we propose to promote citizens' acceptance of NALA through setting up NALA demonstration bases, and intensifying publicity and education of NALA idea and environmental knowledge, so that an increasing number of people can actively participate in NALA.Fourthly, this paper will discuss NALA construction in Wuhan. Determination of near nature plant communities is the key point of NALA construction. For the first time, naturalness was taken as reference to determine near nature plant community. After evaluating the naturalness value of plant communities, we proposed two different types of structure which correspond to plant communities with naturalness value higher than 0.6, namely environmental education and recreational.Ideological change of people from all walks of life is the key to develop NALA. Protecting the remaining near nature habitat is important to develop NALA. Finally, technical indicators of NALA were put forward for reference.NALA is an upgrade from traditional ideas of LA construction. It is not only the direction of the future LA development, but the ultimate goal of LA. But at this point, there remain some problems such as a lack of in-depth theoretical research and lack of concrete applications of NALA. In addition, there are some disadvantages to NALA, such as delayed greening effect, potential lack of visibility, etc, which have not yet been solved. The above-mentioned lack of research and more concrete problems require further research on NALA.