Megan Duenas

Professor Estes
April 18,2016
Field Work Reflection
Different Nature

The concepts, the natural world and human constructs, are clearly visible in the three
locations I have visited. All of them with varying blends of services to the humans and all walks
of life that inhabit them. While some of the locations provided specifically for humans above all
else, others were geared more towards the enjoyment and preservation of undisturbed wildlife.
Water is often called the key of life, so it is not surprising, or perhaps the lack of water plays an
important roll in every single one of these locations. The three locations can be placed on a
spectrum of human design and interference. With the Japanese Garden falling far on the side of
a meticulously constructed environment, to the Portland Waterfront somewhere in the center
representing loose planning with a larger improvisation, and finally Oaks Bottom representing
minimalist human approach and allowing the nature to generally take control.

The first place I visited was the Portland Japanese Garden, a traditional Japanese garden
located in Washington Park, on the west side of Portland. I made my trip in April 06, 2016 on a
warm sunny day. My first impressions of the gardens were the areas surrounding it not simply
the bushes and trees, but the upscale neighborhoods adorning the roads on the way to the garden.
It was a location the immediately shouted affluence and this continued on to the garden itself.
This peaceful green scenery was broken by the sight and sound of construction nearly on the
front door of the Japanese garden. The vibrant orange machinery and the loud construction
workers shattered any image of serenity I had envisioned previously. This expansion of the

Megan Duenas
Professor Estes
April 18,2016
Field Work Reflection
garden can be explained by Matthew Cahns Liberalism and Environmental Quality found in
Thinking about the Environment: Readings on Politics, Property and the Physical World. A
specific passage I have found to have a strong correlation is the following: Capitalism, as a
system of economic production and distribution, has been characterized by a constant drive for
expansion in search of increased productivity and profit. The impact of that expansionary ethic
has been over use of limited resources and the degradation of out physical environment (Kahn,
120). This quote has a strong tie in to the constriction disrupting the harmony of the forest
surrounding the Japanese Garden. The Garden itself was a perfectly maintained exploration into
the idea of a classical Japanese Garden. The surrounding area however represents the natural
landscape of Portland and to portray a fake Japanese garden, destroys the native habitat.
Portraying this Japanese Garden faade requires a vital element of life; water. I was initially
drawn to the water features of the garden, but it wasnt long until I began to signs of human
interference. After noticing one it was hard not to notice the others that went along with them.
The piping that created the effect of a waterfall, and the shaped koi pond all demonstrated a
location that did not fit.

Another place I visited was the Waterfront Park, an urban setting full of people. I went April 16,
2016 and it was fairly sunny out. The park had a lot of energy and is a hot spot for the local
community. There were a large amount of people out walking, running, biking, and even out on
the Willamette river. All of the people out were a large distraction on the nature around me.
Once everyone was tuned out, it was hard not to notice the reflection of the sun on the river and

Megan Duenas
Professor Estes
April 18,2016
Field Work Reflection
the way the leaves danced on the cherry blossom trees. The Willamette River is the main
attraction of the Waterfront Park and serves the community with its aesthetics, recreational use,
and transportation.

Human influence is everywhere on the Waterfront. For example, paved

sidewalks, dirty water, and lack of wildlife are all products of human influence.

Despite

removing wildlife and vegetation the newly created waterfront fostered a habitat where humans
could congregate safely to spend time together. This a theme across a number of many no
popular recreational areas and actually addressed in Howard Johns Energy Revolution in these
words: Even though they built on all this land at least it brought people together.

Lastly, I visited Oak Bottoms, a wildlife refuge just on the other side of the Willamette
River. I was impressed by the excess of trees and running into a tad pole pool conservation
project. The park itself was clearly an oasis from the manmade city and a carefully sheltered area
away from too much human interference. OF the three locations Oak Bottoms became my
favorite. It was my favorite due to the freedom of the wildlife and the obvious care that had been
given in this location. For example, the conservation area for tad poles helps encourage and
influence visitors to do something better for the nature around them. If you manage to start a
project in your town, however small at first, it will come to represent the growth of the new way,
and will definitely gain momentum and support as it goes. You will build a beacon of hope that
others can share in, thats got be a good place to start (energy Revolution, 161). The location
despite being the most natural of the three was not without human intervention. While I was
there, there were a good number of people around enjoying the nature, but the people I saw took

Megan Duenas
Professor Estes
April 18,2016
Field Work Reflection
steps to ensure they were respecting it. Oaks bottom, like much of Portland, is a stones throw
away from the Willamette River. The role of water in Oaks Bottom is to support much of the
lands vegetation and wildlife. Like the Waterfront Park, the water is also used for recreation use
and transportation.
This project required me to not only travel to places in Portland I had never been, but also
attempt to understand these places on a deeper level than most would even consider. I am glad
that I was required to do this and gained a deeper understanding of Portland, her nature, and the
overall relationship between nature and humankind. It made me realize that somewhere that
could be the epitome of a stereotypical nature site is actually planned out in every way, and the
untamed wildlife is not necessarily what it seems. All of these places were affected by humans
and they had surface similarities, but diving deep led to vast differences. Despite all the
differences though there was a common element; water. No matter what it was if there was
living organisms water was there and providing life. I learned a lot from this project and Im
glad I took the time to see all the sites and attempt to learn as much as possible.