Monday, January 03, 2011

Innovative Use of Natural + Built Landscape


I've recently returned from a wonderful vacation in Humboldt County on the "redwood coast" of  Northern California. One of the most interesting and beautiful places I visited was the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary.


The City of Arcata developed a wastewater treatment plant adjacent to the coastal marsh area that incorporates a variety of pond filtration systems.


The result is a seamless, lush, natural habitat favored by birds of the Pacific Flyway. It's also an  accessible walking and birdwatching area by the local residents.


I spent well over an  hour walking the trails and enjoying the vistas and bird life at low tide.The highlight? Seeing a trio of great egrets soar by at eye-level!

4 comments:

Jocelyn H. Chilvers said...

Thanks, Erin! It was very wet out, though not actively raining, when we visited, so the colors seemed super intense. I'm pleased with the quality of these photos - especially considering that they were all taken with my new (Droid 2) phone camera!! More to come...

Donna said...

We were just there this past Sunday...sunny and beautiful. And here is my post from last year about our beautiful marsh: http://imustbefull.com/2010/03/arcata-marsh/

Jocelyn H. Chilvers said...

Donna, I would love to see the marsh on a sunny day, and also at high tide - it's such a great place to walk and watch. Thanks for the link to your post!

Robert Webber said...

Intriguing landscape.
Love those posts in water and grasses - real design feature!
Best for 2011
R