Biodiversity and effects of climate change can be significantly affected by small-scale rewilding projects argues designer and environmentalist Julia Watson, who has temporarily covered New York's Rockefeller Center plaza and ice rinks with plants.
Named Rewilding the American Meadow, the project covers the North Plaza and Ice Rink of the Midtown Manhattan complex with wooden pots containing plants from the northeast of the United States.
Working with horticulturist and planting designer, Marie Salembier, Watson chose plants with a wild American meadow in mind like native grasses, perennials and trees indigenous to the north-east region.
Rewilding the American Meadow has temporarily covered the Rockefeller Center plaza and ice rink with plants The designer called the scheme a rewilding, which aims to allow natural habitats to recover with minimal human intervention, as a nod to the fact that the area where the Rockefeller Center stands was formerly home to the Elgin Botanic Garden. Watson said at the time it contained 2,000 native and rare exotic species.
She believes that urban rewilding is an example of how to improve biodiversity in cities, bolster pollinators and help provide clean air.
Watson and horticulturist and planting designer, Marie Salembier, chose plants with a wild American meadow in mind
"Rewilding the American Meadow at Rockefeller Center's North Plaza and Summer at The Rink are part of an idea we have that envisions entities with significant global pr...