MAKING PLACEDNESS

 

FOREWORD:  This paper comes about as a consequence of a CALLout from Launceston City Council's URBANforester asking city residents for feedback. In order to provide this there was a form to complete as a means of determining the FORMfiller's preferences for "tree species" to be planted on the city's verges. 

Essentially that is 'trees' within streetscapes and the city's 'GREENING' policy.

Feedback to the feedback offered was adverse. The observation that there were many species of "bamboo" that would (could!?) have utility drew a rather quick and somewhat antithetic response. In Australia, and more so in Tasmania, and even more so in antipodean  Launceston, the lack of enthusiasm for bamboo is almost predictable. 

On the grounds of 'appropriateness and placedness', common denominators often get to be assumed – and subjectively assessed sometimes. 

Even though not stated overtly in THEgreening strategy it is clear that in Australian urban CULTURALlandscapes bamboo is an unimagined component of GREENINGstrategies. The plant per se is simply unwelcome. Moreover, that is to the point of 'bamboo', of any species, irrespective of its utility, is being imagined negatively and even as a weed in some jurisdictions.... CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE DISCUSSION PAPER