Rivers—mouths—tides—memories: A creative, deep mapping of two river/tidal places

What is it about?

Artist Heather Green and geographer Owain Jones play with the idea of voicing rivers through their project "Tidal Timespace" that maps, celebrates, and compares two distinct tidal areas: Bahía Adair in the northern Gulf of California in Mexico, and the Severn Estuary in the UK. The paper incorporates side columns of each author's childhood memories of these landscapes, much of which has been lost to development.

Featured Image

Photo by Ron Whitaker on Unsplash

Photo by Ron Whitaker on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Estuaries are some of the most vital and at-risk ecosystems, as they provide feeding and nesting areas for migratory birds, serve as nurseries for critical fisheries, and buffer coasts from storms, flooding, and erosion. Because of their strategic location, estuarine landscapes can be impacted by human development (e.g. bridges, harbors, and industry), and degraded by human-introduced pollutants, sediments, and even pathogens. By examining Bahía Adair and the Severn Estuary side-by-side, this project instills a sense of reverence and appreciation for each site as well as a feeling of communal care through articulating the specificity of their shared characteristics and striking distinctions. Just as the tide creates an interchange between water and land, and salt and fresh water—there is also an intercultural mixing and exchange that can occur—resulting in fertile ground for greater awareness, conservation, and stewardship of these important environments.

Perspectives