Permeable landscaping allows water and air to penetrate the soil and may be populated with trees, plants, rocks or other natural or manmade materials. It is the natural state of land that permits the earth to "breathe".
When permeable landscape is covered with impermeable surfaces (paving, sidewalks, buildings, etc), water is diverted by way of treatment plants to major waterways (the ocean and bay), air cannot reach the soil, excess heat is generated and plants cannot grow.
Re-introducing permeable landscape where it has been removed is extremely valuable to the health of cities, and is easily and immediately achievable. Rainwater is now permitted to permeate the exposed soil and nourish drought-tolerant plants with the removal of impermeable materials, which are replaced with soil, plant material, rock, or porous manmade materials.
The Shotwell Street Greenway is a joint project of the Shotwell Street Neighborhood Association, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, the San Francisco Department of Public Works, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Shift Design Studio and Plant*SF.
The Shotwell Street Greeway/Plant*SF was a recipient of San Francisco Beautiful’s 2005 Beautification Award.
Photos: Tom Kennedy © 2005 ttdigital
