Dan's Papers - June 13, 2008 - The Duck Project Aims to Save Park, Pine Barrens

Charrette is the French word for a wheeled cart hauled by a human being (as opposed to an animal). A charrette was dispatched by Paris' Beaux Arts School of Architecture. As it passed the homes of architectural students, they would fling their final drawings of a solution to an architectural problem into the cart. If a student hadn't completed the task, he'd board the wagon and travel along while continuing to resolve the challenge.

Over centuries, the word charrette came to mean an intense, joint effort, within an allotted time period for a group of engineers, environmentalists, and architects to solve a specific challenge. This weekend, that is precisely what will take place at Stony Brook University, Southampton College, with a charrette sponsored and coordinated by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The Peconic Chapter of the AIA has been collaborating with the East End community to preserve the 500-acre Hubbard County Park in Flanders that is adjacent to the 5,000-acre Pine Barrens region. East Hampton architect Eva Growney is the director of the project, which she calls the Duck Project.

A group of engineers, public officials, environmentalists, architects and residents will work to create a plan to be considered by the Suffolk County Parks and Recreation Department. The goal is to recommend methodologies to help preserve the Park and Pine Barrens, which overlay two of Eastern Long Island's principal aquifers.

An aquifer is an underground "pool" that collects filtered rainwater. Layers of rocks and sand regulate this natural purification process, which allows the filtered water to flow into the aquifers and ultimately disperse to natural underground wells. Development has been prohibited in the Pine Barrens because developed land and roadways diminish the effectiveness of the filtering process.

Another issue of concern is the health of the Peconic Estuary System. The Hubbard County Park contributes to the vitality of the estuary and surrounding bay waters, which allow shellfish to thrive. Future development of the area might prove to be disastrous to local marine life.

Commenting on the symposium, Growney said, "If we don't take the necessary steps to preserve and insure the sustainability of this park, the water run off will eventually flow into the Peconic Bay and pollute those waters, to the detriment of marine life. Therefore, it is important that if any development occurs, it must take into consideration the environmental conservation of the land."

According to Growney, the symposium has other preservation goals. "We're proposing to refurbish the various historical structures on the property, including bay garages, some of which were used in raising ducks," she said. "These buildings would be open to the general public and used as a showcase to demonstrate the alternate ways and means now available for building environmentally responsible homes and other buildings. I've coined this phrase: Humanity for smart planet living. If everyone would be mindful of the wear and tear that we're placing on the environment and clean up some of our bad habits, it would make a world of difference."

Members of the symposium will discuss state-of-the-art, environmentally sound techniques and building materials, as well as alternative energy solutions like wind-powered generators, solar panels, and geothermal concepts. During the symposium, Growney and her team will address the topic of sustainability, which includes environmental survival, economical sustenance and social wellbeing. Peter Arsenault, Vice President of the National AIA, said the symposium's goal is "ultimately working to identify a conceptual vision for what the future of the park could be like for generations to come."

The symposium is endorsed by local public officials include Assemblymen Steven Engelbright and Fred Thiele, and County Legislator Jay Schneiderman and congressman Tim Bishop. Growney invites the public to participate. "It's going to be an open discussion. So we want as many people to come as possible."

The event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14 at Stony Brook University, Southampton College. The Friday symposium from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. is free of charge. For information, contact Kay Jones at 631-728-7832 or aiapeconic@usa.net