27/09/08
Overcast

Again along the docks of L3.
On Regent Road between Regent St. and Porter St., a small plot, nestled between 2 derelict buildings. Like many of the sites I have seen, this too is fenced, inaccessible to the public. Behind the secure galvanised fence is a dense thicket of vegetation – predominantly well-established Budlea (otherwise known as the butterfly bush), 3 – 4 metres high. There’s also willow, one in excess of 5 metres. Even without the fencing this site would be inaccessible – shrubs and Willows have colonised every inch of the space, the branches and leaves filling the volume from the ground to the canopy tops. In June and July this site must look amazing with the long purple spear flowers of the Budlea covered in butterflies - scent and colours in strong contrast to the industrial premises and activities.

The next site was the highlight of my day - Princess Half Tide Dock in between the apartment complex of East Waterloo Dock and the office complex of Princess Dock. Along the length of the dock road, runs a spectacular wall. At intervals there are monumental gateways. Peering through the gateway of this section, I spied a Brownfield with sparse vegetation cover, plants beginning to break through the surface sealing of cobbles and concrete, the early stages of natural succession... I also spied a small port-a-cabin at the entrance of Princess Dock. I made my way to the port-a-cabin in the hope that the security guard standing there would allow me access to the site.
Security guard No.1 allowed me to go on the site. I was in my element, scrubbing around, poking at plants, picking up muscle and oyster shells, creeping up on the gulls camera in hand… when security guard No.2 approached - Derek. We spent a long time talking. Derek’s relationship with this dock goes back a long way, he used to work here when it was operational – in charge of security then, as now, but in those days he watched over the ships and cargo.
Things Derek told me about the site:
• It is owned by Peel Holdings who own the dockland stretch from the disused airport through to Bootle
• Peel Holdings purchased this stretch for in excess of £700 million
• In 3 weeks time building work begins at Princess Half Tide Dock – another apartment block. (Derek’s not keen on the new buildings with their glass and mirrored facades, he likes the old warehouse)
• In the 16th century this was a landfill tip. During the recent land survey to check the sub structure, sea wall, contamination levels etc., the piling cores brought up old sugar moulds.
• The Dock was 35ft deep. Currently drained, it is in the process of being filled with land and debris from all over the city to make it 6ft deep. This is part of a major programme by British Waterways to regenerate the canal network, routing the Leeds Liverpool canal from Stanley Dock to Princess Dock (made me wonder why it was necessary to fill in the dock – would deep water hinder a narrow boat? Derek didn’t know either.)
• A cargo rail track ran all along the dock land behind the wall – going through the warehouses en route to off load goods
• The landing port where the ships off-loaded their cargo onto the trains is about to be demolished

Derek and I were joined by security guard No.3. He wanted to know where the kiddies’ cone placed in the centre of the site had come from…. my Independents ‘open’ cone. Introducing No. 3 to the project, the 3 of us then talked about the wildlife around the site. No. 3 particularly likes the ducks – watching them waddle across dry land with a string of ducklings in tow. Before he worked as a security guard here he had never seen a duck in real life. With his newly discovered fondness of ducks, he now considers it his duty to protect the ducks. He has stopped delinquent youths from throwing stones at them and from steeling them. Derek and No.3 now have a reputation as duck guardians and people finding lost ducklings take them to the port-a-cabin where a cardboard box is used to transport the duckling back to duck territory.
Derek also has another job; he’s a physic medium and teaches people how to use their minds. He believes that we can make ourselves aware of our environment. He gave me an example:

"The rat walking along the wall – if you are aware of the presence of rats, you will see him. This is how it is with all things… you just need to open yourself to your environment."

Finding my project of great interest he has offered to talk at the Liverpool Wastelands forum I am planning… he would like to speak about training our senses to become aware of the environment around us. I think his skills and knowledge would bring a dimension to the forum that I had not considered and if I am successful in organizing an event, I will definitely invite Derek to speak.

As l left the site, which was evaluated yellow, Derek recommended that I go and see the old landing dock, so with his security guard permission, I cycled into Princess Dock along the private road – no unauthorized vehicles allowed…

In complete contrast to the surrounding architecture, “Danger - Keep Out - Unsafe Structure” signs are attached to the promenade railings to deter access onto the weathered timber structures, not quite vertical, dilapidated, muscle encrusted below the Mersey surface, and with a Kienholz aesthetic.
Unsafe, perhaps, for people, but ideal for a pair of resting Cormorants. Staring at the Cormorants and wondering if they are in fact Liverbirds, my thoughts are interrupted by

Is that cone on the back of your bike to stop people parking up behind you?”

A fit looking 62year old on a bike, in cycling shorts, with tanned legs. He told me the Cormorants used to live and breed at Princess Half Tide Dock but have had to move on because of the building work. Mike has lived near the docks all his life, and as a kid he used to hang around the yards waiting for the Dockers to finish their shifts, scrounging sarnies they might have left in their lunch tins. Usually he got something, and on lucky occasions he also got a drop of milk left over in their mashing cups.

Mike had just cycled 36 miles, I had managed a pitiful 2.

Within the Princess Dock complex, another site, evaluated blue - the surface sealing of cobbles, concrete, and tarmac broken through by delicate looking wild flowers including red poppies and Michaelmas daisies. The sporadic splashes of living colour on this arid landscape with the added feature of a rusted railway line cutting through the space put me in mind of the drought tolerant gardens featured at this summers Chelsea Flower Show. Why do we seem to place a higher value the designer gardens with sculptures made from Corten steel, and horticulture grass species originating from countries with dryer, warmer climates?
My guess is that this “drought tolerant garden” will soon be car parking spaces for the convenience of the office workers.

Heading back to my van, the last site of the day, behind the Dock Wall and inaccessible - Trafalgar Dock. I longed to gain access onto this vast site. Peering through the gates I could see clover and yellow mellilot - nitrogen-fixing plants. Through nitrogen fixing, hard terrain like concrete is slowly transformed into a soil able to support greater diversity within the 5 Kingdoms (Bacteria, Protista, Plants, Fungi and Animals). It’s a symbiotic process; rhizobium bacteria in the root nodules of legumes like clover and mellilot break down nitrogen into ammonium ions, which the plant then uses to make protein and DNA. The Legume family form the basis of a food chain and interdependency web that sustain the 5 Kingdoms during the early stages of natural succession….
And to me, that is pure magic.
And the derelict sites in the early stages of natural succession present us with the opportunity to experience the beginning of a new nature environment.

Today’s Summary

3 miles
4 sites - blue (1), yellow (3)
4 conversations

a few more phots from Wednesday 27th

Wednesday 27/09/06
An overcast and windy day with spots of rain.
This meant that I could leave Pepe in my van and travel the street in a more streamlined aerodynamic fashion – trailer-less!

Discussions with folk were thin on the ground today as I meandered through L3 from Trafalgar dock to Stanley dock.
My first encounter happened as I was peering through rusty gates at a site on the end of Dublin St. “You’ll not find any scrap in there.” It was a man on a bike who, like me, was cycling the streets of Liverpool – his task, to spot scrap metal which he then comes back to collect. When I told him I was looking at plants, he assumed I meant cannabis and went on to tell me that it would be unlikely to find cannabis down here and that I should try the canal banks… we talked for a while, I told him about the project, and he told me about some of the best derelict buildings to find scrap in – but warned me that if I were to go scrap hunting in these buildings I should take great care because some of them are so unsound that the slightest noise could bring the ceilings down.
Shortly after he left I was approached 2 policemen in a police van. Their assumption was that I was acting suspiciously and must be up to no good. But the words ‘artist’ and ‘Independents Biennial’ put them at ease and we had a long chat about Brownfield sites and wildlife along the docks. They told me with great enthusiasm about the swans and where to find their nests. “If you go to the bridge and look over the side to your left you’ll see a pile of shredded up paper – it looks like a load crap, but it’s a swan’s nest” They also told me about the breeding pair of Peregrine Falcons that nest in the old Tobacco Warehouse. Sadly I pointed out one of the falcons – recent road kill on Regent Road, the blood still sticky and bright red. Hopefully it isn’t one of the pair, but one of their young…
… As I stood on the bridge leaning over the edge seeking the swan’s nest, I couldn’t help think of the film “Cassandra Crossing”. With every car that crossed, this rusting iron swing bridge shook – violently.
I could see no sign of the nest – maybe it has been swept away… but I did see a Peregrine Falcon. It’s sharp “ke-k, k-ek, k-ek” alerting me to its presence. It flew across Stanley Dock and into the Tobacco Warehouse.

I only covered 6 miles today, and it was easy cycling, no hills. But because there are a lot of derelict sites, most of my time was spent off the bike, looking and evaluating. By the end of the day I had recorded 7 sites: 1 Blue, 2 Yellow, 4 White.
Things ‘out of the ordinary’ I observed included 3 rabbits and 2 Peregrine Falcons, the ‘ordinary’ being life like pigeon, gulls, spiders, and insects. The rabbits were frolicking on land at the corner of Blackstone Boundary and Great Howard St. This plot also had masses of blackberries and an apple tree laden with ripe fruit… I couldn’t help but think that there was a meal waiting to be prepared, roast rabbit with dandelions followed by blackberry and apple pie… it was getting late and I was hungry….

Tuesday 26/09/06

I should point out that I am not a sporty miss. The last time I rode a bike was a staggering 18 years ago. (Because of this I thought it wise to buy cycling trousers with a padded bum. Thank god I did!) And I don’t live a carbon neutral life. I have a big red van, and am pretty reliant upon it. My aim for this project is to keep my carbon footprint to a realistic minimum which basically means that I drive to my designated area, park up, and cycle from there. In my current state of fitness, this is the best I can do.

First task of the day was to set up my stall in The Outhouse, Woolton, L25. Having deposited drawing stuff, Perspex boxes and a plastic picket fence, I set off on my bike, pooch in tow.
Pepe the poodle isn’t really part of the project, more of a hanger on – quite literally. Based in Manchester, I have opted to stay with friends here in the ‘pool for 3 nights a week leaving me with a doggy predicament. Can’t leave him at home on his own, can’t leave him in a strange place, so have purchased a bijous bicycle appendage – a kiddie trailer – perfect for the dog, sketch books, and flask of coffee.

Pepe safely strapped in, and with the all-important Independents ‘open’ Cone fixed onto the pannier rack I begin to peddle the streets of Woolton accompanied by the musical whinnying of a dog that is not 100% convinced of the situation.

Woolton is not really the best part of Liverpool to be seeking out derelict or wastelands sites. In fact it’s difficult to believe you are in the city. I don’t know much about the history of Woolton, but making assumptions based on the visual clues - the hand hewed red sandstone walls and buildings - my guess is that Woolton was a village on the outskirts of the city, and over time has been engulfed by sprawl and suburbia.
It was 2.00pm before I found a Brownfield site, small and tucked away behind the shops.
Using my evaluation sheet, which I shall post at a later date – this small site scored a 15.5, making it a “blue” site
• 80% concrete floor covering
• Early stages of succession, with young Budlea, Mugwort, Oxford Ragwort, and Dandelions to name a few, but no nitrogen fixing plants evident
• No trees or shrubs
• Demolition debris and litter
• Accessible
• A near-by community
The evaluation has 5 categories for value of experiencing ‘nature’
• White 9 to 15
• Blue 15.5 to 22
• Yellow 22.5 to 30
• Red 30.5 to 40
• Green 40.5 - 45

Tagged and recorded I continued cycling through the streets of Woolton, people pointing, smiling, and children screaming out “look at the puppy dog”

2 hours later I came across a second site – pushing boundaries a little bit because this site is at the very end of Out Lane, and on the Knowsley boarder. Because the site can be and is accessed by people living in Woolton, I evaluated the site and awarded it a ‘yellow’.

From the end of Out Lane back to The Outhouse is uphill all the way – and with trailer in tow, this is not an easy ride – my leg muscles burnt and by the time I reached my base they were like jelly. Pepe by this time had become accustomed to his mode of transport and was fast asleep.

The Outhouse is the studio come exhibition venue, the place where I collate and display my findings. It is a glass structure set back from Menlove Avenue in a wooded pedestrian green way that links several tower blocks.
It was not long before a curious passer by stopped to ask what I was up to.
Robert, who lives in one of the flats, was intrigued by the project. During our conversation I asked him about the monolithic block of red rock with desirable recently built detached properties at its base, and found out that it was Woolton Quarry; the stone for Liverpool Cathedral came from there. He told me that Woolton is not the place to find derelict sites, “Woolton is one of the best and most beautiful districts in Liverpool, but Liverpool is full of derelict places.” He said he would gladly take me to sites all over the city, accompany me on his bike if it were not for the fact that he’s leaving for Saudi Arabia tomorrow on a 2-year contract.
My next encounter was with Carol. Carol walks past The Outhouse when she’s out with her dogs, Picasso and Monet. She collects the golf balls she finds – strays form the golf course the other side of the tree-lined dual carriageway, Menlove Avenue, which also has a tree lined central reservation… some golf swings! She handed me 2 balls, which I put into one of my Perspex boxes. Carol and I have struck a deal, all the balls she collects over the duration of the project will go in one of the Perspex boxes.

At the end of my first day, having clocked up 10 miles, I have concluded a couple of things:
1. Woolton is a biodiverse district of Liverpool. It has a wealth of green spaces, parks, a golf course, wooded areas, allotments, and gardens. If Brownfield sites are of value to wildlife in a city - green stepping stones amongst the built environment - then Woolton wont really benefit from such places as it already has a wealth of wildlife heavens.
2. It is time to move on from Woolton and head towards the less affluent areas – along the dock road

The challenge of this project is not the cycling and the evaluation of the sites, but the evaluation of public perception. What do people relay think about Brownfield sites? And is it possible to appreciate these sites for their nature aesthetic value? What I see is the wonderment of nature – what do others see?
This is a very public project. Making a spectacle of myself and evaluating derelict sites for their value for experiencing nature only really makes sense if people know what I am doing and have the opportunity to discuss urban Brownfield sites.

Welcome to “Natural Succession”

This is the first entry of a brand-new blog to track and record the work of artist Kerry Morrison during the Liverpool Independents Biennial.

Within the Independents programme, Kerry will undertake the challenging task of locating and mapping Brownfield sites within selected areas of Liverpool starting with Woolton, the City Centre, and along the Mersey from John Lennon Airport through to Canada Dock.

“A Brownfield site is any land or premises which has previously been used or developed and is not currently fully in use, although it may be partially occupied or utilized. It may also be vacant, derelict, or contaminated” (Journal of Environmental Planning Jan. 2000)

This is a process led art and ecology project initiated by Kerry Morrison and botanist Dr Alicia Prowse. The aim is to flag up the ecological and aesthetic value of urban wastelands and examine the intrinsic value of these neglected, maligned areas to those who visit, pass through, or use them.

Left unattended, wasteland sites become reclaimed by nature, and as unmanaged sites, natural succession is the deciding factor in what does or does not survive on the land. A lack of human interference and applied judgement values:

e.g. Native Species = Good, and Non Native (alien) Species = BAD,

can result in cosmopolitan landscapes comprising of indigenous and non-native species. Alive with vibrant and diverse wildlife, could these biodiverse Brownfield ecosystems be more accurately described as ‘Greenfield’ sites?

To reduce the carbon footprint of the project, Kerry will navigate the streets of Liverpool on her bike. Sites in over 4 square miles of the city will be flagged up, and using a combination of artistic and scientific evaluation techniques, these least cherished landscapes will be mapped and graded for their potential value for experiencing wildlife.

After each day of cycling, the results will be exhibited at:

The Outhouse, off Menlove Avenue, Woolton,

Liverpool 25.

www.wooltonouthouse.co.uk/

For further information about The Outhouse visit www.axisweb.org/pbCOMM.aspx?SID=15821

Kerry will also write an anecdotal diary account of her daily experiences, observations and encounters. These will be posted on this blog.

Please read, follow, and add your comments.

Morrison and Prowse have been working in collaboration for 4 years. To find out more about their work visit

(www.morrison-prowse.com/)