Back in the Wild Water

RIVER ESK, SCOTLAND 2024

The River Esk, which flows through Midlothian and East Lothian in Scotland, is facing an increasingly severe flood crisis. BACK IN THE WILD WATER uses wilding water territory as a strategic framework. It implements a series of land use transformation strategies at the level of the river catchment to wild the land use pattern to a relatively nature state to mitigate the flood risk and solve a series of ecological issues, such as habitat loss, biodiversity loss, woodland degradation and overgrazing.

The specific flood mitigation strategy will be carried out in the upper catchment of the River Esk, in the Moorfoot Hill area. The project will integrate specific measures such as changing the agricultural framework, restoring peatlands, restoring and connecting woodlands, and establishing a habitat framework into a phased long-term strategy.

Among them, the re-understanding of floods and the rewilding of lifestyles, such as the transformation of agricultural, will arouse people's thinking about the relationship between humans and land and non-human landscape elements from the cognitive level. People will be more enthusiastic and confident to participate in the wilding process and gradually wild their lifestyle. The project explores the possibility of establishing a wilding landscape framework to further adapt to climate change.

Construction Land with Existing Flood
(Groupwork with Jiaqi Zhang, Jiayuan Li, Shu Shang)

Agricultural Land with Existing Flood
(Groupwork with Jiaqi Zhang, Jiayuan Li, Shu Shang)

Key Habitat with Existing Flood
(Groupwork with Jiaqi Zhang, Jiayuan Li, Shu Shang)

Future Vision of Wilding River Esk Territory
(Groupwork with Jiaqi Zhang, Jiayuan Li, Shu Shang)

Wilding water territory aims to construct a wilding spatial framework for human and non-human features. In this framework, not only non-human elements such as land, animals and plants are restored to a state free from human influence, but human lifestyles will also be closer to the wild territory. This will also further connect urban, suburban and rural landscapes within the catchment.

The Upper Catchment of the River Esk

Although the crisis is in Musselburgh, far downstream of Esk, it comes from accumulation across the whole catchment. The natural management approach can slow and store more floods in upper catchment. Within the theme of wild water terriotory, woodland restoration and establishment are important wilding methods.

The South Esk originates in Moorfoot hill. This is one of the sources of the Esk and can also be seen as the source of floods. Both blanket bog and Upland birch woodland are in a state of unfavourable - recovering, with overgrazing being one of the reasons. This also indirectly leads to the lack of capacity to slow down and store water in the upper catchment.

Existing Transportation
There are a small number of buildings and road in the sub-catchment. The lack of public traffic and parking limits the development of the tourism. Existing roads are good connected to the urban area. New road construction may affect woodlands and the river. And the buildings on the farm may not be suitable for tourism service.

Existing Topography and Water
The South Esk originates in the valley of Moorfoot hills, enters the reservoir along the valley, and flows northward. Despite being further up the river, the risk of flooding remains. This can endanger farms and livestock.

Existing Landcover
Various land use types in sub-catchment are concentrated. And there are already large-scale forest lands. Some of the woodland edges are very neat. The vegetation in the woodland is monotonous. Does not form a good habitat framework. There is a large amount of undeveloped land within the sub-catchment. This means that land use patterns have huge potential to change. Some of the fragile land needs to be carefully restored.

Existing Woodland Suitability
The area suitable and potential for woodland planting is large, and some of the land already has woodlands. Some slopes are very steep and unsuitable for plants. The map shows that areas unsuitable or sensitive to woodland are almost all peatlands. This does not conflict with planting woodlands in other areas.

Existing Habitat Framework
There are habitats of good quality and rich types in the sbu-catchment. Habitat with better quality are small and concentrated, lacking connections with each other. Some fragmented range habitats are potential bases for habitat framework. Failure to carefully select and connect habitats can impact and harm the species that live there.

Through geographical information data analysis, we can obtain more information that is difficult to obtain through naked eye observation. This information can better help us understand the problems and potential of the site.

Landuse Potential

Woodland Potential

Flood Potential

In sub-catchment. The first problem to be solved is to mitigate the flooding problem in the whole catchment. This issue will be addressed primarily through wilding the water terriotory. It mainly includes the establishment of different types of woodlands and the restoration of peatlands. Except for the non-human elements. Agriculture as well as tourism in the sub-catchment need to be transformed at the same time. By combining them systematically, new agricultural and tourism systems will be built.

Sub-catchment Water-scape Strategy

In the sub-catchment water-scape strategy, the implementation of the overall strategy is divided into three stages.

Detailed Strategy 1: Agricultural Framework Adaptation

Detailed Strategy 2: Peatland Restoration and Rewetting

Detailed Strategy 3: Woodland Establishment and Restoration

Detailed Strategy 4: Habitat Connection Creating

Detailed strategy 5: Wetlands Creating and not mitigating all the flood

Although addressing the flood issues is a very important part of the project, flood is also a significant wild element which helps connect floodplains, flush out invasive species, reshape rivers, rebuild habitats... In order to let the public know more about the wilding program and participate in the wilded water territory, reserving a part of the flood rather than mitigating all of it is necessery.

Water-scape Proposal (10 years)

Strategies Application (10 years)

Sub-catchment Conceptual Section (10 years)

Over the next ten years, the basic woodland framework will be gradually established. Habitats will gradually begin to be connected through forests and rivers, this the basis for rich biodiversity. The establishment of woodlands and the restoration of peatlands will both involve public ehgagement and voluntourism. Construction of a low-pollution and low-impact framework integrating agricultural will begin. Agricultural tourism income will gradually increase and replace income by grazing.

Water-scape Proposal (50 years)

Strategies Application (50 years)

Sub-catchment Conceptual Section (50 years)

During this period, upland woodland and native woodland will be planted on top of the basic woodland framework. Some of the flood plains are going to be retained and even be wided to store and slow the water. As peatlands are restored, species from the Scottish borders will be attracted into the catchment. With the transformation of the agricultural structure and the construction of public transportation and supporting service facilities, tourism activities such as agricultural experiences will gradually become richer. Flood-related experiential camping and educational activities will be carried out gradually.

Water-scape Proposal (100 years)

Strategies Application (100 years)

Sub-catchment Conceptual Section (100 years)

At this stage, the establishment of the woodland is complete. Only reserved flood experience areas will be affected in the event of flooding. The sbu-catchment land has achieved self-management and self-generation. The main human activity within the sub-catchment has shifted from grazing to tourism. Excellent infrastructure and sightseeing routes will support this. The safety and quality of tourism will be greatly improved.

A Representative 'Waterland' in the Sub-catchment

Among the sub-catchment, areas with the most diverse vegetation types and the richest activities will be further studied.

“Waterland” Master Master Plan

“Waterland” Routes and Services

“Waterland” Wild Activities

In addition to potential wilding areas on the site, there are many areas where new tourist activities and services can be proposed. The site will be transformed into a wild wonderland.

Public Engagement Woodland Establishment (10 years) Basic riparian woodland, Native woodland next to riparian woodland

Public Engagement Woodland Establishment (30 years) Riparian woodland, Nnative woodland

Public Engagement Woodland Establishment (50 years) Upland native woodland

Public Engagement Woodland Establishment (70 years) Upland native woodland

Public Engagement Woodland Establishment (90 years)
Final connection of different types of woodland

Visitors to the site can participate in voluntary tree planting activities, and can also obtain free vouchers for other sightseeing activities within the site through tree planting.

The Flood Platform
When there is not flood, people can walk through the platform

The Flood Platform during the Flood
When the floods come, the treehouses can be used as accomodations for the visitors to observe the flood

The Upper Catchment Wetland

The Voluntorism

The Farm Life Experience

Yanglan Wang Selected Work 2022-2025 A Blue BlenderBack in the Wild Water Trace the Name Volcano Venture Filling the Void Cocoa Cooperation and Conversion Home Profile LinkedIn Email

Yanglan Wang
Selected Work 2022-2025

A Blue Blender
Back in the Wild Water
Trace the Name
Volcano Venture Filling the Void
Cocoa Cooperation and Conversion

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