In The Name of Progress

According to Wikipedia, urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area.The term urban sprawl generally has negative connotations due to the health and environmental issues that sprawl creates. Due to the larger area consumed by sprawling suburbs compared to urban neighborhoods, more farmland and wildlife habitats are displaced per resident. As forest cover is cleared and covered with concrete in the suburbs, rainfall is less effectively absorbed into the ground water aquifers. This threatens both the quality and quantity of water supplies. Sprawl increases water pollution as rain water picks up gasoline and oil runoff from parking lots and roads. Sprawl fragments the land which increases the risk of invasive species spreading into the remaining forest.

I realize that urban sprawl is inevitable, and can even make a positive impact on a growing community. However, I don't have to like it. If you've been a reader of my blog, you will recall several posts describing the pond at Madison Park and its pristine, ecological beauty. Nestled in the middle of a new community, it is a gem amid newly constructed homes, townhouses, and duplexes. My co-worker/photo buddy Darlene and I spend many lunch hours walking along the path in search of interesting subjects to photograph. Many indigenous Georgia species can be found, such as flowering dogwood trees, wild flowers, hawks, buzzards, dragonflies, butterflies, and migrating Canada geese. Approaching the pond is a boardwalk that protects the fragile ecosystem below. From the boardwalk, I have photographed birds and cattails nestled within the surrounding wetlands.

Walking along the path Friday, we could barely hear each other talk over the noise of bulldozers carving the way for new homes. Precious natural grasses and pine trees, where birds and other wildlife once called home, were sliced down to rock and dirt.

I don't live on a pond. But given the choice, I would if I could. Why should I expect someone else to shun a home that has a pond or lake view? At what cost will progress have on the pond? Perhaps the wildlife will find new homes, and new trees and grasses will grow in other safer areas. For now, Darlene and I will be hard pressed to find interesting subjects to photograph. Here are a few examples of what we found during our walk.

What's your opinion on urban sprawl? Are you for progress? Preservation? Or both?