We live in a time of constant change and turbulence, where human activity has significantly impacted our planet. As the dominant species, we have achieved remarkable feats such as building grand cities, advancing technology, exploring the moon, and even creating artificial intelligence. However, this progress has come at a great cost to the natural world, and it is disheartening to look back at the destruction caused by our pursuit of power and advancement. We must acknowledge that this is not a game of “playing God.”
Our actions in the Anthropocene era, where humans dominate, have brought us to the brink of mass extinction for many animal and plant species. The IUCN Red List reports that around 28% of species evaluated are threatened with extinction, including those classified as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered. Some groups, like amphibians and corals, have even higher proportions of threatened species. This raises the question: how could such a supposedly intelligent civilization cause such devastation?
Given the critical state of our environment, we are reminded of the story of Noah’s Ark and humanity’s ability to preserve biodiversity and protect innocent beings. Regardless of our beliefs, this tale and its message are more relevant than ever. Can we create a modern-day ark for the 21st Century? A project with such an ambitious goal?
To achieve this mission, Project Tomorrow’s (P)ARK aims to create the most extensive national park in the North-West Europe bioregion by using the protected areas of Natura 2000 and a one-kilometre buffer zone to create an interconnected structure. This structure has been meticulously designed to harmonize with the major cities of the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, permeating and spreading throughout different spatial segments. Within the scale and scope of the study, the entire project focuses on transforming a one-kilometre area surrounding national parks, where significant modifications are envisioned to create a non-invasive environment in which nature centres/bio cores can thrive while having enough space to blend with the surroundings. The aim is to let nature resonate from the inside out, and deal with landscape fragmentation. However, this critical approach requires a range of changes in agriculture, cities, infrastructure, and even the concept of our existing fragmented National Parks.
This shift towards a non-invasive environment for the coexistence of all species is explained in detail through a new agricultural structure, the concept of rewilding applied to purely wild natural areas, and the specification of larger movement corridors or smaller patches serving as habitats or migration routes for genetic biodiversity. The landscape is further complemented by a pedestrian pathway that leads from Amsterdam to Copenhagen, showcasing the beauty of nature and presenting potential future changes that can lead to restoration. Communities and policy makers are connected through the (P)ARK app, which facilitates both bottom up, and top-down initiatives that carry out a shared vision. Furthermore, an analytical tool is presented to help us to define our social foundation and planetary boundary in terms of land use.
Above all, the project aims to heal the relationship between humans and nature, fostering reflections on modern pilgrimage in the 21st century. However, this pilgrimage is no longer about seeking a deity but rather finding a way to restore our relationship with nature and reconnect with it. The result is an incredible and attractive hypothetical model of a new living environment. Through this innovative and ambitious initiative, we aim to create a haven of natural beauty and ecological preservation that will continue to inspire for generations. Although we may not be able to stop the sixth mass extinction, Project Tomorrow’s (P)ARK represents a tangible step towards safeguarding what is left.