The seasons of fire | Ignite-Foster-Regenerate

Devika Shibu

LA4007

Located in the southern western ghats, the Agastyamalai Biosphere reserve is a part of the UNESCO World Biosphere reserves. These majestic hills are a hotspot of biodiversity and a home to the once semi nomadic tribal community of the Kanis. During our field visit through the Athirumalai forest, I was introduced to the misinterpreted phenomenon of forest fires. Interaction with the community, lead to the observation that forest fires are perceived as “friends of the forest”. The kanis believed that the fires help in the regrowth of the forest and to maintain the cyclic balance in the grassland ecosystem.

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Impressions of forest fires | Study of a misinterpreted system

Landscape Traces | Tracing the fires and Ochlandra Reed Brakes in Peppara

Landscape Traces | Understanding the regrowth in the forest

Accretions | Understanding the knowledge of the community about the interdependence of forest fires and grasslands

Materializing a Vision | Re-establishing the relationship between the forest and the people

Rhythm analysis of the system of grasslands | Understanding the rhythms of the forest that the system of grasslands occur.

Design Ideation | Understanding the structure of the program

Design Ideation | Identifying sample zones for the program on a systemic level

Design Development | Strategies for the regeneration of grasslands

Regeneration – Imagined | Imagining the landscape after a few cycles of regeneration