American farmer, journalist, and landscaper Frederick Law Olmsted believed that society could be improved by public parks and green spaces. By creating parks and recreational centers in the hearts of cities, communities could be strengthened and individuals seek refuge from harsh city life.
Olmsted’s parks were created not just for enjoyment, but as an essential respite for urban dwellers where the stresses induced by chaotic urban life might be relieved. Because everyone had a right to experience the benefits of nature, Olmsted located his parks where vast numbers of people hailing from diverse backgrounds could access them.
His designs and philosophy have earned him the title “Father of Landscape Architecture.” His impact on the field is examined by Rebecca Messner in the documentary film The Olmstead Legacy. I had the pleasure of interviewing Messner in advance of the Philadelphia premiere of the film.
greenlimbs (GL): How did you learn of Olmsted and what inspired you to spread the word of his legacy?
Rebecca Messner (RM): The project began with my father, Mike Messner, Executive Producer of the film. He is partner of the hedge fund Seminole Capital, but recently founded the non-profit Red Fields to Green Fields. The idea behind Red Fields to Green Fields (R2G) is to lobby the federal government to allocate funds toward depreciated real estate (dead malls, foreclosed houses, etc), to tear them down and build parks.
My father recognizes the economic value of parks to cities—how a well maintained park can increase the value of real estate around it—and he was inspired by Olmsted. Olmsted recognized this, too, and was one of the first people to write extensively about it. My father was also inspired by the way Olmsted planned cities and towns that would benefit not just this generation, but generations to come. 150 years after Olmsted’s first parks were built, they still provide enormous benefit to the communities that surround them.
In short, my father wanted to make a documentary that would teach people about Olmsted, and inspire them to want to reinvest in America’s urban green space.
GL: Do you have a relationship with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) who is hosting the Philadelphia premiere?
RM: We began working with PHS through Red Fields to Green Fields. R2G focused on six cities within their first round of economic studies, Philadelphia among them.
From the R2G website:
Philadelphia, once known as “Workshop of the World” has a legacy of diverse manufacturing as well as entrepreneurial enterprise. Red Fields to Green Fields can facilitate the transition from industrialization to a knowledge based economy by converting underutilized sites into greenways and inter-connected rail systems. Decades ago industrial enterprises were linked by the region’s waterways and rail systems. To improve the landscape and promote economic development in the regions, new linkages between the waterways, transportation corridors and communities will be forged with this program.
GL: Why is the Olmsted legacy important to the city of Philadelphia? To cities in general?
RM: Like so many other American cities, Philadelphia suffered from post-war population decline and a changing urban economy. This has left a lot of empty real estate, which would be more beneficial to the citizens who live around it if it were turned into usable parkland.
Cities in general can learn from Olmsted by recognizing that parks are essential elements of urban infrastructure—essential for the health and happiness of city dwellers. They would also do well to implement Olmsted’s way of planning in a way that benefits citizens for centuries to come.
GL: In your opinion, what role does green space play in modern cities?
RM: Aside from the countless ecological benefits that parks present to cities, I believe that as humans, we have an intuitive connection with nature. Some part of us needs it, receives pleasure and a certain amount of healing from it. The cities of today, by contrast, are crowded, dirty, tall, noisy. It’s hard to see the sky and feel the sun, much less spend time among trees and grass. I think we need a certain amount of nature around to counteract the hectic day-to-day life of cities. Urban parks are, in many cases, our only opportunities to have backyards.
GL: Why do you think the creation of green space and parks is still mostly an afterthought rather than a consideration during development and construction?
RM: There has been a widespread tendency, throughout history, to view green space as “empty space,” and parks have always run the risk of being developed. Olmsted called them “plunks.” In other words, hospitals, department stores, parking lots, etc. Though there is an increasing tendency towards “green” development these days, with LEED-certified buildings and green roofs, etc., there’s perhaps still the notion that parks are just “empty space.”
I also think that in general, people don’t realize the amount of planning that goes into building a park—many park users think that at some point, someone came along and maybe build some paths, and put up a wall around a natural area. An incredible amount of work goes into creating the kinds of parks that Olmsted created, with a wide range of natural experiences. Perhaps the more people realize this, the more appreciation parks will receive, and the easier it will be to convince cities to invest in green space.
Park projects like the High Line in New York City, which brought to life a derelict railroad and helped transform an entire neighborhood, are more of what cities should be doing today.
GL: Olmsted spoke of parks as a place for everyone to enjoy and benefit from nature. How can parks shape and even reform/rehabilitate communities? How do we create a park today that truly appeals to everyone?
RM: Parks are, as Betsy Shure Gross (founder of the National Association of Olmsted Parks) calls them in the film, “intrinsically democratic.” They don’t charge admission and they don’t segregate, so they are places in cities—in some cases, the only places, perhaps with the exception of public transportation—where citizens from all walks of life intermingle on a daily basis.
Creating a park that appeals to everyone I think really requires knowing your community, and providing access to programming and activities that really appeal to the people who live in the vicinity.
That said, in order for a park to truly be an asset to a community, it has to be well maintained. A poorly maintained park can, conversely, drag a community down, attracting illicit activity. But a well-maintained park is a place people want to go to and live around, attracting more businesses and raising the value of surrounding real estate.
GL: What is the goal of releasing the film? What do you hope to accomplish by sharing Olmsted’s legacy?
RM: Our goal is to show the film to as many people as possible, so that they’ll realize the importance of parks to cities. We also just want the opportunity to share the fascinating story of Frederick Law Olmsted and his brilliant civic works.
GL: What’s next for you?
RM: I’ll be continuing to travel with the film, for screenings and film festivals, and then I hope to continue my career in film in New York.
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is premiering The Olmstead Legacy in Philadelphia on Thursday, November 4th at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Learn more and reserve tickets here.
