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Conocarpia: Towards a Measured Narrative of Kuwait’s Copious, Desired and Despised Urban Tree
Abstract by Dr. Reem Alissa On Session VI-19  (Urban Natures)

On Friday, December 2 at 4:00 pm

2022 Annual Meeting

Abstract
Over the past few decades Kuwait’s urban landscape has become dominated by the conocarpus lancifolius tree. This is an evergreen tree with an uncanny greenness to it that defies the beige of the desert, it has an unruly rate of growth that constantly needs to be kept in check, and yet the extent at which it is ubiquitously used as a hedge or street tree in public and private landscapes suggests it is the most ideal, or, naturally occurring tree in Kuwait’s desert environment – however, it is a naturally occurring swamp tree in the lower valley streams of the Somali Peninsula. Landscape historian, John Dixon Hunt, famously theorizes nature into a tryptic hierarchy; “first nature” which is wilderness untouched by humankind, “second nature” in which humankind begins agricultural practices and urbanization, and “third nature” in which humankind looks to the landscape solely for aesthetic appeal. The controversial c. lancifolius currently resides in this “third nature” state. It is controversial because on one extreme it is desired as local environmental activists argue for its abundant supply as critical in offsetting Kuwait’s carbon footprint and others argue for it as a versatile evergreen tree that can withstand Kuwait’s harsh arid climate and saline soil. On the other extreme it is despised as local ecologists warn of its detrimental effects on plant and wildlife biodiversity, and they reiterate its natural occurrence as a mangrove tree which leads to its high watering requirements in Kuwait’s desert environment. Furthermore, from a landscape architectural perspective, it negatively standardizes the urban landscape’s form and function with its demanding maintenance regime and destructive root behavior to below grade urban infrastructure. This proposal aims to move beyond this oscillation between the c. lancifolius as desired or despised towards a more measured narrative of this tree that has swarmed Kuwait’s urban landscape – how can we continue to live with this newly established “nature”? Through social and scientific archival sources, and grounded interviews this proposal unravels the history of the c. lancifolius. It elucidates how it took root literally and figuratively over the past few decades both in Kuwait’s urban landscape and in the situated prevailing urban imaginary of nature. The aim is to attempt to progress to the recently theorized “fourth nature” which moves beyond a “third nature” to one that is regenerative, ecologically sound, harmonious with the urban context, and synergistically promotes plant and wildlife diversity, and human livability.
Discipline
Architecture & Urban Planning
Geographic Area
Kuwait
Sub Area
Gulf Studies