How the change works
- 01 / Public decision
Reclamation and new destination
- 02 / Physical change
Managed contamination and curated habitats
- 03 / Possible outcome
Refuge with regulated access
A decommissioned industrial site can change its function through remediation, constraints and habitat management, not simply by abandonment.
Research and local documents ↓What the evidence tells us
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal near Denver has been transformed into a wildlife refuge after a rehabilitation process. The FWS plan documents management, habitat, and access.
Putting the choices into practice
Starting point
The challengeAbandonment of the site
The responsePlanned remediation
Access
The challengeLand declared to be completely safe
The responseSeparate areas and constraints
Duration
The challengeEnd of work
The responseOngoing management
The diagram compares choices and conditions for putting them into practice. Measured outcomes and their limits are discussed in the evidence.
Research and local documents ↓Conditions and limits
The transformation does not prove that war protects nature. Some areas and infrastructures require controls and constraints even after the remediation.
Other possible benefits
Recovery of spaces and opportunities to learn about nature near the city.
Research and local documents
- Local project or policy documentU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge ↗
Institutional documentation of the program, territory or rules mentioned.
- Local project or policy documentRocky Mountain Arsenal · Comprehensive Conservation Plan, 2016 ↗
Institutional documentation of the program, territory or rules mentioned.
