|
Every now and then we get lucky enough to work
on a project that touches us deep down inside. We get passionate
about most of the projects we work on, but this one hit on a more
emotional level. Over the last decade, the Children’s Zoo at
Celebration Square has been going through a transformation. New
exhibits have been added and existing exhibits have been updated.
Now it was the wolves’ turn for a makeover!
The old exhibit looked worn and desolate. The
wolves were well cared for, but their environment did nothing to say
“wolves belong here.” There were a few trees for shade, but not
much else. The soil had been disturbed so much from the running and
digging of the wolves that they were left with just a pile of sand.
Their den was a section of plastic pipe that used to be buried, but
now it was exposed from all their digging. The worst part was the
lack of open water. The only way the wolves could cool off on hot
summer days was to lie in their water trough. It was time for a
change!
Our goal with this makeover was to transform
the wolf exhibit from desolate to lush, making it look like it was a
piece of their native habitat: a woodland scene with lots of green,
a cave for their den, and of course, waterfalls, streams, and a
pond. At this point, the challenge was just
beginning. The zoo keeper gave us one week to complete the
makeover. The feeling was that the wolves would be okay for five
days in their kennel. Any longer than that, and a temporary
enclosure would have to be constructed to house them. The cost of
this enclosure would have added unnecessary expense to a budget that
was already stretched thin.
This major transformation required the
combined efforts of four companies and the zoo staff. During the
construction, we had three pieces of equipment and up to 12 people
working on the exhibit at the same time. The best part was that
everyone had the opportunity to provide some artistic input:
·
Blue Thumb Distributing, Inc., Saginaw, MI, supplied
all the skimmers, pumps, pipe, and liner.
·
Falling Waters, Saginaw, MI, took care of installing
the pumps, plumbing and assisted in construction.
·
Erth-Con Excavating, Inc., Romeo, MI, supplied the
equipment and manpower for most of the heavy work
·
Designscapes, Inc., Frankenmuth, MI, was responsible
for the overall design and project coordination.
·
The zoo staff pitched in whenever they were needed and
kept the wolves happy.
Not only was there a five day maximum to
complete the project, work in the enclosure could take place only
from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. We couldn’t work longer hours to get the
job done without stressing the animals. This constraint combined
with limited space for workers, equipment, and materials required a
lot of cooperation and planning from everyone involved.
The project started on a Monday. Once the rough excavation was completed for the
waterfalls and streams, we started placing the liner. Because
the wolves like to dig so much, we wanted the underlayment fabric in
place to provide extra protection for the liner. After the major
boulders were placed, all liner areas were covered with cobblestone
and medium sized rock. This combination of rock and fabric over the
liner made it less likely for the wolves to dig down and damage it.
The addition of logs, stumps, and plants was
critical to completing the naturalization of the enclosure. All the
rocks, stumps, and logs were partially buried (planted) in the
landscape. This creates the appearance of having always been a
part of the landscape rather than just “dropped from the sky.” Weathered stumps can look great if they are buried into
a stream bank with just a few roots protruding over the water. It
creates the illusion that the stream cut away the bank below the
stump.
By the end of the week the construction was
complete. The bare ground was seeded and covered with straw mulch,
and the streams were running. We checked the enclosure for any
sharp objects or other hazards that might have been left from
construction. Now it was time to let the wolves back in. We opened
the gate and waited. After watching the construction all week, the
wolves were very cautious as they entered their new habitat. The
two females (white wolves) were the first to enter. They walked
slowly, sniffing and inspecting, assessing the changes. Most of the
zoo staff watched from the observation area in the log cabin. We
were not sure what to expect.
After about 10 minutes, the females went back
into the kennel to coax the male (darker grey) wolf out. Before
long, all three were trotting around the perimeter and claiming the
place as theirs. We could sense their joy as they splashed through
the pond and gulped water from the streams. They finally had water
to play in and a place to cool off during hot summer days. By
mid-summer, the plants were beginning to grow in. The exhibit was
finally green!
After months of planning and a week of
construction, this was the conclusion we were hoping for. The
cameras were clicking and we were discreetly wiping tears of joy.
Thanks to this extreme makeover, the wolves had a new home. It was
evident they were just as thrilled as we were. |