Of Life and Lore: Research-Based Guidelines for Preserving Texas Swimming Holes

The following text is excerpted from “Cultivating charismatic landscapes: Designing for preservation and resilience of Texas’s natural swimming holes.” You may find the full text along with a list of research citations here: https://rc.library.uta.edu

Figure 1. Public swimming area at Blue Hole Regional Park in Wimberley, Texas (photo taken 03/14/2023 as part of an observational site visit).

Three Texas swimming holes were studied as part of this research and are highlighted above.

The swimming hole landscape is significant in that it provides an immersive interface between humans and the natural world within a riparian corridor. Distinct characteristics of local watersheds and regional ecological systems result in a unique expression of the natural environment specific to each Texas swimming hole. Notably, these environmental components, along with human culture and settlement patterns, are all interrelated, underscoring the importance of health and harmony within each.

For many generations of Texans, natural swimming holes have provided a unique opportunity for recreation and leisure during the hot summer months. Found in both urban and rural settings, the aesthetics and amenities of these community gathering places vary by location, but they are typically found along streams or near springs, providing ample opportunity for users to picnic, swim, and congregate with others. Though some have been developed and are managed by parks services and other responsible parties, others are more vernacular in nature—off the beaten path with the journey as important to the experience as reaching the destination.

 

Figure 2. Blue Hole Regional Park in Wimberley, Texas closed early for the season in 2022 due to low streamflow (photo taken 09/18/2022 as part of an observational site visit).

Over decades of use, and with population growth fueling urban expansion and straining watersheds and other natural resources, many of these landscapes have deteriorated, and user experience has become significantly altered. Further, climatic factors—including seasonal and often significant swings between drought and flooding—impact streamflow and overland flow, directly affecting traditional form and use of these landscapes. Will it still be possible to enjoy these unique landscapes in the future?

The purpose of this study was to better understand the cultural and environmental significance of Texas’s natural swimming holes and to determine how the field of landscape architecture may preserve the function and spirit of these places through best practices in place-specific, resilient design and recommendations for mindful management. This study focused on three guiding research questions: (1) Why is the natural swimming hole environment important culturally? (2) What factors contribute to the deterioration of natural swimming holes and/or negatively impact usage? and (3) How can the field of landscape architecture ensure natural swimming holes remain environmentally resilient and accessible for future generations of Texans?

 

Figure 3. The following flow chart summarizes the research methodology.

Over the course of a year-and-a-half, the research materialized: a literature review was conducted, case studies were reviewed, swimming hole users were surveyed, experts were interviewed, and three sites were visited throughout various seasons to collect observational data. The data collected was classified into a matrix and further analyzed and synthesized, resulting in nine design and management guidelines specific to the Texas swimming hole landscape. These guidelines highlighted the importance of promoting regional context and values, inclusive programming and storytelling accessibility, enhancement and restoration of riparian ecological systems, and overall watershed health as important design considerations for the Texas swimming hole landscape. Recommendations for public education at local/community and regional/state decision maker levels were also deduced.

 

After an application exercise which tested the nine guidelines through a design and management proposal for a study site in Glen Rose, Texas, the following conclusions were realized:

Why is the natural swimming hole environment important culturally?

Humans have a reciprocal relationship with the natural environment (Jiang and Marggraf, 2021). These landscapes contribute to our identity, often manifesting in our built environment and societal norms (Daniel et al., 2012; Jiang & Marggraf, 2021). Users identify with multiple cultural values derived from the natural swimming hole landscape, including a sense of community, Texas culture, and visual attraction to this type of landscape (see user survey responses, Figure 6).

Natural swimming holes were influential on historic settlement patterns in Texas, both serving as an economic and cultural center and influencing the location and layout of our communities (McKinney, 2023; Duggan, 2023). These landscapes are documented as important to Texas’s cultural heritage through historical markers, photographs, books, and modern-day user interfaces such as social media. Natural swimming hole landscapes are unique in that they engage users with the outdoors in a one-of-a-kind, regionally specific riparian environment through recreational opportunities and space to congregate with others.

What factors contribute to the deterioration of natural swimming holes and/or negatively impact usage?

Both watershed management and urban development practices impact streamflow and water pollution. We have lost half of the big springs that existed in Texas due to water withdrawal (McKinney, 2023). In one reaction to the negative impacts of urban development, the Save Our Springs coalition was formed by local community members in response to the degradation of water quality due to developers building in the recharge zone for Barton Springs (McComb, 2008; Branch, 2023). Climate change and swings in precipitation impact streamflow as well, and designers should consider alternate activities to swimming as part of the design for these landscapes (McKinney, 2023). Finally, these landscapes are being “loved to death,” and this overuse compromises the local ecological resiliency and negatively impacts user experience (Duggan, 2023; McKinney, 2023).

How can the field of landscape architecture ensure natural swimming holes remain environmentally resilient and accessible for future generations of Texans?

This study’s resulting design guidelines provide a roadmap when designing and planning for resiliency of the natural Texas swimming hole landscape. Considerations include promoting regional context and values, promoting inclusive programming and storytelling accessibility, enhancing and restoring riparian ecological systems, and promoting overall watershed health. Public education in resilience design and planning at both the local community level and the regional/state decisionmaker levels is crucial in ensuring these landscapes are preserved for future generations of Texans.

 

Figure 10. Application of the design guidelines to the study site in Glen Rose, Texas.

This study examined opportunities for resilient design and management of the natural swimming hole landscape from three distinct levels: self, community, and region. Looking first at the individual user, future research opportunities include an assessment of how the cultural values associated with the natural swimming hole landscape might be made applicable to other types of landscapes. Community-level research would include the logistics of making water-wise technology accessible to users. A study of effective educational initiatives implemented at the community level to teach resiliency practices in our homes and local schools could promote these standards as part of our common knowledge and daily routines. At the regional watershed level, opportunities exist to investigate the implementation of detailed regional watershed planning strategies that incorporate a large-scale green infrastructure network for the entire watershed. An investigation into “closing the cycle” on water usage at the watershed level would also positively impact the swimming hole landscape. Finally, testing the design and management guidelines ascertained through this study by way of implementing informed designs in the field at a variety of swimming hole locations would likely result in the identification of additional related topics for future research.

 

Figure 11. Users explore the creek bed downstream from the swimming hole at Glen Rose, Texas (September 2022).

The field of landscape architecture is in the business of engaging people with the outdoors (Duggan, 2023). In Texas, the same experiential deterrents impacting natural swimming holes are affecting other landscapes as well. The effects of climatic shifts and watershed management practices will influence our design and planning processes to a greater extent in the future as urban expansion and population growth continue straining our natural resources. Landscape architects should also consider swimming hole health as an indicator for overall watershed health due to the location of swimming holes within the drainage basin. This could help the profession assess environmental needs and ultimately design for a larger impact if this emerging body of research is applied in a more holistic way. Finally, the resiliency guidelines recommended for this culturally significant landscape should be made applicable to other types of landscape design in an effort to promote cultural connection and deeper user fulfillment.

 

Figure 12. Enjoying time with a childhood friend at a popular private swimming hole outside of Lockhart, Texas (Summer 1994).

 

Figure 13. Various Texas swimming holes. Images: Creative Commons flickr.com

 

The genesis of this study topic evolved through an exploration of culturally significant landscapes throughout the state of Texas, specifically those which promote community building and encourage interaction between humans and their natural environment. Swimming holes quickly moved to the top of the list, as I have many fond memories of enjoying these landscapes with friends and family during my childhood years in South and Central Texas. Spending time in recreation and leisure within these riparian corridors has also influenced my understanding and appreciation of the environmental significance of these landscapes. My individual journey during this study has been incredibly rewarding, as personal experiences fused with Texas tradition and environmental determinants on the canvas of regional riparian landscapes and local lore.

Find more information here: www.swimmingholes.org

Living Museums: The Importance of Botanic Gardens

This essay is a collaboration between Lauren Wardwell and Tary Arterburn, FASLA.
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A Brief history

While identification of the first botanic garden is largely contested and likely limited by a Eurocentric record of cultural influence, the botanic gardens of the past were created for many of the same reasons that we value them today: scientific research, education, aesthetics, and recreation.

Past gardens that most resemble the ones we have today were generally called psychic gardens, with medicinal plants used for research and medical training. One such garden is the Orto Botanico di Padova in Padua, Italy. It was founded in 1545, representing the documented birth of botanical science as it relates to understanding relationships between nature and culture. Today, UNESCO recognizes it as a  World Heritage Site.

In 1590, the Hortus Botanicus of Leiden was established in the Netherlands, marking a significant shift in the evolution of botanic gardens. This garden, which housed exotic plants gathered from various colonial expeditions, popularized the concept of 'collecting' plants from around the globe. Its influence inspired the establishment of many botanic gardens that still exist today, such as the Kew Gardens in London and Real Jardín Botánico in Spain.

The gardens of the 19th and 20th centuries began to respond to the concept of "pleasure grounds" or spaces existing for beauty rather than scientific pursuits as part of a larger construct with the idea of romanticism and an increased emphasis on individualism and health. These gardens focused on the visitor experience, emphasizing aesthetics, education, and interpretation. As governments reduced funding for gardens in the latter half of the 20th century, the need to be self-supporting led to an increased focus on revenue and, thus, the need for events and programming.

Within this context, the botanic garden of the 21st century is at a pivotal point, with various new and old influences shaping its future. Studio Outside has worked alongside many leaders at different institutions over the past several decades in crafting a curated approach to frame gardens for lasting success. Tary Arterburn, a founding partner of Studio Outside, leads the design efforts in our office around these uniquely positioned landscapes.  

Today, gardens serve as public institutions where people go for various reasons: to spend time with family, learn about plants, find moments of respite, and generally engage with nature. Serving as the background and sometimes as the focus of these experiences is a highly cultivated form of nature that, whether naturalized or formal, brings people in direct connection with a beautiful and vast array of botanical forms that they would not likely find in their daily lives. 

As the purpose and motivations behind visiting botanic gardens have evolved, so too have the missions of these gardens. In the last ten years, many gardens have shifted away from plant collections and towards regional authenticity. While every historic garden might have a rose garden, regardless of where it is, today, these botanical spaces are increasingly becoming hubs for ecological understanding, environmental stewardship, and education. The '19th-century' idea of collecting specimens from around the world has been replaced by more relevant and pressing topics, such as our relationship with nature and beauty.

the importance of design

Concerning botanic garden design, a site's ecological and social parameters become the primary consideration.

Red Butte Garden at the University of Utah, for example, was initially created to conduct plant research, focusing mainly on the native Utah scrub oak. As the collection grew, the site was formally established as the State Arboretum and later expanded to adopt 100 acres of land along Red Butte Canyon. At this point, the garden mission grew beyond horticulture, incorporating conservation and environmental education into its programming. Today, the garden's mission is "to connect people with plants and the beauty of living landscapes." These values are evident in the Water Conservation Garden and the 2024 Master Plan, emphasizing responsible land stewardship while highlighting the regional ecology of the Wasatch foothills throughout the designs.

In East Texas, the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center Master Plan began in 2001 as a restoration project to revive a garden from the 1950s. While the legacy garden served as an “oasis” in Orange, Texas, with azalea and camellia gardens, this new master planning process aimed to establish a model for environmental responsibility in Texas. Existing phenomena on the site, such as a bird sanctuary within a cypress grove and an undeveloped 200-acre cypress and tupelo wetland, informed the design. With a desired program focused on environmental education, the site has transformed into a Nature Center where visitors immerse themselves in wetland ecosystems and reflect on the relationships between nature and art. 

Gardens today need to preserve and celebrate a local ecology and directly engage a community so that relationships form between an environment and the people living in it. When the design team has a lot of interactive experiences with staff and visitors, the design follows the intuition of the stakeholders, who have the local expertise and a deeply rooted connection to the land. Thus, the plan becomes a product of the community.

Through discovery workshops and community engagements, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden Master Plan harnessed intense levels of programming discussion and review of various scenarios with the stakeholder team and staff, ultimately helping Studio Outside to draw the plan. Through this iterative process of designing WITH the community, unexpected designs take shape that are thoughtful, realistic, and successful in the long term.

Simultaneously, a place of quiet refuge and dramatic experiences, often balancing intense cultivation with respectful conservation, holding space for education and beauty –botanic gardens play an exclusive role in today’s cultural landscape that must be preserved and celebrated.