Fence
Chair of ownership
The value of privacy is becoming increasingly higher as owning something is almost holy. It means that no one other than the owner has the right to their land, and the others are not allowed to use resources that this land produces. Common spaces which fruit everyone can pick are in decline, and rural areas are becoming privatized. The epitome of that - almost all the rivers in the UK are privately owned.
The most literal way of declaring something yours is by putting a fence around it. This is also one of the main actors of the rivers in the city center of Sheffield translating agency of ownership into the physical world. It has a long history in the system, and as rivers were too polluted by industries people figured that it would be better if there was no access to the rivers. For example, the rivers in Sheffield were built upon and when it was not covered, it was surrounded by a fence for safety.
The knowledge of rivers as blue commons is lost over time. It is almost as if it was put behind the fence alongside the river. However, water bodies are such an important part of the city. They help to grow biodiverse spaces even if inaccessible rivers can at the moment be home to only invasive species. Rivers going through cities are important for non-human actors but also for equality in the urban space by giving people from all social statuses access to water and strengthening mental and social health.
Privaatsuse väärtus tõuseb aina enam ning isiklik omand on saavutanud peaaegu püha staatuse. See tähendab, et eksisteerib polaarsus omaniku ja teiste vahel, kellest viimasel pole õigust maale ning ressurssidele, mida see maa annab. Ühisruum, mille vilju võib igaüks noppida, on kadumas ja ka maapiirkondi erastatakse aina enam. Selle epitoom - peaaegu kõik jõed Suurbritannias on eraomandis.
Kõige otsesem viis midagi enda omaks kuulutada on sellele piiramine aiaga. See on ka üks peamistest teguritest, mis määrab Sheffieldi jõgesid, tõlkides omamise tähenduse füüsilise maailma keelde. Jõgede ligipääsmatuteks muutmisel on pikk ajalugu- alates sellest, et need olid liiga saastatud tööstuste poolt, nii et inimestele oli parem, kui jõed olid kinni kaetud. Ka Sheffieldis on linn ehitatud jõgede peale ning isegi kui need ei ole kaetud, siis on need ümbritsetud piirdega.
Teadmine jõgedest kui ühisväärtusest on ajaga kaduma läinud, nii nagu on ajapikku ka kogu jõgi ümberpiiratud. Sellele vaatamata võiksid jõed olla oluline osa linnaruumist. Need aitavad kasvada ökoloogilisel mitmekesisusel, isegi kui praegu ligipääsmatud jõed on praegu koduks vaid võõrliikidele. Läbi linnade voolavad jõed on olulised muule elusloodusele peale inimeste ja ka võrdusele, andes inimestele erinevatest ühiskonnakihtidest ligipääsu veele ja tugevdades vaimset ja sotsiaalset tervist.
Entanglements to other actors: butterfly bush, history and water.
Saskia Krautman
