Storyboard

Before beginning the design of the house, we explore the topographical possibilities of the terrain. Our goal is to create a terraced structure that takes advantage of the view and seamlessly integrates with the natural contours of the land. Additionally, we aim to ensure that the access does not have a steep incline to facilitate the entry and exit of vehicles.

Once we have a clear general outline, we conduct a basic topographical survey to guide earth movement, although it's worth noting that we subsequently perform a detailed survey for the final design.

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If you use Google Earth Map, you can visualize the terrain in its surroundings. In this case, you can observe the hills with their forests and the Palos Verdes area, where there is less vegetation compared to similar areas further north.

As discussed in the risk section, this is likely due to the fact that Palos Verdes is located in an area that experienced a landslide in the past, and the vegetation has not yet fully recovered, possibly due to the previous land use, such as grazing.

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By using Google Maps, it's evident that the area was once a wetland but is now partially compacted due to trampling, with accompanying deposits.

The goal within the project is to restore the wetland, which entails cleaning it first and then working on the reestablishment of wetland areas. More details can be found in the description of future projects.

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Using the distance measurement tool, we can estimate the dimensions of the terrain and the proportions of the different areas:

The terrain has an average width of 65 meters and a length of 130 meters, which translates to approximately 0.85 hectares.

Additionally, the following observations can be made:

• There is a strip of approximately 30 meters in depth in the lower area, which can even receive seawater during storms (trash accumulates near the fence after storms). This area was likely created by a tsunami and is not suitable for construction.

• The wetland to be restored covers the entire length of the terrain and has a width ranging from 10 to 15 meters. At the top, there is a spring with a flow of approximately 0.5 liters per second and a diversion towards the side of the terrain.

• There are points where the water table emerges, one on the western (left) side at a distance of 75 meters from the road and another on the western edge of the wetland, approximately 55 meters from the road.

ID:(484, 0)

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From the hill in the summer, you can see the contrast between what used to be a wetland and what is now a partially swampy area (green) and the slopes on both sides covered with dry grass.

Observing in this way, you can visualize the location of the main construction on the upper right (west) side of the house and possibly an observatory (a small module for observations and fieldwork) on the surface to the right (east).

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Looking south, you can observe the slope on the other side of the road. In the lower part, there is little vegetation, while further up, there is low-lying vegetation, and only at the very top can parts of the forest be seen. This could be a sign of an ancient landslide where the vegetation has not yet returned to its original density. However, it's important to understand that under such a scenario, only a few trees that show some age would survive. All of this would be part of exploring the environment as a public outreach activity.

The second thing to observe is the drainage system installed by the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) years before purchasing the parcel. This system collects rainwater from the hill and the road. The latter typically carries debris like worn-out tires and vehicle oil from passing vehicles. One of the functions that wetlands assume today is the absorption, control, and eventual degradation of environmental waste. This should be an integral part of wetland restoration, its operation, and study.

ID:(486, 0)

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In this image, you can see how further to the east, the vegetation goes from covering the hills directly to the area near the sea, which probably also covered this area. The use of this zone for grazing, which led to it being called the 'Pastal,' is likely the reason why the original vegetation did not recover.

In the image, you can observe several thickets of Quila (Chusquea quila), which is native to the region. It tends to climb on trees and eventually overtake them, destroying them in the process. In the future, we will begin to remove it to rescue the trees (male arrayans) that will resprout.

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The eastward view from the western side, at the level of the rocks descending to the lower plain, reveals the lower part of what used to be the wetland.

In the background, you can see the coastline to the north, including the small hillock behind which Los Liles is located.

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If we approach the area that used to be the lower wetland, we can see some typical wetland plants and a dense grass cover beneath which the water flow is visible.

Here, part of the cow deposits has already been removed, although some neighbors still manage to introduce their cows, leading to the reappearance of new feces. Another issue is the soil compaction due to the weight of the animals.

It's possible that this area had some sort of small dam formed by the stacked stones at the lower end. These may have been removed to allow free movement of livestock. Detailed study will be required to determine how to create the conditions for natural wetland recovery.

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On the day we toured the property to develop this documentation, cattle had once again been introduced. In fact, they had been introduced through a section of the fence that was left unsecured and that we later closed.

The only advantage of the cattle is that they keep the grass short, reducing the risk of a fire that could endanger the neighboring houses. However, the damage caused by the cattle outweighs this benefit, so closing access points and cutting the grass are necessary both for safety reasons and to discourage the introduction of the animals.

ID:(490, 0)

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At the bottom is where the water from the wetland meets the sea. Currently, this area is compromised by grazing animals, and it will be interesting to see what kind of wetland can emerge here.

This area is intriguing because there may be saltwater intrusion through the groundwater from the sea and periodic influx of saltwater during high tides and winter storms. Despite these challenges, there is a dense grass-like vegetation cover.

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From this point at the bottom, you can get a clear view of the spot where there is a small waterfall where water descends from the wetland area. The waterfall records a flow rate on the order of one liter per second, and it can be seen that it originates from the main spring at the top but also has inputs from lateral groundwater sources that increase the flow.

Another interesting aspect is that through the elevation and small waterfall, there is a separation that should hinder the diffusion of salt from the sea into the future wetland.

ID:(492, 0)

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This is the eastern elevation where ideally the observatory could be built.

It has sufficient elevation above sea level, so during high tides and storms, no water should reach it. Furthermore, it provides extensive visibility over the entire wetland area and the lower zone, including its drainage.

ID:(493, 0)

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View from the area where the observatory could be constructed looking south. It provides a good vantage point from the spring down to the lower part of the wetland, including the area near the sea.

Here, you can observe the large quila plant that effectively conceals the remains of the tree that once stood in this location and was brought down by the quila itself. Gradually, the quila plants, including this larger one removed during the earthwork, will be cleared.

ID:(494, 0)

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Lower part of the wetland area from the eastern side of the parcel. Here, you can see the irregularities of the wetland terrain, likely generated by cattle trampling. The terrain consists of compact soil bulbs with patches of grass, each approximately 10 cm in diameter, spaced closely together with water flowing between them.

The water in this area has a pH around 6 and red-colored clay, which may be caused by the oxidation of metals in the water and/or soil.

ID:(495, 0)

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In the southern area of the wetland, there are larger bulbs (15 cm) with water flowing between them. However, there is a central area covered by continuous grass that ripples when jumped on, indicating that there is water beneath. Subsequently, a layer was drilled through, and a pole was sunk to a total depth of 1.2 meters, revealing that the famous duck pond that once existed here is still beneath this layer. It is still unclear how to intervene in the system to recover the pond.

Another interesting point is that the spring exhibits a pH between 4 and 5, meaning it is more acidic than the water in the lower part, allowing for two distinct systems that are likely to evolve differently.

ID:(496, 0)

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In this south-north view, you can see the entire wetland area, including the southern part with lower pH and the duck pond, as well as the lower part with pH closer to neutral.

You can also spot both quila plants that will need to be removed over time to preserve the trees.

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