Extreme Treasures

Eric Herman

Through the years, WaterShapes has published numerous columns and articles that speak to the value of studying and appreciating nature. Time and again, for example, contributors ranging from Brian Van Bower to Anthony Archer Wills (along with others too numerous to list) have waxed eloquent about the importance of getting out and taking good, long looks at the way things get done in the natural world.

Those of you who have not been inclined to take that message seriously will get quite a break on September 27, when the Public Broadcasting System will begin airing “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” a six-part series by renowned documentarian Ken Burns. I think every watershaper should give it a look – especially those of you who haven’t yet taken the time to explore these treasured resources on your own.

Burns has offered some amazing historical portraits in the past, including “The Civil War,” “Jazz,” “The West” and “Baseball,” and his ability to tell complex, sweeping stories is probably unmatched among today’s filmmakers. I for one can’t wait to see what he manages to do with our national parks.

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It’s entirely coincidental, but in this issue we offer our own mini-documentary on a select group of national parks in the form of “Natural Wonders” by watershape and landscape artist Rick Driemeyer (click here). This beautifully illustrated piece – part travelogue, part meditation – covers his experiences in Yosemite, Zion, Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon, all of which have, in very different ways, been shaped primarily by water and have been encouraging and inspiring him since long before he started his career.

After working with Driemeyer in preparing his article – and anticipating that Ken Burns’ documentary will be another in his growing line of masterpieces – I can honestly say that a trip to Yosemite, the Grand Canyon or even the much-closer Los Padres National Forest will be in my plans for the coming year. And my guess is that, all things considered, the same might be true for you, too.

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For several years now, I’ve witnessed all sorts of discussions (some of them heated) about whether pneumatically applied concrete (either shotcrete or gunite) creates permeable or impermeable structures, the subtext always being questions about the adequacy of the pool industry’s standards for compressive strength. In those exchanges, the name of concrete expert George Yoggy kept cropping up, so I contacted him and was pleased to hear that he was more than willing to help clear the air.

In “The Elevated Game” (click here), he approaches concrete science from the perspective of one who builds tunnels, dams and mines, so he treats the material and the subject with gravity and rare practical insight. For watershapers who routinely use pneumatically placed concrete in far less critical applications, my hunch is that Yoggy’s piece will be enlightening and influential and perhaps even invaluable.