A ghost parcel is a product of the great housing recession of the mid-2010s. Defined as an untouched rural site that was split up into smaller parcels and planned for development, typically residential, but because of the economic recession; development plans have been temporarily or permanently halted. These rural sites consist of homesteads, farmlands, prairie, and woodlands. In addition to the impeding housing developments these rural areas are also being taken over by harmful industrial farming practices.
Due to the onset of bland subdivision developments and industrial farming methods; there is an erosion of our important natural buffers between cities that provide opportunities for rural recreation. Focusing on sustainable indigenous farming practices and a transformative architecture of regional barns, the Ghost Parcels initiative is to return rural spaces to the public domain in order to create an educational opportunity for agritourism, outdoor recreation, and rural retreat.
