As materials, steel and wood have many similarites. Both are construction materials commonly employed by humans. One major and highly noticeable aspect of Swanton Ranch is the railroad which winds through its landscape. The hard steel of the tracks creates a strange juxtaposition with the abundant supply of wood at Swanton. As materials, wood and steel are both strong in their links to the history of human societies. The presence of these resources might remind visitors of the simple nature of Swanton, and the slow pace and sense of history found there.