Urban Revitalization using Green Infrastructure and Conservation Planning

Urban Revitalization using Green Infrastructure and Conservation Planning Ted Brown and Scott Whalen Biohabitats, Inc. and WK Dickson June 17, 2015

Outline Sustainability/Resiliency Whole Systems, Biodiversity, Water Emerging Issues Regenerative Design - the Green/Living Infrastructure Approach Case Studies Project examples Town Creek Culvert Linda Lake RiverBend Master Plan, BOA, and Shoreline Restoration Buffalo, NY Washington Avenue Green Park Philadelphia, PA Baltimore Inner Harbor Floating Wetlands and Pilot Projects Baltimore, MD

Climate Change Habitat Fragmentation Invasive Species Air/Water Pollution Biodiversity Loss 6th Great Extinction? - E.O. Wilson

Biodiversity the sum of an area s genes, species, and ecosystems Richness = Stability = Resiliency

Sustainability Whole systems Triple bottom line People culture Interactions Educational Relationships Faith Planet ecology Productive soils Clean air Fresh water Biodiversity Climate regulation Prosperity economy Prosperity Equality Security

Ecosystem Services Provisioning services food (including seafood and game), crops, wild foods, and spices and medicines water energy (hydropower, biomass fuels) carbon sequestration and climate regulation Regulating services waste decomposition and detoxification purification of water and air crop pollination Landscape Ecology Supporting services Conservation Biology Cultural services pest and disease control nutrient dispersal and cycling seed dispersal primary production cultural, intellectual and spiritual inspiration recreational experiences (including ecotourism)

Benefits of implementation 50% Green Infrastructure Approach to limit CSO events, Monetized over 40 years Recreational Use and Value $520 million Enhanced Aesthetics $575 million (improved property values residential only) Water Quality and Aquatic Habitat Enhancement Wetland Enhancement and Creation Poverty Reduction (Green Jobs) Energy Use and related emissions Air Quality Pollutant removal $330 million (total willingness to pay) $1.6 million $125 million (avoided costs of social services linked to added jobs) $34 million energy savings, $21 million for reduced CO 2, $46 million for reduced net damages from SO x and NO x $130 million TOTAL BENEFITS $1.7 billion in external benefits *Summary does not include the external costs associated with the 30 tunnel approach. http://www.phillywatersheds.org/what_were_doing/documents_and_data/cso_long_term_control_plan City of Philadelphia: Green City/ Clean Water Report

Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure Envision TM Rating System Detailed series of process and performance objectives for infrastructure Addresses overall contribution to sustainability Considers how the project was conceived, designed and delivered Ratings based on What was considered What was achieved

Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure Envision TM Rating System

Envision Structure

Potential SITES credits with Environmental Site Design Manage stormwater onsite Protect and enhance onsite water resources Design rainwater features to provide landscape amenity Use native plants Preserve/restore plant communities native to ecoregion Use vegetation to minimize building heating/cooling requ. Reduce heat island effects Provide views of vegetation and quiet outdoor spaces Reduce outdoor energy consumption for landscape and exterior operations Innovation in site design http://www.sustainablesites.org/report/

Water Supply Lack of coherent policy for collecting, conserving and using fresh water Cheap and plentiful no more? Ongoing water crisis in many areas Implications for food and disease

The Problems with Stormwater Runoff

Defining Green Infrastructure Green infrastructure is strategically planned and managed networks of natural lands, working landscapes and other open spaces that conserve ecosystem values and functions and provide associated benefits to human populations. - Conservation Fund (broad scale, landscape planning ) Green infrastructure is an approach to wet weather management that is costeffective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Green Infrastructure management approaches and technologies infiltrate, evapotranspire, capture and reuse stormwater to maintain or restore natural hydrologies. -US EPA (site scale, stormwater management )

The Regenerative Design Approach A design paradigm where human activities are deeply integrated with living systems, continuously building biological diversity, resilience and community spirit. Copyright Biohabitats

Green Infrastructure in Neighborhood Design Low Impact Development & Urban Ecology Landscape Amenities and Open Space Parking Lots Around Buildings Sidewalks and Public Plazas Streets and Streetscapes Rooftops Photos Copyright Biohabitats

Landscape Amenity Research and Learning opportunity Stormwater Management Wetland Native Habitat Enhancement and Buffer Photo Copyright Biohabitats Stacked benefits of Green/Living Infrastructure

Case Studies Landscape Conversion: Native Vegetation

Regenerative, Green and Gray Infrastructure Design Town Creek Culvert Project Urban Gray and Green Infrastructure Retrofit Greenville, NC

Watershed Overview and Project Overview Town Creek Culvert Project Urban Gray and Green Infrastructure Retrofit Greenville, NC Treats 258 acres!

Regional RSC Proposed Design Size: 250 Long X 40 Wide Boulders and cobble will line the entire riffle Boulders will be structurally supported with rebar and concrete Larger cobble will be used to minimize cell erosion Source: West Virginia Stormwater Management & Design Guidance Manual

Town Creek: 258 ac Coastal Plain Forested Watersheds Town Creek Annual Nitrogen Loads Forest: 4.5 lb-n/ac Existing: 14.5 lb-n/ac (3750 lb-n) Urban, 118 ac: 1710 lb-n Post Retrofit: 9.1 lb-n/ac (2330 lb-n) Forest, 140 ac: 620 lb-n N Reduction: 5.4 lb-n/ac (1420 lb-n) Total, 258 ac: 2340 lb-n Converting 54% of Town Creek Watershed (140 ac = 49 city blocks) to Coastal Plain Forest!

ER/EID Costs

Proposed Solution Costs SRF Recommended BMPs Basin(s) Stormwater Control Measure Nitrogen Removal (lb/yr) $ per lb N Removed Installation Cost ($) per yr 3rd/4th St RSC RSC 190.88 $ 197,800.00 $ 1,036.25 3rd St RSC RSC 10.76 $ 33,600.00 $ 3,122.39 4th/5th St Bioretention Bioretention w/ IWS 39.73 $ 178,800.00 $ 4,500.38 Inlet Capture Device Filtera/Silva Cell 3.60 $ 20,500.00 $ 5,694.44 City Park Wetland Wetland 5.45 $ 49,020.00 $ 8,989.55 Reade St. PP Permeable Pavement 1.23 $ 108,900.00 $ 88,536.59 Totals* 251.65 $ 588,620.00 Cost per Pollutant Removed ($/lb N Removed/yr) $ 2,339.01

Regenerative Design Linda Lake Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance Green Infrastructure Pilot Project Charlotte, NC

Discharge

Unintended Consequences

Unintended Consequences

Unintended Consequences

Sequencing Alternating Riffles and Pools Cascade w/ Pools From West VA Stormwater Management & Design Guidance Manual

Retrofit: RSC Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance Substrate

Conservation Planning and Ecological Restoration RiverBend Redevelopment Master Plan Brownfield Redevelopment Planning Buffalo, NY

Rebekah VanWieren, Dave LaClergue, Emily Marshall Duchon, and Jennifer Dowdell http://www.thelandbank.org/landuseconf/reimagining_chevy_in_the_hole.pdf, http://epa.gov/brownfields/tools/swdp0408.pdf, http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/50481, http://www-personal.umich.edu/~nassauer/urbandesign/links/lid_presentation.pdf

RiverBend Site, 2010

ESCARPMENT CORRIDOR Google Earth Screen capture: http://www.google.com/

NEIGHBORHOOD LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY Ecological Stepping Stones Water ways Open Space TIMES BEACH PRESERVE BUFFALO RIVER GREENWAY PARKS AND PRESERVES TIFFT NATURE PRESERVE RIVERBEND HOPKINS NEIGHBORHOOD CAZENOVIA PARK SOUTH PARK

Soils Morphology Containment & Berms Vegetation Desktop Analysis and Site Field Reconnaissance

RiverBend Site, 2010

Full Restoration Responding to: Historic and existing landform Hydrologic and habitat patterns Connection potential along Buffalo River and to Tifft Nature Preserve SHORELINE RESTORATION MARSH RIPARIAN FOREST MESIC FOREST GRASSLAND MARSH

With Development Responding to: Historic and existing landforms Hydrologic and habitat patterns Habitat size requirements Connection potential along Buffalo River and to Tifft Nature Preserve Development needs onsite, connections to river and rails FORESTED CANOPY INTEGRATED WITH DEVELOPMENT RIVER RESTORATION GRASSLAND MARSH/ WETLAND RIPARIAN FOREST MESIC FOREST MARSH/ WETLAND

Green Infrastructure Plan Treats all stormwater runoff Meets stormwater regulations Enhances river and riparian habitat Provides bird habitat Establishes pollinator habitat Strengthens wildlife corridors Reduces heat island affect Generates healthy soils Public access to the Buffalo River Creates a healthy, vibrant, resilient place Greenway Plan Trails and Access Urban Ecology Stormwater Management Biofilter Planters SASAKI ASSOC.

Shoreline Restoration and Enhanced Access to the Buffalo River TIMES BEACH PRESERVE TIFFT NATURE PRESERVE

Regenerative Design Urban Ecology Washington Avenue Green at Pier 53 Philadelphia, PA Copyright Biohabitats

Project features Native vegetation plantings Framed views out to the river Demonstration floating wetlands Stormwater management rain garden Public-environmental art interpretation Interpretive signage Sustainable reuse of on-site materials Enhanced trail-porous asphalt Biohabitats

Dendritic Decay Gardens Copyright Biohabitats

Photos Copyright Bioabitats

Rubble Meadow Copyright Biohabitats

Copyright Biohabitats

Copyright Biohabitats Rain Garden Copyright Biohabitats

Rain Garden Rain Copyright Garden Biohabitats

Ecological Restoration Aquatic Ecology Innovations Inner Harbor Floating Wetlands Baltimore, MD Photo Credit: Biohabitats

Photo Simulation: Biohabitats

Floating wetlands provide biofiltration and habitat enhancement Credit: Biohabitats

Credit: Biohabitats

Credit: Biohabitats

Credit: Biohabitats Urban Waterfront Floating Wetlands

Healthy Harbor Pilot Projects Fishable Swimmable Inner Harbor http://www.biohabitats.com/projects/baltimore-healthy-harbor/

Questions