Introduction Integrating Ecological Restoration of Estuarine Shorelines with Urban Community Revitalization Efforts Ed Morgereth Biohabitats, Inc. 5 th National Conference & Expo on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration Galveston, Texas Wednesday November 17, 2010
Overview Items Urban Waterfront Legacy-Environmental Impacts Community & Riverfront Revitalization Ecological Improvement Tools & Approaches Green Infrastructure-Urban Landscape Re-purposing Stewardship Opportunities-Adaptive Learning
Urban Legacy Shoreline Cities & Towns Ports, harbors and wharfs Commercial & industrial facilities Sewers and CSOs Floodplain fill & river alteration Dumps and landfills Brownfield sites Utility and transportation infrastructure
Environmental Impacts Wetland fill and loss Shoreline hardening Riparian habitat destruction Imperviousness-stormwater run-off Loss of ecological functions and services
Planning Initiatives Community Revitalization Programs River corridor master plans Empowerment & enterprise districts Watershed action plans Greening and stormwater plans
Challenges and Needs Existing infrastructure/facilities Contaminants, clean-up standards Project costs & available resources Highly disturbed & fragmented sites Community stakeholder support Political will and vision Climate change & sea level rise
Integration Opportunities Green infrastructure Ecological restoration Natural capital Ecosystem services Lower maintenance BMPs Adaptive learning Engage stakeholder stewards Community amenities
Public Participation
Riparian Buffers Stream/river bank protection Wildlife habitat functions Corridor connections Native biological diversity Shading and cooling Carbon sequestration Stormwater interception
Floating Wetlands A community processes Natural wood & fiber materials Reclaimed plastic bottle trash Native wetland plants Habitat element Localized water quality Hands on volunteer efforts Educational dialogue on benefits
Living Shorelines Biologic: Plants & Natural Materials Fringe marshes Native wetland plants Coir fiber logs Woody debris-logs Sand fill Rock?
Oysters, Mussels, SAV AND Living system added elements Oyster shell/reef breakwaters Mussel/coir fiber marsh edges Submerged aquatic vegetation zones Situational logs and rocks Bioengineering plantings
Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance Drainages at the tidal interface Coastal plain outfalls Hold water on the landscape Raising groundwater Sand seepage wetlands Surface flow restoration Natural wetland & riparian communities
Brackish Tidal Marsh Marsh Cox Creek, MD Tidal Patapsco Dredge facility upgrade Tidal wetland restoration 12.5-acre marsh system Phragmites invaded system Limited local habitat types Community involvement Monitoring & learning
Urban Brownfield-Park Conversion Leonardtown Wharf, MD Breyton Bay Abandoned urban waterfront/brownfield Community park vision Critical Area location Living shoreline/tidal marsh Integrated SWM outfall Native park landscape plantings Educational interpretation
Community Eco-Tourism Delaware City,C&D Canal & DE River Mainstreet DE City Initiative DNREC Environmental Penalty Fund Ecology, history & local business Ecological assets focus Restoration master plan DE Audubon-oil refinery settlement
Abandoned Industrial Land Lardner s Point Park, Philadelphia, PA Previous urban industrial land Along N. DE River Greenway Future K&T Trail location Ecologically focused park Sustainable design Living shoreline tidal marsh NOAA-Athos Oil Spill Trustees
Pier 53- Washington Avenue Green
Plan Components 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
Community Workshops
Community Workshops
Ecological Sustainability Working with natural processes Removing vs retaining concrete Breaking up an cutting paving Long-term decay processes Natural processes-water & freezing Plant roots and soil functions Interplay of urban industrial & greening Education on stormwater & watersheds
Dendritic Decay Gardens
Rubble Meadow
Porous Asphalt Path
Rain Garden
Sustainable Design
Interpretive Signage
Opening Celebration
Stewardship Care
Summary Thoughts Looking to the future along urban shorelines... Changes-Needs Challenges-Opportunities Community revitalization Integrating ecology
Wrap-up Thank you! Questions? Ed Morgereth, Biohabitats Inc. 410-554-0156 emorgereth@biohabitats.com