Protecting, Restoring, and Managing Wetland and Riparian Ecosystems in New York City
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Protecting, Restoring, and Managing Wetland and Riparian Ecosystems in New York City Marit Larson Central Forestry, Horticulture, and Natural Resources Group Urban Wetlands Workshop, Columbia University, December 1, 2010 Wetland loss over time ~85% coastal wetlands loss Regional Plan Association, 2002 ~99% freshwater wetlands loss PlaNYC Wetlands, 2009 Wetland loss over historical time Historic lower Bronx River Watershed Eric Sanderson, WCS Wetland loss over historical time ~85% coastal wetlands loss Regional Plan Association, 2002 ~99% freshwater wetlands loss PlaNYC, NYC Wetlands, 2009 Wetland loss over historical time Historic lower Bronx River Watershed Eric Sanderson, WCS 20th Century – from Robert Moses to today South Bronx and Bronx River Estuary Shoreline 1897 Extent of fill and new shoreline 1950 Robert Moses letter to the Mayor, 1950 Stream and riparian losses 40-90% streams and riparian corridors lost from preliminary data compiled by Eymund Deigel, AKRF NYC Tributaries ~500 stream miles historically ~200 stream miles today Buried streams along lower Bronx River Riverdale Park Incremental salt marsh loss 1974 1999 Change since 1974 Park (acres) Total Loss Loss/Yr BRONX Hutchinson River Marshes 51 28 45% 1.8% Long Island Sound Marshes 77 51 33% 1.3% QUEENS Alley Pond Park 18 17 3% 0.1% Jamaica Bay Islands 1974 1223 38% 1.5% Udall’s Cove Park 20 13 38% 1.5% STATEN ISLAND Saw Mill Creek (restored) 68 63 8% 0.3% Lemon Creek 12 9 (2006) 29% 1.1% Pralls Island 14 6 (2006) 57% 2.3% Sources: NRG 2010; Mushacke 2006, Hartig 2002, 2004 Wetlands inventory in NYC Planning Regions National Wetland Inventory Wetland Types Harlem River, East River, (781 acres) Estuarine marsh Long Island Sound (4070 ac) Emergent (500 ac) Ponds (490 ac) Arthur Kill (1690 acres) Scrub Shrub(110 ac) Forested (570 ac) Jamaica Bay (1961 acres) Total = 5641 acres Lower Bay (1197 acres) Complexity of urban wetlands conservation NWI Wetlands NYSDEC Wetlands Streams Park Boundary High Rock Park, Staten Island Protection & restoration history STRATEGY IDENTIFICATION GOALS Ecological functions Environmental benefits Societal values COLLABORATION ACQUISITIONS RESTORATION MANAGEMENT Response to opportunity SPILL / MITIGATION / VIOLATIONS Exxon Spill site near Goethals Bridge, S.I. Identifying opportunities FLOOD ALLEVIATION / RESTORING FUNCTION AND VALUE Bronx River floodplain (NYS DOS, NYS DEC) Strack Pond, Forest Hill Park, Queens (NYS DOS) Creating opportunities HABITAT AND AESTHETICS Bronx River, Concrete Plant HABITAT AND BIODIVERSITY Southern leopard frog Dusky salamander River herring Oysters Creating opportunities HABITAT AND BIODIVERSITY River herring Oysters Southern leopard frog Dusky salamander Taking a regional approach WATERSHED AND ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES NY/NJ Harbor Estuary Jamaica Bay Long Island Sound CSO-sheds Alley Creek Headwaters Jamaica Bay, Elders East Leveraging funding and collaboration U.S. ACE (Gerritsen Creek, Soundview Lagoons, Spring Creek) Gerritsen Creek Leveraging funding and collaboration NYSDEC (Bridge Creek, Turtle Cove) Bridge Creek NYCDEP (Alley Creek, Paerdegat Basin, Staten Island Bluebelt, Green Infrastructure) NOAA, CTDEP (Bronx River riparian zone, shellfish habitat, anadromous fish passage) HRF / Baykeepers / ACE (oyster reef restoration) Strategies into the future? Udall’s Cove BioindicatorProtection &Framework restoration framework Identify OpportunitiesOpportunities/ Assess Conditions OBJECTIVES Ecological functions Environmental benefits Societal values Implement Evaluate Restoration and Actions & Track Management METRICS Changes.