At a Glance
The transformation of what was formerly the world’s largest landfill into a series of ecologically productive landscapes is a major step in restoring ecological integrity to Staten Island.
Project Description
At 2,200 acres - almost three times the size of Central Park - New York’s Freshkills Park will be one of the most ambitious public works projects in the world, combining state-of-the-art ecological restoration techniques with extraordinary settings for recreation, public art, and facilities for many sports and programs that are unusual in a city. While nearly forty-five percent of the site was once used as a landfill, the remainder of the site is currently composed of wetlands, open waterways, and unfilled lowland areas.
As part of a multi-disciplinary team, Biohabitats led the ecological components of the project. The many facets covered included soils standards and specifications, restoration of native and indigenous plant communities, and control of invasive species. Other design contributions included innovative stormwater practices utilizing native vegetation for the planned network of roads that run through and around the site.
The Biohabitats team also performed natural resource assessments of the North and South Parks, developed ecological schematic designs for North Park, and created strategies for native community restoration and soils management.
Biohabitats’ ecological restoration efforts also emphasized the restoration of stream, shorelines, and regionally important freshwater and tidal wetlands.
Details
Bioregion
Hudson River
Physiographic Province
Atlantic Coastal Plain
Watershed
Sandy Hook-Staten Island
Expertise Areas
Climate Change, Coastal, Conservation, Ecological Restoration, Research & Development, Urban Ecology, Water
Owner
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Location
Staten Island, New York, United States
Project Team
- James Corner Field Operations