At a Glance
Throughout Tacony Creek and Cobbs Creek Parks, restored streams, wetlands, meadows and woodlands are enhancing biodiversity, reestablishing ecological integrity, and inspiring ecological stewardship.
Project Description
After completing a Natural Lands Restoration Plan to guide ecosystem restoration in seven watershed and estuary parks within Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park system, the Fairmount Park Commission turned to Biohabitats for help with implementation.
Biohabitats worked with the Commission to prioritize restoration sites within two of the larger parks-Tacony Creek Park and Cobbs Creek Park-based on feasibility and value.
Biohabitats then prepared site-specific restoration plans, specifications, and bid documents for 89 high-priority sites and supervised the implementation of the first 12 restoration projects. These included stream and wetland restoration, invasive species control specifications for the 12 most common invasive species (including Japanese knotweed and kudzu), forest structure restoration, warm season native meadow restoration, and stormwater best management practices such as infiltration and bioretention facilities. In addition to design, Biohabitats participated in community meetings and prepared all federal and state permitting applications.
The restored sites have not only delivered the benefits of increased habitat and reduced maintenance costs, but also stormwater attenuation, local flood protection, a reduction of in-stream erosion and sedimentation and an overall improvement of park aesthetics and visitor experiences.