Last updated: October 2024
"The Neighborhood, Environment & Water Research Collaborations for Green Infrastructure (NEW-GI)" project in Warrendale, Detroit, aims to advance green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) knowledge and practice in legacy cities by integrating research on water quality, community well-being, governance, and ecological design. This collaborative effort, involving community members, government entities, and academic researchers, seeks to develop evidence-based strategies for sustainable stormwater management while enhancing urban landscapes and improving residents' quality of life. In its first phase (2014-2015), the project created bioretention four bioretention gardens, each on two vacant residential properties in the Warrendale neighborhood. in Detroit's Warrendale neighborhood. These sites, constructed by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) on vacant lots owned by the Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA), were monitored for water quality, and resident surveys were conducted to gauge the gardens' impact on neighborhood satisfaction and stormwater management. The second phase (2016-2019) expanded the scope to refine GSI designs to reduce maintenance needs and further assess their effects on water management and community well-being. It also explored governance structures that impact GSI success, both in Detroit and other legacy cities, contributing to the development of guidance documents for GSI planning and decision-making. Funded by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, the NEW-GI project represents a transdisciplinary approach to urban ecological challenges, offering valuable insights into how GSI can deliver both environmental and social benefits in cities like Detroit. (Ref.1,2)
Bioretention flower garden
Dave Brenner
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Green areas for water management
- Rain gardens
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Improving mental health
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Effective management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social interaction
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Urban flooding (stormwater)
- Environmental Degradation
- Poor water quality
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Disconnection from nature
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Implementation of green areas for water management (e.g. rain gardens), Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Remediation activities of sites with very poor environmental quality, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Transformation of vacant land into green spaces, Strategy, plan or policy development, Creation of city-wide or neighborhood climate adaptation or mitigation strategies/programs, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Creation of new, innovative governance and management approaches, Establishment of inclusive governance mechanisms involving local communities, Regional or international exchange of knowledge and experience concerning NBS governance and management
Project objectives
To develop and implement green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) designs on vacant land to manage floods and stormwater effectively, reducing the quantity and improving the quality of water entering the sewer system.
To increase the level of interaction, walkability areas, the well-being of residents and their mental health in Detroit’s Warrendale neighborhood by integrating aesthetically pleasing and functional GSI designs
To link Detroit’s property demolition process with the creation of sustainable GSI solutions, transforming vacant lots into beneficial green spaces and improving soil quality
To assess the performance of different GSI designs in terms of their impact on stormwater management and residents' perceptions, providing evidence-based recommendations for future implementations.
To examine and refine governance approaches to support the effective installation, maintenance, and scaling of GSI in legacy cities, both within Detroit and nationally.
To develop guidance documents for local decision-makers and stakeholders based on the project’s findings, to inform future GSI development and urban planning strategies in legacy cities.
(Ref.2)
Implementation activities
The project involved the creation of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) designs focused on bioretention flower gardens to manage stormwater and enhance community well-being. These designs were implemented on four vacant lots in Detroit’s Warrendale neighborhood by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) on properties owned by the Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA). Each Cody Rouge bioretention garden is 25 feet wide, with flowering plants and layers of engineered soil and gravel to capture and slowly absorb stormwater.Continuous water quality monitoring was conducted at the pilot sites to assess the effectiveness of the GSI designs in managing stormwater. Surveys were also carried out with nearby residents to gather data on their perceptions of the GSI designs and their impact on neighborhood satisfaction and well-being.
As the project progressed, lower-maintenance GSI alternatives were designed and evaluated to improve sustainability and ease of upkeep. Surveys were conducted after the construction of these GSI sites to assess ongoing resident perceptions and the impact on community well-being. The project also examined governance structures in Detroit and other legacy cities to identify factors influencing the successful implementation and maintenance of GSI on vacant properties. Based on the project’s findings, evidence-based guidance documents were created for local decision-makers and stakeholders to inform future GSI projects locally and regionally.
(Ref.1,2
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Citizens or community groups
- Marginalized groups: Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed), Disadvantaged ethnic or racial groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Researchers/university
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Taskforce groups
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Before and after the installation of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), surveys were conducted in the Warrendale neighborhood, with a focus on gathering input from residents, including those from vulnerable groups. The Cody Rouge Community Action Alliance and the Warrendale Community Organization played a crucial role in advocating for the local community, ensuring the project addressed their specific needs.
Several city agencies, including the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD), Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA), Detroit Department of Planning and Development, and the Detroit Department of Housing and Revitalization, collaborated on the project's implementation and governance. Researchers from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University provided the scientific foundation for the project’s design and evaluation. The project was funded by the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation.
(Ref.2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(US EPA reviews of biannual National Water Quality Inventory (Ref. 5))
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Detroit’s stormwater management plan (Ref. 5))
Type of enablers
NBS research project (e.g., H2020, Urban Living Labs, national research projects), Collaboration with other projects that implemented NBS
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Private Foundation/Trust
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Storm / wave induced erosion and flooding
- Achieved storm / wave induced erosion and flooding
- Environmental quality
- Improved soil quality
- Achieved improved soil quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved stormwater management
- Expected improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Achieved increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Increased spread of native/heirloom/open-pollinated seed
- Achieved increased spread of native/heirloom/open-pollinated seed
- Restoration of derelict areas
- Achieved restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Increased property prices
- Expected increased property prices
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Expected improved liveability
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Expected increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Expected improved physical health
- Improved mental health
- Expected improved mental health
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Graham Sustainability Institute (n.d.). NEW-GI_ Neighborhood, Environment, and Water research collaborations for Green Infrastructure. Accessed on August 26, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Nassauer, J. et al. (2016). NEW-GI Neighborhood, Environment & Water Research Collaborations for Green Infrastructur. Accessed on August 26, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Nassauer, J. et al. (2019). Green Stormwater Infrastructure on Vacant Land: An Integrated Assessment with Implications for Detroit . Accessed on August 26, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Lichten, N. et al. (2017). Green Infrastructure on Vacant Land: Achieving Social and Environmental Benefits in Legacy Cities. Accessed on August 26, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Burton, A. et al. (2018). Green Infrastructure on Vacant Land: Mitigating Aquatic Stressors of Urban Ecosystems through Green Stormwater Infrastructure. Accessed on August 26, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Nassauer, J., Fern, Y. (2018). DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, DIFFERENT DESIGNS FOR GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE. Accessed on August 26, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Dewar, M. et al. (2018). Making Governance Work for Green Stormwater Infrastructure on Vacant Land in Legacy Cities. Accessed on August 26, 2024, [Source link];
Bioretention garden maintenance
NEW-GI project members
Flourishing bioretention garden
Dave Brenner
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.