Staten Island's Bluebelt Programme

Creation of new green areas, Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Protection of natural ecosystems, Improved governance of green or blue areas

Due to the pace of residential development on Staten Island during the 1970s and 1980s, concurrent factors arose regarding inadequate drainage infrastructure, high reliance on septic tanks, and development of unsuitable land, including on "the historic flow paths of the natural creek system of the area" (Refs. 1 & 4). Residential developments were therefore prone to flooding: a "recurring pattern of winter and spring floods wash[ed] through new developments sited in these historic paths", and "wet weather compromised poorly designed septic systems, compounding the impact of these floods" (Ref. 4). As a result, "the area was prone to frequent localized flooding and erosion due to uncontrolled stormwater, and degraded water quality caused by failing septic systems" (Ref. 5). The intervention was therefore introduced as a way to reduce flooding of property and quell "growing public outcry", reduce sewer output into the natural environment, and additionally "preserv[e] some of the Island's threatened natural stream habitats" (Ref. 4).

The programme emphasises the preservation of "natural drainage corridors including streams, ponds, and wetlands, and enhanc[ing] them to perform their functions of conveying, storing, and filtering runoff precipitation or stormwater" (Ref. 2). By protecting and restoring these waterways, the bluebelt system provides an "excellent mechanism for reducing urban flooding and improving the health of local waterways, [and] also provide[s] open green space for their communities and diverse habitat for wildlife since they are not constricted by closed pipes or underground infrastructure like traditional storm sewers" (Ref. 2). In addition to promoting conservation and restoration of natural waterways, by avoiding the construction of artificial drainage systems, degradation of the natural ecosystem has further been avoided (Ref. 1). In addition to focusing on the waterways themselves, the project further "works to preserve, restore, and enhance the land around the natural waterways in the area. Many plants grow naturally at the edges of the Bluebelt, and these plants help create a more natural ecosystem for birds, frogs, turtles and mammals" (Ref. 1). Specific species of plants are chosen for introduction along the waterways, with native plants being specifically chosen for planting "because their roots are home to beneficial bacteria that help clean the water", and "other species [being] chosen specifically to attract or feed other helpful species" (Ref. 1). By considering plants at the species level, development/restoration of the ecosystem as a whole is sought, "Designing a system like this helps create new habitats for native species" (Ref. 1).

• Citizens or community groups