Brooklyn Bridge Park Ecological Design

True Environmental served as the ecological designer on the Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates team, contributing strategic design and technical expertise to the conversion of the East River industrial piers into recreational areas and restored native coastal and intertidal coastal habitats. This included an evaluation of similar restored habitats; a vegetative survey of the pre-restoration park site; and an ecological summit that covered a variety of topics including the current vegetative conditions, the growing medium and hydrological conditions, and proposed improvements for creating ecological uplift.

As part of this uplift, True was integral to the planning and design of freshwater wetlands, tidal wetlands, and tidal pool features. To better manage stormwater and inundation, True helped design the swale system throughout the park, including determining elevations, dimensions, planting substrate, and plant species. Some of these swales are specifically designed to retain stormwater, and allow it to be filtered by plants, before it enters the East River.

Brooklyn Bridge Park represents one of the most important interfaces between ecology and urban public space in the United States and is one of the City’s most spectacular public spaces.