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CIVIC STORMWATER GARDENS: AN ECOLOGICAL SOLUTION FOR CITIES WITH CSOS
Description:
Phase I will research and test the social, economic and environmental sustainability of civic stormwater gardens that reduce CSO events and purify runoff on a site in Lowell, MA. The conclusions will serve as a model for later project phases and for improving public perception of post-industrial brownfield sites in both developed and developing countries by using cost-effective methods and materials for improving water runoff quality and creating new urban open spaces. The success of this experiment, assessed by the health of the vegetation, as well as by the level of community involvement and support, will inform larger scale applications of bioremediation gardens, which will have positive implications for people, prosperity and the planet. The project will serve as an educational tool for both the Harvard Design School and the School of Public Health through lectures, related courses and a project website. Lowell High School will also benefit from the P3 Award by working with Harvard students to document these experiments in film.