Turning the Tide: Reviving the Estuary: Science, Politics, and Education

Moderated by: Dr. John Waldman Panelists: Deborah A. Mans • Christopher J. Collins• Cortney Worrall • Murray Fisher • William Kornblum

Deborah A. Mans New York/New Jersey Baykeeper

Turning the Tide: New York’s Waterfront in Transition Reviving the Estuary: Science and Education Debbie Mans, NY/NJ Baykeeper

PROTECT

PRESERVE

RESTORE

Scientific Research in the Oyster Program Research Targets for Urban Restoration: • Survival of oysters • Restoration design in altered systems • Optimizing design for larval recruitment Policy Research: How do we create a working relationship with regulators?

Oyster Survival Staten Island • Growth/Mortality field study in Raritan Bay, 2007- 2008, and 2008-2009 • Test cages placed in Fall, monitored in Spring and Summer • Western Raritan Bay vs. Appx 4.5 miles Keyport Harbor • High mortality in WRB, Low mortality in KH • Oysters in WRB also did not reproduce. (no eggs found) • Survival and Fitness is very site specific!

Urban Restoration Design 2001: Shell mounds 2009: Reef Ball • Keyport Reef 2001, built by Chesapeake Model: shell mound with live oysters on top • Over winter, storm and wave activity dispersed the entire ¼ acre reef. • Keyport Reef 2009, experiment with Rutgers testing three structures to hold oysters in place: Reefblk; Reef Ball; Rutgers Arch (designed specifically 2009: Rutgers Arch 2009: Reefblk™ for this project)

Larval Recruitment Spat-on-shell, aquacultured • Spat settlement study: to determine where larvae are settling, relative to current restoration sites. • Restrictions on restoration permits due to water quality prevent adding live oysters in Bags of “blank” clam shell will be placed in radius around certain areas. reef sites & aquaculture facility • Identify areas of larval settling and acquire permits to build structure only; oysters will settle there “naturally”.

Science Education: Oyster Gardening Oyster gardening is a critical part of Baykeeper’s restoration effort: • Gardeners grow reproductively mature adults to be placed on reefs and populate the waterways with oyster larvae • Gardeners collect monthly growth and mortality data and observations about water quality, weather, and organisms growing on their float. • Many schools participate in gardening for an excellent hands-on learning experience.

Interdisciplinary Science Oyster gardening experience provides opportunities for education in many disciplines: – Math & Statistics: measuring and calculating averages, percentages, change in rate over time – Biology: observation of oyster health, anatomy and function of oysters, oyster life cycle – Ecology: observing interactions of organisms within the garden, identifying predators vs. prey, symbiotic/parasitic relationships – Chemistry: water quality monitoring can be conducted in addition to the growth and mortality measurements – Engineering & Physics: some locations require innovative ways to set up the garden and/or protect from vandalism, fast water, or other risks – History: oysters played a vital role in the history of New York City and Northern NJ – Economics: comparing the value of reefs as an industry vs. a natural resource; supply & demand; crash of the oyster industry in the HRE

Christopher J. Collins Solar One

Solar One Presentation April 28, 2010

DDC Solar 2 Building Aerial View Site Location Kiss and Cathcart, Architects 03/02/2009

DDC Solar 2 Building Site Photo Looking North East from Roof of Peter Cooper Village Kiss and Cathcart, Architects 03/02/2009

DDC Solar 2 Building Site Photo Approach from south in Stuyvesant Cove Park Kiss and Cathcart, Architects 03/02/2009

DDC Solar 2 Building Site Photo Current Building and related Events at Site Kiss and Cathcart, Architects 03/02/2009

Solar One Programs Education - 20000 students from 65 schools • K-12 enrichment program: renewables, sustainable design, estuary, horticulture • Green Innovator HS curriculum (180 teachers trained); • Green Design Lab Partnership with DOE • Green Collar Workforce Training: Building performance, PV installation, horticulture, deconstruction and green youth entrepreneurship (2009 – 380 students participated; 2010 projected 1000+)

Solar One Programs Cont’d Outreach • Solar Advocacy and Education Program • Energy efficiency public awareness programs – Green Renter • Solar One Energy Connections S1EC Arts • Solar Powered Film, Dance and Music Festival • Citysol and Citysol Kids Day • SunToStars

Solar 2 • NYC’s first carbon neutral, net zero energy building – building generates all of the energy it uses from the 92.6kW PV solar array on its roof • First building of its kind in the Northeast • Addresses the issues of climate change, energy independence and CO2 emissions • Living building • A place to articulate the goals and aims of the City’s PlaNYC • Expanded programs • Cutting edge exhibits

Solar 2 Timeline – “Shovel Ready” Project • Completed schematic design January 2009 • Design development completed March 2009 • Construction drawings completed Q1 2010 • Bidding and contracts negotiations - Fall 2010 • Start construction – Early 2011 NOTE: Project will generate 100-120 construction related union jobs for one year. Working with DEC for accelerated site remediation by Con Ed which will create yet additional jobs.

Broad Political Support Solar 2 has secured broad political support with funding from: • Mayor Bloomberg (PlaNYC Initiative) • Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney • State Senator Tom Duane • Borough President Scott Stringer • NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn • NYC Council member Dan Garodnick

Cortney Worrall Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance

Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance

Murray Fisher Urban Assembly New York Harbor School

Marine Science

Marine Technology

Governors Island

Building 550

William Kornblum Author, At Sea in the City: New York at the Water’s Edge

Four views of the New York Waterfront Sailor citizen Environmentalist Professsor/Sociologist

A Sailor’s View: Please, a quiet spot to tie up for half an hour. The idea of town Docks – An MWA Initiative - Community Eco Docks are floating docks that rise and fall with the tide, making them accessible to all types of vessels at all times during the day and night.

I don’t think there was a better way to see this installation than from a small boat under the Brooklyn Bridge. Olaf Eiasson’s Waterfalls, 2008

Citizen Activists are Key Players • Most of the waterfront park and open space initiatives we have been hearing about during this series would not have been possible without the dedication of engaged citizens • In the post Master Builder era of waterfront planning, many of the most creative initiatives have been the work of citizen visionaries • Don’t Mourn, Organize!

An Environmental Question: How should global warming and the likelihood of rising water levels inform current plans for the waterfront and its parks? New Urban Ground ARO and dlandstudio Instead of beating back the waters with impermeable walls, lower Manhattan could erect a defense line of giant grassy sponges. One of the projects at the current MOMA exhibit, Rising Currents

Not just an academic problem: The legacy of historic structures, a need for creative community-based approaches to use

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Turning the Tide: Reviving the Estuary: Science, Politics, and Education

by CUNY Sustainable Cities on Apr 30, 2010

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Turning the Tide: Reviving the Estuary: Science, Politics, and Education — Webinar Transcript