Residential demolition and its impact on vacant lot hydrology: Implications for the management of stormwater and sewer system overflows

Shuster, William D.; Dadio, S.; Drohan, Patrick J.; Losco, Russell; Shaffer, Jared M.

doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.02.003

Cited by 69 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Aging water infrastructure and sewer systems in older cities can intensify runoff and contaminant loads (e.g., through combined sewer overflow events) [55]. Some cities have taken steps to manage runoff and improve drainage.…”

Section: Ecosystem Structure Function and (Dis)servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…"Greening" is often cast in a favorable light in public policy and urban planning [29], with a focus on valued services gained by nearby residents and communities [26,29,55]. Managed greenspaces (e.g., gardens, parks, street trees) can deliver a rich portfolio of ecosystem services including storm water management, urban agriculture, and psychological benefits, as well as elevating the diversity of valued plants and arthropods [12,26].…”

Section: Urban Versus Counter-urban "Greening"mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…"Greening" can yield an array of ecosystem disservices. Unmaintained vegetation can harbor commensal pests, for instance, including species that function as pathogen vectors or reservoirs [9,55]. Nonetheless, there is a persistent tendency for emphasis to be placed on measures that sound favorable (e.g., the diversity of vacant lots is generally greater than managed greenspaces) without appropriate sociocultural context [9].…”

Section: Urban Versus Counter-urban "Greening"mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Abandoned areas and unmanaged greenspace have been found to harbor greater biodiversity than managed greenspace, but unmaintained areas can proffer greater harborage of commensal pests, including pathogen vectors [9,37,55]. Biodiversity thus can be an indicator of potential hazards rather than valued services.…”

Section: Abandonment Biodiversity and Emerging Infectious Diseasementioning

confidence: 99%

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Abandonment, Ecological Assembly and Public Health Risks in Counter-Urbanizing Cities

et al. 2016

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Urban landscapes can be transformed by widespread abandonment from population and economic decline. Ecological assembly, sometimes referred to as "greening", following abandonment can yield valuable ecosystem services, but also can pose a risk to public health. Abandonment can elevate zoonotic vector-borne disease risk by favoring the hyperabundance of commensal pests and pathogen vectors. Though greater biodiversity in abandoned areas can potentially dilute vector-borne pathogen transmission, "greening" can elevate transmission risk by increasing movement of pathogen vectors between fragmented areas and by giving rise to novel human-wildlife interfaces. Idled and derelict infrastructure can further elevate disease risk from vector-borne and water-borne pathogens, which can build up in stagnant and unprotected water that maintenance and routine use of delivery or sanitation systems would otherwise eliminate. Thus, framing "greening" as inherently positive could result in policies and actions that unintentionally exacerbate inequalities by elevating risks rather than delivering benefits. As counter-urbanism is neither a minor pattern of urban development, nor a short-term departure from urban growth, homeowner and municipal management of abandoned areas should account for potential hazards to reduce health risks. Further socioecological assessments of public health risks following abandonment could better ensure the resilience and well-being of communities in shrinking cities.

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Section: Ecosystem Structure Function and (Dis)servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Urban Versus Counter-urban "Greening"mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Urban Versus Counter-urban "Greening"mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Abandonment Biodiversity and Emerging Infectious Diseasementioning

confidence: 99%

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Abandonment, Ecological Assembly and Public Health Risks in Counter-Urbanizing Cities

et al. 2016

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“…Studies have suggested that vacant land can provide many more ecosystem services than other urban land uses, such as gardens or lawns, including bio control [13], soil food web productivity [14], storm water retention services [15], habitat provision services, and climate regulation and carbon capture [16]. Vacant land vegetation can be a very cost-effective way of reducing the need for hard storm water management infrastructure and can also mitigate urban runoff by capturing a significant percentage of runoff [8,17].…”

Section: Ecosystem Services Of Vacant Landmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Public Value of Urban Vacant Land: Social Responses and Ecological Value

Kim

2016

Sustainability

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This study reviews scholarly papers and case studies on urban vacant land to gain a stronger understanding of its public value in terms of the ecological and social benefits it can bring. This literature review offers a conceptual overview of the potential benefits of vacant land with the goal of addressing gaps in knowledge about vacant land and to provide suggestions to planners and designers on how vacant properties can be integrated with other green infrastructure in cities. There are many opportunities to redevelop vacant land to enhance its ecological and social value, and many design professionals and scholars are becoming interested in finding new ways to exploit this potential, especially with regard to planning and design. A better appreciation of the public value of urban vacant land is vital for any effort to identify alternative strategies to optimize the way these spaces are utilized for both short-term and long-term uses to support urban regeneration and renewal. This study will help planners and designers to understand and plan for urban vacant land, leading to better utilization of these spaces and opening up alternative creative approaches to envisioning space and landscape design in our urban environments.

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“Accidental” urban wetlands: ecosystem functions in unexpected places

Palta

Grimm

Groffman

2017

Frontiers in Ecol & Environ

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“Accidental” urban wetlands are formed not through deliberate restoration or management activity, but as a product of land use and water infrastructure decisions by municipalities. Often formed in abandoned industrial, residential, or low‐lying commercial areas, where overland flows from storms and municipal water use accumulate, these ecosystems support wetland soils and plant communities. Research that we have conducted in the northeastern and southwestern US suggests that accidental wetlands are capable of counteracting anthropogenic eutrophication, providing habitats for important ecological communities, fostering biodiversity, and mitigating heat. Because the factors contributing to their formation are ubiquitous, accidental wetland systems are likely pervasive in urban landscapes, accounting for a substantial portion of aquatic habitat extent and influencing nutrient and water cycles within cities. They also provide ecosystem services at a fraction of the cost associated with more traditional environmental management efforts.

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Residential demolition and its impact on vacant lot hydrology: Implications for the management of stormwater and sewer system overflows

Cited by 69 publications

References 14 publications

Abandonment, Ecological Assembly and Public Health Risks in Counter-Urbanizing Cities

Abandonment, Ecological Assembly and Public Health Risks in Counter-Urbanizing Cities

The Public Value of Urban Vacant Land: Social Responses and Ecological Value

“Accidental” urban wetlands: ecosystem functions in unexpected places

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