Blog & News

June 5th, 2024

World Environment Day 2024

Author: Patrick Macpherson

World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5th, reminds us of our collective responsibility to safeguard the planet. The United Nations established this event in 1972 to underscore the pressing need to address environmental issues such as pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. This day acts as a catalyst for public awareness and political action, encouraging individuals, communities, and governments to adopt sustainable practices. By fostering a global platform for dialogue and collaboration, World Environment Day emphasizes the interconnectedness of ecological health and human well-being and inspires us to create a more sustainable and equitable world for future generations. While there are many ways we can all, as individuals make a difference, some groups, such as developers and land managers, are uniquely situated to make a difference at the landscape scale. Developers and land managers can improve land to address pollution and improve the quality of life of all, including those that may be located near new developments or redeveloping sites.

Great Ecology has worked on hundreds of land restoration projects throughout the United States, including the Globeville Landing Park and Platte Farm Open Space, both of which are located in the Globeville neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. Restoring the land as part of a project help win favor with local residents and allow for highlighting as a project feature.

The Globeville Landing Park project daylighted the Montclair Creek stormwater outfall and restored it from a concrete channel to an open, natural channel that includes lush, native vegetation. This park was also part of the Vasquez Boulevard / I-70 Superfund Site and the restoration included a liner to help protect water from contamination. Initial designs of the park did not make use of green infrastructure techniques, after revision of the initial design this allows the creek to mimic natural stream systems. Green design techniques can also be used to help meet applicable mitigation requirements and create a naturalistic area for recreational users to enjoy. Overall, the restoration of Montclair Creek and Globeville Land Park improved public access to natural and recreational spaces in a working class community; reconnected the floodplain with the South Platte River; and contributed to the delisting of the Superfund site. Residents of nearby communities and users of the South Platte River trail frequently use the park for recreational and commuting purposes.

Platte Farm Open Space, a five and a half-acre former brownfield site which was utilized for smelting operations, and is part of the Asarco Superfund site, has been capped and repurposed into a space the community can utilize. Great Ecology designed the site to provide ecological uplift and stormwater quality benefits for the surrounding community. Great Ecology developed seed mixes for a short grass prairie ecosystem, as well as a planting plan, irrigation plan, and management plan for the park. Our design incorporated native plant species historically present on the site, which help provide soil stabilization, water quality improvements, and enhanced aesthetics in the detention basin. This site has been recognized by American Society of Landscape Architects Colorado Chapter by winning the President’s Award of Excellence for Urban Design.  

By restoring degraded land, we combat climate change, reduce pollution, and prevent soil erosion, leading to healthier environments and more resilient communities. Additionally, this work fosters economic opportunities through sustainable land management practices. Developers and land managers can do their part by incorporating more green infrastructure and ecologically-focused design to help restore land into a more naturalistic state and buffer against forces such as drought, storm surges, flooding, and more. By incorporating restoration into project designs, developers and land managers can create spaces where people want to gather or live, which meet Environmental, Social and Governance goals, and which improve local ecology all while reducing the traditional maintenance needs associated with a project.