Ecological Assessment and Prioritization Along The North

Delaware Greenway

Paul Racette, Pennsylvania Environmental CouncilSimeon Hahn, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

In Collaboration with:• Partnership for the Delaware Estuary• Philadelphia Water Department

Funded by:• PA Coastal Zone Management Program• William Penn Foundation

Connections to Greenway and Land/Water Trails

Green streetsRiver recreation

Revitalization

Ecological values, intrinsic and otherwise, that river provides:• Habitat and living resources• Urban reach stepping stones in regional habitat matrix• Shad, stripped bass, other recreational fishing opportunities.• Wildlife viewing, meditative-relaxing landscapes, boating• Other natural capital values (cultural, regulating and provisioning)

Ecological Restoration and Enhancement

Frank Winfelder’s Birding list for Pennypack Park

146 species including herons, bitterns, sandpipers and other marsh loving birds

Restore it and they will come!

Ecological Restoration and Enhancement

Integrate with local actions

Integrate with regional estuary restoration goals:

A Blueprint for a Regional Restoration Initiative in the Delaware EstuaryA Blueprint for a Regional Restoration Initiative in the Delaware Estuary

• Identify restoration needs and where project opportunities exist;• Case studies: Urban waterfront. Tidal wetlands. Shellfish. Headwaters.• Upper Estuary sub-workgroup within regional restoration workgroup.• Urban case study connections to regional habitat matrix

Study Area:New Frankford Creek-Betsy Ross Bridge to Poquessing Creek

CZM Ecological Assessment Project

1. Identify stakeholders

2. Gather existing data

3. Identify and fill data gaps

4. Identify, assess and prioritize restoration opportunities

5. Contact landowners (including early outreach)

6. Establish next steps (e.g. design, fund raising, land conservation, land owner agreement).

Current PartnershipsUrban eco-restorationBrownfield redevelopmentDatabase and mapping project

Goal: expand partnership to establish upper estuary ecological restoration work group(s) (address technical, policy, funding, and other issues)

Brownfield's and land revitalizationEco-restorationContract support (GIS maps)

Greenway Trail

Natural heritage inventoryDelaware shoreline

DuPont:Financial supportPartner networkTechnical resources

Estuary restorationTechnical support

• Tidal wetland assessment and watershed registry

• Watershed Partnerships– Poquessing– Pennypack– Tookany-Tacony Frankford

• Delaware Direct River Conservation Plan

TTF

Pennypack

Poquessing

Blueprint Project Registry

• Protection:– Water quality– Water quantity/flow– Land acquisition– Legal (e.g. regulatory buffer)

• Habitat Restoration• Habitat Creation• Fauna enhancement

– Fish passage (e.g. shad)– Physical protection– Stocking– Legal/quotas (e.g. ESA critical habitat)

• Other

Habitat Restoration Types• Upland and river bank

– Planting– Regrade and plant

• Off channel aquatic– Wetlands in upland matrix– Floodplains– Backchannels and wetlands

• Intertidal shoreline– Enhance wetlands– Soften bank, regrade– Excavate– Marsh sill or breakwater

• Subtidal– Enhance structure and diversity

A Summary of Ecological Restoration Approaches

The habitat gradient:• Upland and river bank

• Off-channel aquatic habitats

• Intertidal high to low marsh

• Sub-tidal

Biohabitats concepts for Lardner’s Point

Upland and river bank

Off-channel aquatic habitats

Intertidal high to low marsh

Sub-tidal

Lardner’s Point andRiver’s Edge Memorial Newman and Kasper

Pennypack

Saint Vincent’s

Bradford and Kasper

Philly Coke

Photos from:

Center for Coastal Resources Management (ccrm.vims.edu/livingshorelines/photo_gallery.html), Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

USDA: http://plants.usda.gov

High marsh: vascular plants

Low marsh: succulent plants

spatterdockPickerel weed

Arrow arumcattailsWild rice

Upland and river bank

PDE Key to the Delaware Estuary Ecological Systems & Natural Communities:North Atlantic Coastal Plain Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh

slippery elm

Black Willow

Red MapleSycamore

White Oak

Data Collection

1. Bathymetry and benthic classification2. Shoreline type (engineered/natural)3. Wetlands (freshwater tidal)4. Species and habitat (fish, birds, other)5. Vegetation6. Site access (for restoration and public)7. Contaminant proximity (CSO’s, hazmat, invasive)8. Disturbance from wakes and currents9. Operation/maintenance issues10. Presence of cultural resources11. Willing land-owners

Baseline GIS maps(EPA/SRA)

• Wetlands• Shoreline• Flood plain• Vegetation communities• Navigation• Species• Slope• Point sources• Land use• Landowners• Proposed greenway buffer• Important Bird Areas (PA)

Data Gaps• Benthic substrate: mud, hard, cobble, …

• Bathymetry: depth near shoreline

Prioritizing Restoration Projects• Before and after restoration score• Qualitative score (present or not present)

– Habitats– Living resources– Site wide characteristics

• Semi-quantitative Score (L, M, H)– Habitats– Living resources– Site wide characteristics

• Human Recreational Use– Present use of river (e.g. shore fishing, some birding)– Restored uses: fishing, passive use, birding, and much more

• Value Added Restoration Matrix– Quantify increase in ecosystem services

Habitat FeaturesLocation on River Front Gradient Habitat Feature

Non-Tidal Riparian •Mowed TurfMeadow-Open FieldScrub-ShrubCanopy TreesNon-Tidal Wetland (2x factor)

Vegetated Intertidal (2X factor) •High Marsh Vascular PlantsLow Marsh Succulent Plants

Non-vegetated Intertidal •Mud FlatCobble BeachSand Beach

Sub tidal •Soft BottomHard Bottom)Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (2x factor)

Other?

Living ResourceGeneral Type Specific Type

Birds •Wading BirdsRaptorWater FowlSong Birds

Fish •DiadromousResident

Herps •ReptilesAmphibians

Mammals •River otter

Shellfish •Fresh Water MusselsBlue Crabs

Other •Macroinvertebrates

Species

Habitat Preferences

Spawning Refugia Forage Migratory Other

Fish using the edge and tidal creeks

Hickory shad          

Stripped bass        

Shortnose sturgeon      

Bluebacked herring      

White perch      

American eel        

Threespine Stickleback          

American brook lamprey          

White Catfish          

Freshwater mussel

Tidal water mucket (Leptodea ochracea)          

Eastern floater (Pyganodon cataracta)          

Amphibians

New Jersey Chorus Frog          

Coastal Plain Leopard Frog          

Wading Birds

Great Blue heron          

Egret          

American Bittern          

Virginia Rail          

Black-crowned Night-Heron        

Wilson's Snipe          

Raptors

Osprey          

Bald eagle          

Peregrine falcon          

Red tailed hawk          

Water Fowl

Commorants          

Mergansters          

Black Tern          

Green-winged teal          

American Black Duck          

American Coot          

Common Moorhen          

Pied-billed Grebe          

Song birds

Marsh wren          

Mammals

Muskrat          

River otter          

Fox          

Species in bold are those listed in PA Wildlife Action Plan that are associated with emergent wetlands and marshes

Hickory Shad

Shortnose Sturgeon

Great Blue Heron

Species

Habitat Preferences

Spawning Refugia Forage Migratory Other

Fish using the edge and tidal creeks

Hickory shad          

Stripped bass        

Shortnose sturgeon      

Bluebacked herring      

White perch      

American eel        

Threespine Stickleback          

American brook lamprey          

White Catfish          

Freshwater mussel

Tidal water mucket (Leptodea ochracea)          

Eastern floater (Pyganodon cataracta)          

Amphibians

New Jersey Chorus Frog          

Coastal Plain Leopard Frog          

Wading Birds

Great Blue heron          

Egret          

American Bittern          

Virginia Rail          

Black-crowned Night-Heron        

Wilson's Snipe          

Raptors

Osprey          

Bald eagle          

Peregrine falcon          

Red tailed hawk          

Water Fowl

Commorants          

Mergansters          

Black Tern          

Green-winged teal          

American Black Duck          

American Coot          

Common Moorhen          

Pied-billed Grebe          

Song birds

Marsh wren          

Mammals

Muskrat          

River otter          

Fox          

Species

Habitat Preferences

Spawning Refugia Forage Migratory Other

• Habitat preferences is a data gap.• Will tie specific habitat types to restoration needs.

American eel

Egrets

Site-wide Criteria• Willing Landowner

• Proximity to contaminants (CSO’s, brown fields, point sources, trash collection points, outfalls and intakes, and/or invasive plants).

• Protection from wakes and currents.

• Site accessibility: restoration crew/equipment.

• Availability of follow-up O/M and stewardship.

• Connectivity to other habitats.

• Other?

Qualitative Score

• Sites with most habitat and living resource features present (greater diversity)

• Site-wide criteria provide green light:– Willing landowner– No adverse contamination

Semi-Quantitative Scores

• Before and after scoring• Consider habitat, living resource, and site-

wide factors• No opportunity (0)• L (1), M (2), or H (3)

– Defining categories– Help from advisors– Most sites at 0 and 1; could go to 1, 2, 3.

• Focus is on structure (habitat types)

Habitat feature FactorScore of 1 Score of 2 Score of 3

High Marsh Vascular Plants

Width of zone (ft)25? 50? 75?

Slope of zone

steep

Assign % slope for each gentle

Current condition (e.g. bulkhead, rip rap, natural) heavy armoring

moderate armoring

low armoring to natural

% vegetated, functional community sparsely

vegetatedClumped patches

fully vegetated and functional

Protection from currents/wakes

exposedmoderate protection

Protected (cove, side channel, or structure.

Proposed Habitat Scoring Factors

• Presence of required habitat characteristics– Spawning, forage, refugia, migratory

• Size of area• Quality of habitat• What other scoring factors?• Define L, M, H ranges

Proposed Living Resource Scoring Factors

Proposed Site Wide Scoring Factors

Scoring Factor Score of 1 Score of 2 Score of 3

Willing landowner Little interest

Medium interest

High interest

Proximity to contaminants

Yes-acute levels

Potential or nearby

none – background

Accessibility for restoration

Low (barge)

Medium (from land)

High (drive in)

Follow-up O/M and stewardship

No O/M source

Private O/M Public O/M w. Friend’s

Connectivity to other habitats

Isolated Nearby Adjacent

Human Recreational Use Scoring (7x factor)

Human Use Opportunities Score

No current use or future recreational opportunities

0

Limited current and/or future use (e.g. walk by, limited observation/sitting areas)

1

Moderate current and/or future use (e.g. park with mix of passive and active amenities such as fishing or beach combing).

2

High current and/or future use (e.g. park with multiple passive and active uses including fixed facilities such as boat launch or public event staging area).

3

• Present use of river (e.g. shore fishing, some birding)• Restored uses: (e.g., fishing, passive recreation, birding, more boating, picnic, walking/hiking and more)

Recreational Use Assessment

Add Scores• Wetland:

– Non-tidal, high marsh, low marsh, submerged aquatic vegetation– 4 categories x 3 x 2 (scaling factor) = max score of 24

• Habitat diversity/landscape complexity:– Upland (mowed, meadow, scrub-shrub, canopy trees)– Tidal (mud flat, cobble beach, sand beach)– Subtidal (soft bottom, hard bottom-vertical relief)– 9 habitats x 3 = max score of 27

• Birds, mammals, and herps– 6 categories x 3 = max score of 18

• Fish and other aquatics– 5 categories x 3 = max score of 15

• Site wide scores– 5 categories x 3 = max score of 15

Maximum Ecological score = 99Maximum Recreational score = 3 x 7 (scaling factor) = 21Maximum total ecological and recreational scores = 99 + 21 = 120

Plus Human Uses (add Site Wide Score)

Potential restoration activities

Pleasant Hill Park

Pennypack Park

Saint Vincent’s

K&T Trail N of Frankford Launch

Bridesburg

Pleasant Hill

Enhance existing wetlands to low/high marsh.

Excavate intertidal wetland cove

Pennypack ParkHelp from Jessica

South End of Pennypack

Grading to restore existing wetland to high/low marsh

Sill or breakwater to build up wetland in lagoon

Introduce high tide water into off channel area (wet woodland on south shoreline).

Saint Vincent’s

Saint Vincent’s

Metal Bank

Enhance existing wetland to high/low marsh system.

Marsh sill or breakwater to protect/build wetland

Enhance-restore meadows and river bank forest.

Consider Metal Bank NPL contaminants plus Restoration Plan

K& T North of Frankford Boat Launch

Newman

Kasper’s

Trail right of way

Bradford

Wissinoming Creek

Enhance river bank forests

Enhance existing wetland

Marsh sills in cove areas to protect/build low to high marsh

Orthodox Street

Bridesburg (PIDC and Philly Coke)

Bridesburg

Enhance-restore meadows, scrub-shrub, and river bank forests.

Grade to enhance existing wetland to include high/low marsh.

Use existing remnant pier and other measures to protect/build intertidal wetland.

Consider mud flat bird habitat

Next steps

• What do you think?• Expand Upper Estuary Restoration workgroup to

address technical, policy, and funding issues.• Further develop BRM and VARM matrices to identify,

assess, and rank suite of restoration opportunities in case study area.

• Review regional habitat connections• Landowner outreach - promote restoration• Design and build projects • Greenway buffer proposals (50 to 100 feet)• Applications outside case study area.

Potential Projects

Habitats (examples)

Non-Tidal RiparianVegetated Intertidal Non-Vegetated Intertidal Subtidal

Mowed Turf

Meadow-Open Field

Scrub-Shrub

Canopy Trees

Non-Tidal

Wetland

High marsh

vascular plants

Low marsh

succulent plants

mud flat

cobble beach

sand beach

Soft bottom

Hard bottom

SAV (eel grass, wild

celery)

                         

Parcel A               x x x x    

Parcel 1 H-M 0-L 0-L L-M L-L 0-M M-H L?-L? L?-L? L?-L? L-L? L-M? ?-L

Parcel 2            

Parcel 4           x   x x x x    

Parcel 4A 0-0 0-0 0-0 L-H L?-M 0-M L-H L?-L? L?-L? L?-L? L-L L-M? ?-L

Parcel 6                      

Parcel 8                        

Parcels 9 and 10 (and Parcel 8 shoreline) L-L L-L 0-0 L-M 0-0 0-M L-H L?-L? L?-L? L?-L? L-L L-M? ?-L

Parcel 18                          

Parcel 21 0-L L-M L-M L-M 0-0 0-M L-H L?-L? L?-L? L?-L? L-L L-M? ?-L

Parcel 22 L-L L-M L-M L-M 0-0 0-M 0-M L?-L? L?-L? L?-L? L-L L-M? ?-L

Parcel 24 0-0 0-0 0-0 L-L 0-0 0-M 1-H L?-L? L-M L?-M L-L L-M? ?-L

Parcel 25 0-0 0-0 0-0 L-M 0-0 0-M 1-M L?-L? L-M L?-L? L-L L-M? ?-L

Parcels 33 & 34 0-L L-M L-L L-M 0-0 0-M L-H L?-L? L?-L? L?-L? L-L L-M? ?-L

Basic Restoration Matrix- Initial Living Resources & Habitat Scoring

Potential Projects

Living Resources (see representative species worksheets for species and habitat)

Birds Fish Herps Mammals Shellfish Other

Wading Birds Raptors Waterfowl

Song Birds

Diadromous Resident

Reptiles and

Amphibians Mammals

Freshwater

musselBlue

Crabs

Macroinverts

(diversity)

                 

Parcel A x x x x x x x       x

Parcel 1 ?-M ?-L L-L L-M L-H L-M L-M L-M 0?-M L-L L-M

Parcel 2   x   x         x

Parcel 4 x   x   x x         x

Parcel 4A ?-M ?-L L-L L-M L-H L-M L-M L-M 0?-M L-L L-M

Parcel 6                      

Parcel 8                      

Parcels 9 and 10 (and Parcel 8 shoreline) ?-M ?-L L-L L-M L-H L-M L-M L-M 0?-M L-L L-M

Parcel 18                      

Parcel 21 ?-M ?-L L-L L-M L-H L-M L-M L-M 0?-M L-L L-M

Parcel 22 ?-M ?-L L-L L-M L-H L-M L-M L-M 0?-M L-L L-M

Parcel 24 ?-M ?-L L-L L-M L-H L-M L-M L-M 0?-M L-L L-M

Parcel 25 ?-M ?-L L-L L-M L-H L-M L-M L-M 0?-M L-L L-M

Parcels 33 and 34 ?-M ?-L L-L L-M L-H L-M L-M L-M 0?-M L-L L-M