This study has presented an outline for a restoration of the Jackie Onassis Kennedy Reservoir located in the Middle of Central Park. The reservoir is an area that is highly accessible for recreational activities and it is likely that these activities have resulted in environmental and ecological degradation and that the natural vegetation and wildlife in this reservoir are threatened and that restoration of the reservoir is needed.
Restoration of Central Park Reservoir
The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir is a 106-acres body of water located in the middle of Central Park and was completed in 1862. The reservoir holds one billion gallons of water and formerly distributed fresh water to Manhattan residents. The reservoir has stopped serving this function and its future is perpetually under discussion. The task of this study is to create a restoration vision for the reservoir area and draft an outline plan for implementation of the restoration through defining a clearly supported restoration goal and taking into account the various stakeholders and continued uses of the area. Ecological restoration is reported to refer to "the renewal of a degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystem through active human intervention." (Humboldt State University, 2014, p. 1) it is reported that the Society for Ecological Restoration defines ecological restoration as "intentional activity that initiates or accelerates the recovery of an ecosystem with respect to its health, integrity and sustainability." The practice of ecological restoration includes a wide scope of projects including, but not limited to: erosion control, reforestation, removal of non-native species and weeds, revegetation of disturbed areas, daylighting streams, reintroduction of native species, and habitat and range improvement for targeted species." (Humboldt University, 2014, p. 1) the work of Vaughn, Porensky, Wilkerson, Balachowski, Peffer, Riginos, and Young (2010) report that there are various types of restoration including the following stated kinds of restorations:
(1) Revegetation- the establishment of vegetation on sites where it has been previously lost, often with erosion control as the primary goal. For example, vegetated buffers are strips of vegetation that protect water quality in riparian ecosystems from urban or agricultural runoff.
(2) Habitat enhancement- the process of increasing the suitability of a site as habitat for some desired species.
(3) Remediation: improving an existing ecosystem or creating a new one with the aim of replacing another that has deteriorated or been destroyed.
(4) Mitigation: legally mandated remediation for loss of protected species or ecosystems. (Vaughn, Porensky, Wilkerson, Balachowski, Peffer, Riginos, and Young, 2010, p. 1)
I. Need for Restoration
The Jackie Onassis Kennedy Reservoir was completed as reported in 1862. This reservoir has been the site of a great deal of human visitation since it is located in the middle of Central Park. Concepts that underpin restoration include: (1) disturbance; (2) genetics; (3) succession; (4) community assembly theory; and (5) landscape ecology. (Vaughn, Porensky, Wilkerson, Balachowski, Peffer, Riginos, and Young, 2010, p. 1)
II. Goals and Objectives of Restoration
It is reported that applied restoration includes the following stated steps: (1) site assessment which includes "A thorough appraisal of the current conditions at the restoration site is essential for determining what kind of actions will be necessary. In this step, the causes of ecosystem disturbance and methods for stopping or reversing them are identified." (Vaughn, Porensky, Wilkerson, Balachowski, Peffer, Riginos, and Young, 2010, p. 1); (2) Formulation of the goals of the project. It is reported that in order to determine the targets for restoration that practitioners "may visit reference sites (similar, nearby environments in natural condition) and/or consult historical sources that detail the pre-disturbance community. Goals may also include considerations of what species will be best suited to present or future climate conditions; (3) Removal of sources of disturbance which must be done before success can be realized in the restoration project. Stated examples include: "cessation of mining or farming or causes of erosion, restricting livestock from riparian areas, removing toxic materials from soil or sediments, and eradicating invasive exotic species; (4) restoration of processes/disturbance cycles and this involves restoration of important ecological processes including natural flooding or fire regimes so that natural integrity is restored; (5) rehabilitation of substrates which may be any type of activity focused on repairing soil texture or chemistry that has been altered or the restoration of hydrological regimes or the quality of water; (6) vegetation restoration which may include direct revegetation of a site and generally with species that are native to the local conditions of the environment. This involves collection of seeds or cuttings from various sources in the local region; (7) Maintenance and monitoring the restoration site across time is required to ensure that objectives are being met. Observation assists in knowing when something additional needs to be done to accomplish a successful restoration. (Vaughn, Porensky, Wilkerson, Balachowski, Peffer, Riginos, and Young, 2010, p. 1)
III. Description of Site
The Jackie Onassis Kennedy Reservoir was constructed of iron and earth and measures 1.58 miles in circumference. Croton Aqueduct pipes are reported to have fed water into the reservoir via the northern gatehouse. Water was then distributed from the reservoir via the southern gatehouse'. ( ) it is reported that the reason the Croton Aqueduct was decommissioned included that: (1) the water might become contaminated by microbiology due to its open air configuration; and (2) the Croton system was reconfigured which made the reservoir obsolete. ( ) the reservoir is very accessible for recreational uses and is threatened by environmental contamination. The following image shows the Jackie Onassis Kennedy Reservoir.
Figure 1
Source: The Croton Waterworks (2014)
As it can be seen the reservoir is surrounded by the populated area of New York and is a highly visited site located in the middle of Central Park. Overuse of the area is likely to have worn away vegetation and to have eroded the edges of the reservoir. The restoration project will aim at restoring the natural vegetation to the area and on increasing the ability of the reservoir in being a natural habitat to wildlife in the area.
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