Building Environmental Resilience
Finch Ave Toronto 2005
StormWaterForestry is a unique and highly responsive team of professionals specializing in Low Impact Development (LID). We focus on maximizing the services provided by our natural environment and landscapes to the greatest benefit of our environment, economy and society.
Present land development methods have limited these services to a fraction of their true potential. Urbanization has come to rely on "end of pipe" solutions to stormwater management (SWM) such as detention ponds and it is clear that this is no longer a satisfactory solution. Development practices to date have left us with the these challenges:
- Combined sewer overflows (CSO's)
- Degradation of natural water courses and aquatic habitat
- Declining urban forest cover
- Erosion and sedimentation of soils
- Increased flooding
- Damage and premature failure of infrastructure
- Increased pollutant loading of receiving waters
- low water quality for recreational use
- Increased water treatment costs
Beyond the direct effects of urbanization and present development methods, we are now facing increasingly erratic and extreme weather events. Our stormwater infrastructure's ability to control rain events and snow melts is decreasing and in other weather extremes such as drought has no ability to provide any benefits. Our reliance on hard infrastructure has limited the opportunities to benefit from the services provided by our natural environment. These services are now of significant importance in mitigating the effects of our weather extremes and supporting effective stormwater management if a sustainable environment matters.
What is Low Impact Development (LID)?
Low Impact Development is a watershed scale land planning and engineered design approach to maintain pre-construction site hydrology under post-construction conditions. It is a treatment train approach which focuses on the prevention of stormwater occurrences and when it occurs, to distribute it across the landscape to reduce run-off quantity and improve its quality. Green infrastructure such as trees, soil and vegetation play a key role in providing stormwater management and restoring the functions of healthy hydrology
Present land development methods have limited these services to a fraction of their true potential. Urbanization has come to rely on "end of pipe" solutions to stormwater management (SWM) such as detention ponds and it is clear that this is no longer a satisfactory solution. Development practices to date have left us with the these challenges:
- Combined sewer overflows (CSO's)
- Degradation of natural water courses and aquatic habitat
- Declining urban forest cover
- Erosion and sedimentation of soils
- Increased flooding
- Damage and premature failure of infrastructure
- Increased pollutant loading of receiving waters
- low water quality for recreational use
- Increased water treatment costs
Beyond the direct effects of urbanization and present development methods, we are now facing increasingly erratic and extreme weather events. Our stormwater infrastructure's ability to control rain events and snow melts is decreasing and in other weather extremes such as drought has no ability to provide any benefits. Our reliance on hard infrastructure has limited the opportunities to benefit from the services provided by our natural environment. These services are now of significant importance in mitigating the effects of our weather extremes and supporting effective stormwater management if a sustainable environment matters.
What is Low Impact Development (LID)?
Low Impact Development is a watershed scale land planning and engineered design approach to maintain pre-construction site hydrology under post-construction conditions. It is a treatment train approach which focuses on the prevention of stormwater occurrences and when it occurs, to distribute it across the landscape to reduce run-off quantity and improve its quality. Green infrastructure such as trees, soil and vegetation play a key role in providing stormwater management and restoring the functions of healthy hydrology
The Challenge of Urbanization
An ever increasing percentage of our urban areas is becoming impervious cover. (eg. 48% in Toronto) This percentage is increasing through in-fill and intensification. The remaining pervious areas are required to deal with greater stormwater run-off while their surface areas decrease.
LID design is used to preserve and enhance the health and performance of existing natural landscapes and urban green spaces and establish new urban landscapes which perform at a high level in delivering the services we require in our urban environment.
LID design is used to preserve and enhance the health and performance of existing natural landscapes and urban green spaces and establish new urban landscapes which perform at a high level in delivering the services we require in our urban environment.
StormWaterForestry is focused on maximizing the contributions made by green infrastructure through the preservation and enhancement of existing natural or urban green spaces and the creation of new highly functional landscapes by offering and integrating the following services:
Urban Watershed Forestry and Arboriculture - preserving, enhancing and establishing trees as an integral part of all stormwater management.
Urban Soil Management Planning - ensuring maximum benefits from existing site soils and those imported to the site.
Erosion and Sediment Control Planning and monitoring - for pre-construction, construction phase and post-construction.
LID Stormwater management - integrating green infrastructure with conventional practices for greater functionality.
The costs of the past 60 years of development will be borne by generations to come. However, future land development does not have to leave the same legacy. Wiser choices and decisions implementing LID design and practices will benefit society and the environment.
Contact StormWaterForestry and let's work together to achieve this future.
Urban Soil Management Planning - ensuring maximum benefits from existing site soils and those imported to the site.
Erosion and Sediment Control Planning and monitoring - for pre-construction, construction phase and post-construction.
LID Stormwater management - integrating green infrastructure with conventional practices for greater functionality.
The costs of the past 60 years of development will be borne by generations to come. However, future land development does not have to leave the same legacy. Wiser choices and decisions implementing LID design and practices will benefit society and the environment.
Contact StormWaterForestry and let's work together to achieve this future.
