Biohabitats

Biohabitats, Inc. is an American company that provides conservation planning, ecological restoration and regenerative design services.[1][2]

Biohabitats, Inc.
IndustryEnvironmental Consulting
Predecessor
  • Greenspring Environmental Design
FoundedBaltimore, Maryland (1982 (1982))
FounderKeith Bowers
HeadquartersBaltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Number of employees
75
Websitebiohabitats.com

Biohabitats employs about 75 people with expertise in biological sciences, earth sciences, water engineering, land planning, and design. The company's headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland.

History

Biohabitats was founded in 1982 by landscape architect and restorationist [3] Keith Bowers, who remains its president in 2016.

Biohabitats’ planning work has included the preparation of climate adaptation strategies for the Galveston Island State Park master plan.[4] Its wetland restorations have included Nine Mile Run [5][6] in Pittsburgh's Frick Park and the restoration of natural water flow to Barataria Preserve in Louisiana's Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.

In the early 2000s, Biohabitats expanded its services to include more stormwater design and work in urban areas. The company worked with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to prioritize vacant lands and modernize practices for stormwater management. At Freshkills Park, also in New York City, Biohabitats restored coastal wetland habitat on a former landfill.[7]

In 2005, Biohabitats moved its offices into a converted horse barn in the Woodberry neighborhood of Baltimore City.[8]

Biohabitats acquired Natural Systems International in 2010, and subsequently expanded its services to include the design of decentralized natural wastewater treatment systems, including Sidwell Friends School in Washington DC, and the Omnilife Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico.[9]

In the 2010s, the company worked with Underwood & Associates to develop Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance.[10] Biohabitats designed a floating wetland for the Waterfront Partnership in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor floating wetlands that was constructed from floating debris found in surrounding urban waterways.[11][12] Biohabitats also created a natural water treatment system based on algae in the harbor.[13]

In 2016 Biohabitats managed the restoration of Larder's Point Park on the Delaware river[14] and Washington Avenue Green in Philadelphia.[15]

Awards and honors

In 2016, Biohabitats received a Top Ten Projects award from the American Institute of Architects.[16] Then in 2015 Engineering & Science Award of Excellence from the Pittsburgh American Institute of Architects,[17] the 2015 Society for College and University Planning award,[18] and again in 2016 the Louisiana Chapter President's Award of Excellence and the 2016 ASLA Analysis and Planning Honor Award as part of the planning team for the Baton Rouge Lakes Master Plan.[19]

References
  1. Perl, Larry. "Based in a former horse barn, Biohabitats creates new ecosystems". Trif Alatzas. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  2. "Porous pavement gets another tryout in Maryland". The Baltimore Sun, July 19, 2014. Timothy B. Wheeler
  3. "Why We Must Put Nature Back to Work". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  4. Holmes, Damian. "Galveston Island State Park". Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  5. Hopey, Don (August 17, 2006). "Nine Mile Run back in natural state". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  6. Bain, Daniel; Copeland, Erin (December 2014). "Characterizing a Major Urban Stream Restoration Project: Nine Mile Run (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA)". Journal of the American Water Resources Association. 50 (6): 1608–1621. Bibcode:2014JAWRA..50.1608B. doi:10.1111/jawr.12225. S2CID 129851080.
  7. Foderaro, Lisa (June 21, 2012). "To tackle an invasive weed, bringing in the hooved pros". New York Times Company. p. A18. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  8. "Based in a former horse barn, Biohabitats creates new ecosystems". Baltimore Sun, Larry Perl November 12, 2015.
  9. G-ForSE. "Innovations in Wastewater Reuse at Omnilife Stadium".
  10. Brown, Ted; Berg, J., and Underwood, K. (2010). "Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance: An Innovative Approach to Meet a Range of Stormwater Management and Ecological Goals". World Environmental and Water Resources Congress. 2010: 3399–3413.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. Streb, Chris. "Building Floating Wetlands to Restore Urban Waterfronts and Community Partnerships". National Wetlands Newsletter. 35 (2): 24–27.
  12. Regenesis Group (August 2, 2016). Regenerative Development and Design: A Framework for Evolving Sustainability. Wiley. pp. 241–. ISBN 978-1-118-97291-5.
  13. Wheeler, T. "Scientists use algae to scrub harbor water". The Baltimore Sun, April 29, 2012.
  14. "Shoring Up the Shore". Philadelphia Weekly, By William Kenny Aug. 31, 2016
  15. Travis Beck (February 1, 2013). Principles of Ecological Landscape Design. Island Press. pp. 105–. ISBN 978-1-59726-702-1.
  16. "The Dixon Water Foundation Josey Pavilion". The American Institute of Architects. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  17. "Design Pittsburgh 2015". American Institute of Architects Pittsburgh. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  18. "SCUP Excellence in Planning". Society for College and University Planning. Archived from the original on July 9, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  19. "2016 ASLA PROFESSIONAL AWARDS". www.asla.org. Retrieved October 11, 2016.

Further reading
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