Nature Found a Way

Yesterday's post showed that we humans can actually redeem ecosystems from our environmental sins. Along that same vein, The New York Times published an article today about how biological life is adapting to the extreme conditions that the region around Chernobyl was exposed to. The 1986 nuclear power plant disaster spewed very high amounts of radiation into the local atmosphere that spread globally. However, much of that radiation fell back to the ground, contaminating the surrounding region. This had serious impacts on the flora and fauna in the area, including the death of forests. For reasons of public safety, an exclusion zone extending out 18.6 miles in all directions from the power plant was set up, preventing people from living in the 1,000 square mile area for at least 50 years.

Ongoing scientific research on the mass radiation event's effect on the surrounding environment has yielded interesting results. As the article and various other studies have pointed out, while biological life did suffer in the immediate aftermath of the explosion, it has done extremely well since. It has even provided unique insight into adaptation and selective events which put pressure on different species. The article in the Times is well worth the read and provides a unique glimpse into the resiliency of nature. It may suffer horrendous blows, but somehow life finds a way to survive, though not always the same as it was before. It will be very interesting to see how nature has "reclaimed" and progressed throughout the exclusion zone since humans don't have a chance to incorporate land management plans here.

Redemption

To celebrate my newly acquired position as an environmental monitor at Freshkills here in New York City, I thought I would inform myself and others about the place that used to be a human-made atrocity. Freshkills is located on the western edge of Staten Island. From 1947 to 2001, it served as New York City's municipal dumping ground. It infamously became the world's largest landfill and some argued it's piles of rubbish were getting so high they would be taller than most mountains along the eastern seaboard. Important wetlands gave way to stench and pollution.

All of that has changed now. Since its closure in 2001, a grand reclamation project has been underway to turn the area into a network of woodlands, wetlands, and other green spaces. The public park is now the largest in New York City, three times the size of Central Park. The entire reclamation project will not be completed until 2030, but it is already showing how we can undo a lot of the problems we have created. Reseeding native plants and planting flora in experimental ways is providing ecologists and land managers a glimpse into how urban ecological restoration takes place. During Superstorm Sandy, the wetlands in Freshkills absorbed a lot of surge, just as they would have in a "natural" setting, resulting in diminished storm damage on the western side of Staten Island.

The methane created by the decomposition of the waste has been harvested and put to use as an energy source. Native fauna are returning to the area, replacing the vast flocks of seagulls trying to eat our garbage. The water is less polluted now than it has been in years. While Freshkills has a way to go yet - and it will never be what is was before it became a landfill - it stands as a testament that society can right the environmental wrongs we inflict. It takes innovation, it takes leadership, it takes risk, but it can be done. I am excited to be a part of this project and to carry out environmental research in the park.