Gary, Indiana Installs Green Infrastructure to Revitalize Blighted Areas, Manage Stormwater

The City of Gary initiated the “Vacant to Vibrant” project in 2014, which aimed to mitigate flooding due to aging sewer system. The project completed the construction of three sites in the Aetna neighborhood by 2016, converting 0.37 acres of vacant land into green infrastructure featuring bat houses, rain gardens, and native plantings.

Bedford, Indiana Increases Access to Healthy Food and Spurs Neighborhood-Level Social Change with Community Garden

In 2017, the Bedford Parks and Recreation Department partnered with Live Well Lawrence County to open Bedford Garden Park, a community garden. The resulting park is now a space that produces food, brings people together, and offers activities that improve physical and mental health.

The Napa River Basin, California

Napa County has experienced flash floods that resulted in deaths and hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Napa and surrounding counties opted for a restorative flood mitigation approach to address environmental issues while increasing flood resiliency. The project design aimed to return the river to its natural state to prevent flooding.