Climate & Biodiversity Action Case Studies

Schools in Vancouver, Washington transformed asphalt yards into green schoolyards with native gardens, pollinator habitat, and outdoor learning spaces.

The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center restored prairie, savanna, and wetlands to build a biodiverse, climate-resilient landscape in central Houston.

NatureScape helps Orange County homeowners replace thirsty lawns with native plant gardens and green infrastructure that save water and boost biodiversity.

Rain Check 2.0 in Buffalo, NY funds green infrastructure on public and private land to cut sewer overflows, manage stormwater, and advance climate equity.

Sapwi Trails Community Park in Thousand Oaks, CA preserves 145 acres of oak-studded open space, offering low-water recreation while protecting the Lang Creek watershed.

Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel in Seattle filters stormwater with native plants, cuts impervious cover, boosts open space, and anchors transit-oriented development.

Buffalo Bayou Promenade in Houston is a resilient linear park that uses native plants and gabion walls to manage floods, control erosion, and connect downtown.

Climate Ready East Boston uses elevated parks, greenways, and coastal buffers to protect vulnerable neighborhoods and infrastructure from rising seas.

Firescape Demonstration Garden in Santa Barbara shows homeowners how firewise landscaping with drought-tolerant, layered native plants can create defensible space.

Green City, Clean Waters is Philadelphia’s citywide green infrastructure program that turns streets, parks, and schoolyards into systems that soak up stormwater.

‘Hypar-nature’ Wildlife Bridge is a modular, prefabricated land bridge that reconnects habitats and lets wildlife safely cross highways at West Vail Pass, Colorado.

Award-winning SW 12th Avenue Green Street in Portland uses stormwater planters to capture runoff, reduce pollution, and showcase sustainable urban design.

Underwood Family Sonoran Landscape Laboratory at University of Arizona harvests stormwater to irrigate native gardens, create habitat, and cool the desert.

Kendeda Building at Georgia Tech transforms a parking lot into a net-positive Living Building, reusing stormwater and greywater in lush, productive landscapes.

Downtown Marlborough Green Infrastructure Streetscape in Kansas City weaves green streets, parks, and transit into a corridor that cuts sewer overflows.

Paseo Verde in North Philadelphia pairs affordable transit-oriented housing with green roofs, courtyards, and streets that capture and manage stormwater.

Solar Strand at University at Buffalo weaves a 750-kilowatt solar array through wetlands and meadows, cutting emissions while serving as an outdoor classroom.

The Steel Yard in Providence transforms a lead-contaminated steel plant into a creative hub with green infrastructure that traps stormwater and pollution.

John W. Cook Academy Space to Grow schoolyard in Chicago turns a flood-prone asphalt lot into a green play and learning space that captures stormwater.

Randall's Island Connector in the South Bronx creates safe, ADA-accessible walking and biking access to 330 acres of nearby parkland across the Bronx Kill.

Fitzgerald Revitalization Plan in Detroit transforms vacant lots into greenways, parks, housing, and stormwater landscapes to heal a disinvested neighborhood.

Gentilly Community Adaptation Program in New Orleans funds green infrastructure for homeowners, reducing flood risk with trees, rain gardens, and bioswales.

South Cypress Creek and West Junction plan in Shelby County turns vacant flood-prone lots into wetlands, trails, and solar-ready spaces to boost resilience.

Cuyahoga Greenways Framework Plan links 59 Ohio communities with 815 miles of trails and greenways, expanding safe, healthy walking and biking access.

Edmonston Green Street in Maryland turns a flood-prone road into a green complete street with bioswales, trees, LED lights, and safe bike and pedestrian access.

Jackson Street Reconstruction in Saint Paul creates a green complete street with protected bikeways, bioretention buffers, and porous pavement for safer travel.

LA Riverfront Greenway Phase II in Studio City converts a muddy service road into a linear park with bikeway, bioswale, and native trees along the river.

West Florissant Avenue Great Streets plan reimagines a riot-scarred corridor with green infrastructure, safer walking and biking, and renewed local business.

Gary Comer Youth Center roof garden in Chicago grows 1,000 pounds of organic produce a year, capturing stormwater and reducing urban heat island impacts.

Oakencroft Farm in central Virginia restores soil, wetlands, and wildlife corridors while producing organic food through a science-driven master plan.