1. General information Location and description of the intervention City or FUA Mobile (FUA) Region Northern America Native title of the NBS intervention Africatown Heritage House Bioswale Short description of the intervention The Africatown Heritage House Bioswale is a gently sloping green space with multiple functions which include catchment of runoff water and filtration of pollution in the runoff water (Ref 2), erosion control (Ref 2), and creation of habitat for biodiversity (Ref 1). It also has an educational purpose for students and the local community (Ref 2) and contributes to overall beautification (Ref 5). The Bioswale was built by Birmingham-Southern College’s Environmental Center (Ref 6) and developed through the collaboration between the Mobile County Commission, the Mobile Area Lodging Association, Mobile County Training School, Mobile County Training School Alumni Association, and the National Academies of Science (NAS) Gulf Research Program (Ref 2). The project aims to address heavy rainwater management (Ref 5) and drainage issues (Ref 3). Website of the intervention https://www.mobilecountyal.gov/latest-news/bioswale/ Principal problems Climate-Related Hazards Urban flooding (stormwater) Implementation area characterization Climate Temperate ( Humid subtropical, Hot-summer Mediterranean, Warm-summer Mediterranean, Warm-temperate with dry winter) Ecosystem Urban or built environment Please specify other ecosystem Ecosystem: Sub Tropical Moist Settlement on Plains Urban area Landforms: Plains Landcover/Vegetation: Settlement Climate Region: Sub Tropical Moist Address 2465 Wimbush St Mobile, AL, 36610 United States Location The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by). Area boundary (map-based) NBS area image Source of NBS area image Google Maps https://www.google.com/maps/@30.7381058,-88.0590629,330m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu Total area 5000.00m² Area description Urban (main city) Type of area before implementation of the NBS Cultural Heritage Area Timeline of intervention Start date of the intervention (planning process) 2021 Start date of intervention (implementation process) 2023 End date of the intervention 2023 Present stage of the intervention Completed 2. Objectives of the intervention Objectives of the intervention Goals of the intervention - drainage of heavy rainwater (Ref 2) - filtration of heavy rainwater (Red 2) - recharging groundwater (Image 1) - erosion control (Ref 1) - reducing the need for irrigation (Image 1) - creation of habitat for a variety of organisms (Ref 1) - attracting pollinators (Ref 5) - educational purpose (outdoor science lab for students at Mobile County Training School) (Ref 1) - public attraction for visitors to the Africatown Heritage House and local residents (Ref 2) - serve as a community hub for the Africatown Heritage House (Ref 5) - beautification (aesthetic reasons) (Ref 2) Key Priorities Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation) Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration) Sustainability challenge(s) addressed Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13) Climate change adaptation Water management (SDG 6) Flood protection Stormwater and rainfall management and storage Improvements to water quality Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10) Environmental education Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater Reducing socio-economic vulnerability to climate impacts (e.g. awareness raising) Other Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention? Species-focused Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Create new habitats Undertake specific measures to protect native species Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use Raise public awareness Implementation activities and NBS focus Implementation activities - Slope escavation and planting of species that absorb water for addressing the heavy rainfall issues in the area of the Africatown Heritage House by catching the runoff from the roof and the parking lot (Ref 1) and to mitigate runoff water pollution (Ref 1) - Establishment of outdoor lab for students at Mobile County Training School (Ref 1) - Establisementof an educational walk to the public, with explanatory signs about the environmental issues and the benefits of the project for contributing to raise awarness about water conservation, pollution, and environmental resilience (Ref 1, Ref 4) Type of NBS project Creation of semi-natural blue areas Implementation of green areas for water management (e.g. rain gardens) Protection of natural ecosystems Habitat restoration Knowledge creation and awareness raising Educational and awareness raising programs 3. NBS domains, ES and scale NBS domain and interventions Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented Green areas for water management Swales and filter strips Please specify "other Climate change adaptation activity" Prevention of drought through SUD systems Amenities offered by the NBS Educational or biodiversity trails Cultural (museum, concert areas) Educational and research amenities (nature protection centre, monitoring stations) Design elements for well-being None of the above Services Expected ecosystem services delivered Regulating services Flood regulation Water purification / filtration Pollination Habitat and supporting services Habitats for species Cultural services Tourism Aesthetic appreciation Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational) Social and community interactions Scale Spatial scale Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings) Beneficiaries Demographics in implementation area The project is located in the Africatown neighbourhood, which has a significant history and a unique demographic profile. The community was founded by West Africans who survived the last known transatlantic slave ship, the Clotilda, which arrived in Mobile in 1860 (Ref 7) - Africatown is predominantly African American (98% in 2010) (Ref 9.2) - 251 people / 55 households live in the neighbourhood (Ref 8) - the median age is 28.46 (Ref 8) - the median income: $17,041 (Ref 8) - The average household size is 3 people, with 47% of the households having children (Ref 8) Socio-economic profile of the area Low-income Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts Yes Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities Communities near industrial areas Minority or marginalized ethnic groups Non-government actors Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital) Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches Researchers, university Primary Beneficiaries Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital) Citizens or community groups Specify primary beneficiaries The primary beneficiaries are: - The students from Mobile County Training School. "Students, particularly, can use a rain garden/bioswale to learn about specific environmental processes" (Ref 1) - The local community. "This project extends its benefits to the whole Africatown community, fostering a greener local environment." (Ref 3) Marginalized groups Children, young people or youth groups Measures for inclusion of marginalised groups The project will benefit the students from Mobile County Training School, offering them a outdoor living lab. Other beneficiaries Local wildlife (e.g., birds, pollinators) Native plant vegetation Ecosystem services (e.g. improved air quality, water purification) 4. Governance and financing Governance Governance arrangements Led by non-government actors Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative The project has been built by - the Birmingham-Southern College’s Southern Environmental Center (Ref 2) The project is a collaboration between: - Mobile County Commission - the Mobile Area Lodging Association - Mobile County Training School - Mobile County Training School Alumni Association - the National Academies of Science (NAS) Gulf Research Program (Ref 2) Key actors - initiating organization Researchers/university Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors) Local government/municipality Public sector institution Non-government organisation/civil society District/neighbourhood association Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders) Unknown Uncommon actors ("Missing actors") Public Services Schools Land owners Public space owned by the city Educational actor (schools or universities) Policy drivers NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy Unknown NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan Unknown NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan Unknown Mandatory or voluntary intervention Unknown Enablers & Barriers Type of enablers Unknown Governace and decison-making instruments Economic and fiscal instruments (e.g. subsidies or grants, charges or fees, payments for ecosystem services (PES)) Educational and knowledge sharing instruments (e.g. science/ living labs, awareness raising campaigns, specific educational programs, green hubs) Arrangements for governance cooperation Unknown Barriers unknown Financing Total cost Unknown Please specify total cost (EUR) The specific cost of the bioswale itself isn't detailed, but it is a component of the larger grant-funded project: the Stemming the Tide: Empowering Youth to Meet Coastal Environmental Challenges initiative, a $1.25 million (1 098 808,15 Euros, exchange rate : 1 USD = 0,915673 EUR on07/08/2024) grant to develop curriculum centered around environmental-related issues for schools in Mobile (Ref 6) Funding for this project (the Stemming the Tide: Empowering Youth to Meet Coastal Environmental Challenges initiative) is supported by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under award number SCON-10000733 (Ref 7). What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements? n/a Source(s) of funding Research organisation / University Type of fund(s) used Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities) Non-financial contribution Unknown Co-finance for NBS Unknown Entrepreneurship opportunities Unknown Business models Business models Risk reduction model Green education model Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model? Public actor (e.g. municipality) Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation) 5. Evaluation and learning Impacts, benefits Environmental impacts Water management and blue areas Improved water quality Expected improved water quality Improved stormwater management Expected improved stormwater management Reduced risk of damages by drought Expected reduced risk of damages by drought Green space and habitat Increased green space area Expected increased green space area Increased number of species present Expected increased number of species present Increased presence and recovery of wild species Expected increased presence and recovery of wild species Enhanced support of pollination Expected enhanced support of pollination Description of environmental benefits - Improved water quality: "a number of the plants will also store or even neutralize heavy metals and other automotive contaminants, including oil, antifreeze, brake fluids, etc., that are likely in the stormwater." (Ref 1) - Improved stormwater management: "The Bioswale is a low-lying area that collects storm water" (Ref 5) -Reduced risk of damages by drought: "project llike this bioswale are becoming essential to tackle floodings, droughts and other challenges" (Ref 3) "Recharging ground water" (Image 1) - Increased green space area: "this project [...] fostering a greener local environment" (Ref 3) -Increased number of species present "the bioswale - a craft water channel with native plants" (Ref 3) "he chose local nursery plants" (Ref 3) - Increased presence and recovery of wild species: "The Bioswale is a low-lying area that (...) supports a collection of native plants" (Ref 5). - Enhanced support of pollination: "The Southern Environmental Center planted 23 different types of native plants in the bioswale to help with (...) attracting pollinators" (Ref 5). Environmental impact indicators Total number of vascular plant species protected or introduced 23 Green space area created (in ha) unknown Water retention capacity (m³ or %) unknown Volume of stormwater treated (m³) unknown Area of water management infrastructure (e.g. SUDs, rain gardens) (m2) unknown Economic impacts Unknown Social and cultural impacts Social justice and cohesion Improved social cohesion Expected improved social cohesion Improved liveability Expected improved liveability Education Increased support for education and scientific research Expected increased support for education and scientific research Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits Expected increased awareness of NBS and their benefits Description of social and cultural benefits - Improved social cohesion: "serving as a community hub for the Africatown Heritage House" (Ref 5). - Improved liveability: "this project extends its benefits to the whole Africatown community, fostering a greener local environment" (Ref 3) - Increased support for education and scientific research: "students will help maintain and monitor the environmental impact of the bioswale and will be exposed to topics such as water conservation, pollution, and environmental resilience." (Ref 1). - Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits: "Signage at the plantings ensure that any visitors can learn about them and their environmental benefits." (Ref 4) Evidence for use of assessment Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process Unknown Presence of indicators used in reporting No evidence in public records Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports No evidence in public records Availability of a web-based monitoring tool No evidence in public records Name of any specific impact assessment tools Unknown Use of GIS in mapping impacts No evidence in public records Cost-benefit analysis Unknown Transparency Unknown Justice Community satisfaction Unknown Trade-offs & Negative impacts Unknown Emphasis of existing social inequalities or injustices No information reported related to negative social justice-related impacts of the NBS project Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement No initiatives or policies were implemented High-quality & Transformative NBS Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community) No Goal setting and impacts delivery No, project goals were not set, and benefits were not delivered in all 3 key areas. Long-term perspective Unknown: No information about the project's long-term sustainability. Cost-effective solutions Unknown Equitable impacts C. Unknown Transformative capacity Ecological change (e.g. ecosystem functions and their distribution) Technical change (e.g. built infrastructure of cities and their parts, roads, buildings and so on) Magnitude of change Incremental: shallow; that is, mostly maintaining business-as-usual approaches to adaptation Application of lessons learned Unknown Perception of Environmental Change Unknown 6. Sources References 1. Meade, M., Hazelhoff, R. (2023). Using Rain Gardens to STEM the tide. Mobile, AL: STEMMING THE TIDE, p. 1-2 Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 2. Mobil County (2023). Africatown Heritage House Bioswale (Rain Garden) Dedicated. Mobile, AL: Mobile County, p. 1 Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 3. Mobile Rundown (2023). Africatown Goes Green: Bioswale Sparks Excitement. Mobile, AL: Mobile Rundown, p. 1-3 Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 4. Bay Business News (2023). Africatown Heritage House Bioswale, Garden Open. Mobile, AL: Bay Business News, p. 1 Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 5. Spears, A. (2023). Africatown Heritage House rain garden turned into living laboratory for environmental education. Mobile, AL: NBC 15 News, p. 1-2 Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 6. KnowMob (2023). MCTS students attend Bioswale ribbon-cutting at Heritage House. Mobile, AL: KnowMob, p. 1-2 Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 7. University of Montevallo (2023). 2023 Donor Impact Report, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Montevallo. Montevallo, AL: University of Montevallo, p. 2 Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 8. Mobile County (2023). Africatown Heritage House. Mobile, AL: Mobile County, p. 1 Accessed on August 2, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 9. Mobile County (2021). Africatown Heritage House Building Taking Shape. Mobile, AL: Mobile County, p. 1 Accessed on January 2, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 10. Weichert (2024). Weichert.com - Africatown Mobile, AL Overview. Weichert, p. 1-2 Accessed on August 5, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 11. Wilkins, C., Kemp-Rotan, R. (n.d.). Africatown - Racialization of space and Spatilization of Race. The Archichectural League, p. 5 [Source link] [Archive]; Comments and notes Public Images Image Sign desbribing the main benefits of the bioswale Stemming the Tide, Using Rain Gardens to STEM the tide, 7/5/2023 (Ref 1)
Image Sign desbribing the main benefits of the bioswale Stemming the Tide, Using Rain Gardens to STEM the tide, 7/5/2023 (Ref 1)
