Plan Taking Shape to Restore North Philadelphia Waterfront

By Paul Racette, Watershed Programs Manager, Pennsylvania Environmental Council

The tidal Delaware River, like many urban rivers, is undergoing a 21st century transformation thanks to the creation ofgreenways, parks, and trails along waterfronts long dominated by indus- trial enterprises. The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) is leading an effort to identify ecological restoration opportunities along the North Philadelphia waterfront. The East Coast Greenway, a multi-use recreational trail that will run from Maine to Florida, is being stitched together through this riverfront reach. Focusing on areas between the trail and the river, PEC and its partners have assessed restora- tion opportunities across the upland, riverbank, and tidal wetland areas.