2025 Articles

What are you doing in my swamp? A case study of a community-led buyout and ecosystem restoration program in Staten Island, NY, from 2012 to 2024

Dancy, Hannah M.; Jah, Syeda Kainaat; DeVincenzo, Joshua L.

As practical and effective nature-based solutions are more incorporated by communities, acknowledging realistic project implementation becomes imperative. Academics, subject matter experts, policymakers, and practitioners must ensure that funding, capacity, and support can be secured for long-term projects. By identifying key communication gaps, standardizing crucial definitions, and establishing long-term protocols, project implementation can be more consistent and streamlined. Managing proper communication and expectations between experts and community members is perhaps one of the most important skills any expert may possess and must be incorporated into best practices.

Keywords: managed retreat, nature-based solutions, New York (City), community-led buyout program, hurricane sandy