Frank Gallagher
Associate Professor of Professional Practice and Director of the Environmental Planning and Design program
Rutgers University, Department of Landscape Architecture
Biography
For over forty years Frank has explored the connection between people and landscape through both land management and academic research. He has served as Chief of Interpretive Services, Administrator and Assistant Director of the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. After teaching courses in biology, evolution and environmental science for ten years at Upsala College, Frank joined the faculty at Rutgers The State University part time in 1994, and full time in 2012. His current appointment as Associate Professor of Professional Practice and the Director of the Environmental Planning and Design program within the Department of Landscape Architecture consists of working with academic administrators, academic advising, administrative staff and faculty to ensure the continued development and delivery of a cutting edge program. He serves on the graduate faculty for the Department of Landscape Architecture, Department of Ecology Evolution and Natural Resources and the Federated Department of Biological Sciences at Rutgers Newark and also serves as a Research Associate at Montclair State University.
Frank’s current research interest in urban ecological restoration has focused on the sublethal impact of soil metal contamination at both the species and assemblage level. Frank has published extensively in both scientific journals and venues of general interests’ on topics ranging form phytostabilization of contaminated soils to the ethics of ecosystem function monetization. He has presented hundreds of lectures at conferences and meetings both nationally and internationally. Topics have generally included current natural resource based environmental issues, demographic transition and more recently brownfield redevelopment.
Rutgers Climate Bridge Panel 6: The Impact on Land
Abstract
An Urban Ecological Paradox: The loss of urban open space and particularly urban wetlands due to an expanding human population and development pressures is well documented. However, the loss of their associated functional values including both the provisioning and regulating services have more recently come to light as sea level rises and catastrophic storms are occurring more frequently. While many post-industrial waterfronts and associated upland areas offer opportunities for wetland restoration or green space creation, challenges include altered hydrologic patterns due to historic filling, degraded urban soils used in the fill process and current regulatory constraints. Located on the western shoreline of the New York Harbor, Liberty State Park and the Bayonne Golf Club offer two examples of urban waterfront restoration in the New York Harbor. The ecological and economic benefits along with the regulatory constraints associated with the development of these sites will be reviewed.
Rutgers Climate Bridge Day One Closing Comments
Summary of the day’s outcome, Presented by Frank Gallagher
Rutgers Climate Bridge Panel 9: Vision for Policy
Moderator