W worked with NYC Parks and Green Shield Ecology to design a landscape restoration for a 1.5 mile stretch along the Belt Parkway – the historic parkway originally built by Robert Moses. The construction of three new bridges along the parkway left the surrounding landscape damaged. The restoration we designed includes almost 5,000 trees and 50,000 square yards of meadow planting. All of the plant species included are native and salt tolerant. After an in depth ecological study of the area, at the edge of Jamaica Bay, plant species were chosen for their resilience and suitability for the unique site – naturally a mix of maritime forest and coastal meadow ecosystems. The tree layout recalls historic plantings by using juniper and holly evergreen trees to frame views of the bay. Tree species were also located by color, so seasonal leaf color changes and spring flowering were orchestrated to happen in a gradient along the parkway.