Introduction

Jacob T. Simpson

B.A Urban Design & Architecture Studies

New York University, 2001

Submitted to the Department of Urban Studies and Planning

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Master in City Planning

at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

February 2005

Table of Contents

Introduction…………………………………….………………………………….............….……….9

Note on Nature……………………………………………………………...………..............………11

Chapter One: Ecological Functions in Urban Stream Restoration……………………...13

Restoring streams in cities: compensating for past destruction………….....……13

Stream corridor restoration practice………………………………………………….....….14

Ecological functions to measure success of urban stream restoration….……….16

Urban stream restoration: Differing definitions, objectives, incentives…...……18

Case studies: examining three projects in densely urban contexts……….………20

All urban environments can sponsor ecologically-functional streams…..………26

Chapter Two: Environmental History of the Bièvre’s Exploitation and Demise…...29

Geologic context and Pre-history………………………………………………………......30

Growth and Protection…………………………………………………………………..........32

Rise of Regulation and Industry……………………………………………………….......35

The Absolute Monarch and development in the countryside……………………..37

Haussmannization and the Germ Theory of Disease…………………………………40

The Turn of the twentieth century: The End of the Bièvre?.……………………..42

Exploitation and demise of ecological function………………………………………..45

Chapter Three: Recent History and Institutional Context………………………………..47

General context of stream…………………………………………………………….......…47

The Bièvre Valley: Origin of Restoration Efforts………………………………………50

Antony to Paris: Slow to annihilate, slow to restore………………………………..52

Combined Efforts for the Bièvre’s Restoration………………………………………...54

Reflections on Ecological Approaches to Restoration Projects…………………..59

Towards a Parisian Restoration: Catalyzing effect of upstream efforts……...63

Chapter Four: Current plans for the Bièvre in Paris………………………………………..65

The city’s approach: the APUR plan of 2001…………………………………………..65

The regional approach: the IAURIF plan of 2003…………………………………...71

Integration of ecological functions……………………………………………………......81

Chapter Five: The Future of the Bièvre and other urban streams……………………..83

Long-term project……………………………………………………………………...........…83

Potential Benefits: Is restoration in Paris justified?....................................85

Examining Incentives: Reconsidering Chapter One’s case studies……………...86

Political Context: Community support, APUR vs. IAURIF……………………….…87

Ecological functions alone do not justify urban stream restoration…………….91

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………................93

Glossary……………………………………………………………………………………................95

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………................97