Stories in Michigan

Building a Healthier Detroit

A cast iron and wood park bench along a sidewalk, facing the Detroit River with sun shining through clouds and the city skyline on the opposite shore.
Detroit Park Bench Park Bench on Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan. © Michael D-L Jordan/dlp

Helping People and Nature Thrive in an Iconic American City

Click the tiles below to explore TNC's work with green stormwater infrastructure in Detroit.

A Green Path Forward

Too frequently, nature in the city of Detroit has become associated with abandonment, blight and decay. Our goal is for nature to be associated with health and prosperity.

The path forward is through green stormwater infrastructure: green space and natural plants that absorb and slow stormwater runoff, reducing overflows and flooding, while also creating much-needed public access to nature.

Click the black labels below for a quick look at how cities can use green infrastructure to manage stormwater.

Access to the benefits nature provides — such as clean water, cool air and protection from flooding — should not be a luxury available to those who can afford it. It’s a right that goes to the core of human health and well-being.

Director, North America Cities Network
The city at night. Trees in the foreground with a city street in the background brightened by street lights. .
Trees at Waterfront Park. Trees near Waterfront Park in downtown Louisville. Urban street trees can filter about a third of the fine particle pollution in their immediate vicinity. © Randy Olsen/The Nature Conservancy