Staten Island · Richmond County
Arden Heights Woods
NYC Parks
- Location
- Arthur Kill Road and Arden Avenue, Arden Heights
- Size
- Part of Blue Belt system (50+ acres) acres
- Hours
- Dawn to dusk
- Type
- NYC Parks
Arden Heights Woods is a forested natural area in southwestern Staten Island, part of the Blue Belt stormwater management system that preserves natural drainage corridors rather than replacing them with conventional storm sewers.
The woods contain mature hardwood forest, freshwater wetlands, and stream corridors that naturally manage stormwater runoff from the surrounding residential neighborhoods. The preservation of these natural systems saves the city millions in infrastructure costs.
The Blue Belt, developed by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection in the 1990s, is one of the most innovative green infrastructure programs in the country. The system has been studied and emulated by cities worldwide.
Arden Heights is one of Staten Island's newer suburban developments, built primarily in the 1980s and 1990s. The preservation of the woods within the development provides both stormwater management and recreational trails for the residential community.
Arden Heights Woods demonstrates that suburban development and natural preservation can coexist, preserving the forest and wetland systems that manage water while providing residents with woodland trails steps from their homes.