JOHN HEINZ NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AT TINICUM
CUSANO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, preserves the largest remaining freshwater tidal wetland in Pennsylvania. Originally, this habitat - known as Tinicum Marsh - measured over 5,000 acres, yet the rapid urbanization that occurred throughout the mid 1900's reduced the size of tidal marshes to about 200 acres. Today, the Refuge protects this natural wetland area, as well as 1200 acres of tidal wetlands - a natural wetland sanctuary surrounded by urban and industrial development.

When USFWS undertook development of an Environmental Education Center at Tinicum, they assembled a team of design professionals committed to sustainable design and "personal stewardship of the environment."

Cahill Associates served as the Civil and Environmental Engineers and applied the concept of sustainable site design to all development aspects. Parking is on a porous asphalt pavement system, underlain by both a groundwater recharge trench and direct surface discharge to new wetland beds.

To date, this project has received multiple awards, including one of the Top Ten Green Projects as selected by the American Institute of Architects.
Site Photographs

The parking lot at the Refuge is porous asphalt which overflows to a created wet meadow.