Steven N. Handel. “Squeezing more ecological value from the SpongePark™.” Ecological Restoration 29.4 (2011): 403-404. Project MUSE. Web. 5 Oct. 2012. <http://muse.jhu.edu/>.
The author of this paper is Steven N. Handel. He has a PhD in ecology and evolution and is a professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources in Rutget’s Cook College. In Squeezing More Ecological Value from the Sponge Park, he argues that Sponge Parks have environmental, cultural, and habitat advantages. Sponge Parks will help to curb the high volume of storm water by having plants and soil absorb the water instead of having the water go through the CSOs. They also have an aesthetic value in making the community look nicer and can provide wildlife habitat for various animal species.
This paper is intended for people interested in ecological restoration. Though Sponge Park does seem to have great benefits for the environment, Handel is slightly biased in his paper, as he doesn’t address any possible negative consequences of Sponge Parks at all. He can be more objective in his paper by stating the other side, if any, and by addressing those concerns.
The main strength of Handel’s paper is the inclusion of lots of examples to make the reader understand. He goes into detail about the habitat advantages through writing about birdlife, marine life, and other animal species. The weakness
the weakness….? The piece trails off. Good job with author information. I think that you mean “Rutgers.”