Keeping it Wild: John Ball Zoo’s Landscape Mimics Natural Environment

John Ball Zoo, located on 110 acres in Grand Rapids’ Westside neighborhood, with direct drainage to the Grand River, attracts over 520,000 visitors annually.  Offering multiple zoo experiences and adventures to the community, the zoo seeks to inspire individuals to be active in wildlife conservation and protect their natural environment.  With a rich history of conservation efforts, John Ball Zoo has invested heavily in efforts to protect water resources in West Michigan.  Recently, following a twelve-month period of performance monitoring and a third-party audit to meet stormwater management qualifications, it is seeking the Pedal Certification from the Living Building Challenge, one of a select few local properties to do so.

These recent accomplishments follow a quarter century commitment that began in the 1990s parallel to major investments to the City of Grand Rapids water infrastructure.  The combined sewer separation and related municipal projects had increased the prevalence of local water conservation education and advocacy.

In response, John Ball Zoo first began calculating the volume of water its facilities used.  As of 2002, an estimated 89 million gallons of water were used to operate facilities and take care of the animals, a figure that initially alarmed staff and motivated improvements.  Coupled with guest education highlighting the importance of clean water for animals and their habitats, the resulting efficiency efforts reduced it’s water consumption by over 70 million gallons!

These early successes helped facilitate new discussions about how the zoo could work to mitigate stormwater runoff.   The 127- year-old property is nestled into a hillside with steep inclines, up to 108 feet of elevation.  One third of the property has been left undeveloped to further promote conservation efforts, limiting the total impervious space, but there are also natural underground springs that present challenges to stormwater infiltration, exacerbated by a heavy volume of water and poor soil quality.

John Ball Zoo green roofs are not only aesthetically pleasing, they infiltrate stormwater and help keep animal habitats cool.

In 2008, John Ball Zoo built its first green roof on an exhibit, allowing stormwater to infiltrate where it falls while providing an aesthetically pleasing view from above and helping to cool the animals’ habitat. Since then, John Ball Zoo has added four more green roofs with a mixture of both native and non-native plants to its buildings, with plans to add two more in 2019.   Four of the six existing green roofs were installed by zoo personnel.

The green roofs are expected to perform as well and last as long as conventional roofing, but with an aesthetically pleasing touch for visitors and benefits for the animals.  Building on these successes, it has also installed garden walls, one of which is 12 feet tall and 80 feet wide.  In addition to the stormwater benefits, these features help to introduce vegetation into an environment where it would not be traditionally found, have a cooling effect, and help to reduce contaminants in the air.

Innovative leaders at John Ball Zoo are continuing to research and connect with experts in the field to explore alternative solutions to conventional stormwater infrastructure.

Leveraging Stormwater Management for Habitat and Animal Care

In the near future, John Ball Zoo plans to install stormwater separators to clean runoff before it reaches the pond outside its front gate at the bottom of the hill.  The original intent of this man-made pond is unknown, but the stormwater separator should increase its water quality enough for its water to be used for watering plants and providing water to animals.

The benefits of nature-based solutions are easily outweighing the costs of implementation and maintenance. Green stormwater infrastructure solutions has provided value for guests, animal habitats  and the community.

Innovative leaders at John Ball Zoo are continuing to research and connect with experts in the field to explore alternative solutions to reduce the quantity of water used on its property and increase water quality before it flows into the Grand River, vigilant against the natural constraints of the site.

Stormwater management featured prominently in its most recent expansion.  When the Forest Realm region of the park was created, it was designed to capture the first flush on the premises by implementing leaching basins and designing walkways with wood ash fines, a naturally permeable material.

As John Ball Zoo looks to the future, they continue to be conscious of the quantity of water it will take to allow additional animals to be brought into the zoo.  Steady growth and implementation of green infrastructure will continue throughout the zoo.  From green roofs and garden walls to future parking areas with permeable pavers and vegetation strips, John Ball Zoo is dedicated to reducing water usage and improving water quality.

John Ball Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 1891 and located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Guided by the four core values of Conservation, Education, Community, and Celebrate, John Ball Zoo accomplishes the mission to inspire our community to be actively engaged in the conservation of wildlife and our natural environment.  Its facilities are home to over 200 species and hosts 520,000 visitors annually. John Ball zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is measured against the established standards and best practices in animal welfare, conservation, sustainability, education, business, and more. In efforts to become more sustainable, the Zoo has reduced it’s water consumption, implemented green roofs, and works toward becoming zero-waste.