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| John Harer | |
|---|---|
| Name | John Harer |
| Birth date | 1958 |
| Birth place | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Occupation | Conservationist; Urban Planner; Environmental Engineer |
| Known for | River restoration; Urban waterways revitalization; Community-based conservation |
| Alma mater | University of Pennsylvania; Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Awards | MacArthur Fellowship; Heinz Award |
John Harer is an American conservationist, urban planner, and environmental engineer known for pioneering approaches to river restoration and urban waterway revitalization. His interdisciplinary work spans ecological engineering, community engagement, and policy advocacy, integrating practices across United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Park Service, American Society of Civil Engineers, World Wildlife Fund, and municipal agencies. Harer's projects are noted for combining technical river morphology with social design, influencing initiatives in cities such as Philadelphia, New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Harer grew up near the Schuylkill River and was influenced by local conservation efforts involving groups like the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Audubon Society. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied environmental engineering and urban studies, engaging with faculty associated with the School of Design and research centers linked to the National Science Foundation. Harer pursued graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in civil and environmental engineering, collaborating with researchers connected to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and the MIT Urban Studies and Planning program. During his formative years he worked on interdisciplinary teams with practitioners from the American Rivers organization and the River Network.
Harer's professional career began with roles at municipal water agencies and consulting firms partnered with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency. He served as a project manager for urban watershed restoration programs in collaboration with the Municipal Water Authority of Philadelphia and later as a director at nonprofit organizations aligned with the Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land. Harer held academic appointments as a visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania Department of Landscape Architecture, and lectured at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and the Yale School of the Environment. His interdisciplinary teams frequently included members from the American Rivers, Society for Ecological Restoration, International Rivers, and municipal planning departments from Los Angeles and Boston.
Harer led and contributed to a series of high-profile river and urban watershed projects that combined ecological restoration, floodplain reconnection, and community stewardship. Notable efforts include restoration planning for the Schuylkill River Trail network in coordination with the Philadelphia Water Department, a daylighting project for urban streams influenced by initiatives in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, and revitalization of waterfronts modeled after the High Line and Battery Park City developments in collaboration with landscape architects from the American Society of Landscape Architects.
He advanced methods in ecological engineering through pilot projects that applied techniques from the Society of Wetland Scientists and the International Erosion Control Association, integrating native plantings from the New York Botanical Garden and sediment management strategies informed by research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Harer's work on combined sewer overflow mitigation drew on technologies promoted by the Water Environment Federation and partnerships with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. He also developed community-based stewardship models inspired by the Greenbelt Movement and community land trusts such as those supported by the Robin Hood Foundation and local chapters of the Sierra Club.
Harer received multiple honors recognizing his cross-sector impact, including a MacArthur Fellowship for inventive approaches to urban ecology and a Heinz Award for contributions to the environment. He has been cited by the American Society of Civil Engineers with a distinguished project award and received recognition from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for integrating cultural heritage into waterfront design. Professional societies including the Society for Ecological Restoration and the American Planning Association have featured Harer as a speaker and awarded him lifetime achievement accolades. Municipal proclamations from cities like Philadelphia and New York City have acknowledged his leadership in river restoration initiatives.
Harer has been active in community organizations and sits on advisory boards for nonprofits such as American Rivers and local conservancies affiliated with the Nature Conservancy. He maintains connections to academic institutions including the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Institute of Technology through guest lectures and mentorship. Harer resides in the Greater Philadelphia area and has collaborated with family members in volunteer stewardship projects coordinated with groups like the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
Harer's legacy lies in mainstreaming integrated urban waterway restoration across municipal agencies, nonprofit networks, and academic disciplines, influencing practices at institutions such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, World Bank urban programs, and regional planning commissions in the Northeast United States. His emphasis on melding ecological function with public access helped shape policy frameworks adopted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature-affiliated initiatives and urban resilience programs promoted by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Harer's methodologies continue to inform curriculum at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Columbia University, and professional training by the American Planning Association and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Category:American conservationists Category:Urban planners Category:1958 births