City officials from the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Design and Construction have completed a $7 million joint project that restored three acres of wetlands at Four Sparrow Marsh.

The marsh, which sits along Jamaica Bay, is now home to thriving native grasses and a growing population of sparrows, the birds for which the area is named.

“We removed about 9,000 tons of soil and reshaped the land,” said Theoni Dellaportas, an engineer with the city’s Department of Design and Construction. “The slope allows plants with different water needs to flourish, while helping control flooding.”

The new vegetation not only filters water from Jamaica Bay but also supports juvenile fish and other wildlife, according to John McLaughlin, who leads ecosystem services for DEP.

“Wetlands serve as nurseries, reduce storm surge and pull nutrients from the water,” McLaughlin said. “They provide a lot of benefits.”

To ensure the marsh’s growth, the city installed fencing to keep local geese from feasting on the new greenery and keep the grass growing throughout the length of the protected marsh.

“This grass is like filet mignon to a goose,” McLaughlin joked. “We built 50 x 50-foot grid cells that geese avoid flying into. It keeps them away so the grasses can grow.”

Officials say the fencing is temporary. In three years, they expect the grasses to be strong enough to withstand wildlife, the water to run clearer and the marsh to thrive as a flood-resistant natural habitat.