A systematic literature review and content analysis combination to “shed some light” on stream daylighting (Deculverting)

Abstract

Since the start of stream daylighting (deculverting streams buried to make way for urban development) in the 1970s, several case study/project-based reviews emerged. Yet, there is a need for literature-based reviews that identify the literature’s themes, interconnections, pressing issues, and knowledge gaps. Therefore, we combine the systematic review and content analysis methods to investigate 115 peer-reviewed and grey literature publications on stream daylighting. Our findings reveal temporal shifts in the multi-/inter-disciplinary clustering patterns of the identified nine themes and 53 sub-themes. Furthermore, there is a dearth in this literature on ‘built form and urban design’, ‘inclusive planning’, and on case studies from the Global South. Last, the connections are absent between stream daylighting and nature-based solutions and climate change adaptation (e.g., vis-à-vis stormwater management, urban heat island, and rainwater harvesting) and climate mitigation (decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, such as through enhancing the opportunities for walkability, cycling, and connections to transit).