Green Green Infrastructure Infrastructure Case ExamplesCase Examples

Many components can make up a GI Many components can make up a GI strategystrategy

Green Infrastruct

ure Strategy

Describing Cores, Hubs

Protection and

Restoration Tools

Connections via Green and Blue Corridors

Existing

Constraints

Desired Conditions

and Opportuniti

es

Assessment of Features e.g.

vegetative cover

Case Studies in Green Case Studies in Green InfrastructureInfrastructure

Regional

County

City

Who is doing this work?

State agencies, e.g. forestry and park departments

Regional planning districts, e.g. New River

Conservation groups, e.g. TNC and Conservation Fund, American Forests, Arbor Day Foundation, Trust for Public Lands

Associations, e.g. International Society of Aboriculture & American Planning Association

Universities, e.g. VA Tech, UVA, U. of FL

Bioregion Example: Two Countries One Forest

Appalachian/Acadian ecoregion

Includes 80-million acres and forests spanning eastern edge of North America

Spans two countries, five states and four provinces.

5.4 million people live here.

Rare alpine vegetation, at-risk species, old-growth forests

Ecoregion risks being separated into a series of ecological islands.

Bioregion Example: Two Countries One Forest

5 priority linkages: Black River Valley (connecting Tug Hill and the Adirondacks in New York State),

Lake Champlain Valley (connecting Adirondacks and Vermont),

Green-Sutton Mountains (connecting Vermont and Quebec),

Gaspe Peninsula-Northern Maine,

Chignecto Isthmus (connecting New Brunswick and Nova Scotia).

FL Greenways & Ecological Network Project

FL Greenways & Ecological Network Project

Results:

The Ecological Network includes 57% (22.8 million acres) of state’s land and open water.

Coastal waters, existing public conservation lands, and private preserves comprise 53% of the Ecological Network.

Private lands made up 37% of the network; proposed public conservation lands rounded out the network’s areas .

Next Steps and Current Status:

Development of Florida Greenways and Trails System based on ecological and recreational networks.

700,000 acres of land and 1,500 miles of trails designated as of 2004.

Land acquisition and conservation efforts focused on ten critical linkages between important protected areas in regions with heavy growth pressure.

Ongoing updating and refining of network’s GIS model.

FL Greenways & Ecological Network Project

Maryland Greenways, Green Infrastructure Assessment, and

GreenPrint Program

Maryland Greenways Commission, 1991

Statewide green infrastructure assessment, mid-1990s

GreenPrint Program 2001

Assessment Goals and Next Steps:

Systematically identify, protect ecologically important lands,

Address problems of forest fragmentation, habitat degradation, and water quality,

Maximize effectiveness of conservation investments,

Promote shared responsibilities for land conservation between public and private sectors,

Encourage compatible uses and land management practices,

Provide coordination and targeting of mitigation efforts to enhance urban environments and land conservation goals.

Maryland Greenways, Green Infrastructure Assessment, and

GreenPrint Program

Maryland Greenways, Green Infrastructure Assessment, and

GreenPrint ProgramResults:

1,762,299 acres of hubs / 262,591 acres of corridors (77% forest, 23% wetlands, 1% beaches).

33% of total state land area, 63% of the state’s forestland, 87% of the state’s wetland resources, 91% of the state’s streams within interior forests, and 99.9% of the state’s natural heritage areas.

26% of Maryland’s green infrastructure protected (by federal, state or local ownership or conservation easements).

Florida Maryland

Ecological and recreational resources

Areas of ecological importance

Stakeholders engaged in public meetings

Organizations, state agencies, local gov’t

Reject unsuitable/cleared/ag lands, high road density

ditto

Include lands most ecologically valuable and most vulnerable to development

ditto

County Example

Prince Georges County, MD.

Builds on state assessment findings.

2025 goals and objectives set.

Additional focus on natural hazard mitigation (steep slopes, expanded riparian corridors).

Charlottesville City Charlottesville City ExampleExample

Fall 2007 University Class: Green Fall 2007 University Class: Green Cities – Green LandsCities – Green Lands

Tree Canopy and Street Trees Tree Canopy and Street Trees Streams and StormwaterStreams and Stormwater Trails and LinkagesTrails and Linkages Green Building Green Building

Mapped forest Mapped forest canopy in GIS canopy in GIS by digitizing by digitizing aerial photos.aerial photos.

Set goals for Set goals for future canopy future canopy Today = Today = 31.6 %31.6 % Future = Future = 40 %40 %

Tree CanopyTree Canopy

Trails: Linkages for people and Trails: Linkages for people and wildlife wildlife

Rivanna Trail =

Rivanna Trail =

How can we link to existing trails?

How can we create new linkages and for what purpose?

As recreational amenities, trails can be offered as proffers.

Stream buffersGreen Infrastructure also

includes blueways. Riparian

areas are critical wildlife

linkages.Meadow Creek

Moore’s Creek

Rivanna River

Healthy Stream Buffer Characteristics

Dense, native woody vegetation

Tree canopy to keep water cool

Stable vegetated banks

Floodplains free of encroachment

Moore’s Creek

This creek requires stream buffers … This creek requires stream buffers … note where they are insufficient …. note where they are insufficient ….

Class mapped rest of potential buffers.

50, 75 or 100 feet.

Seek to not impact > 30% existing structures.

Look for places where easy to protect.

City is now drafting this into an ordinance!

Examples of green building policies in comp plan

Goal A: Promote the achievement of a 30 percent reduction from current Goal A: Promote the achievement of a 30 percent reduction from current energy use by businesses and residences through a citywide education, energy use by businesses and residences through a citywide education, assistance and incentive program.assistance and incentive program.

  

Objective A1: Objective A1: Provide residents and businesses with information about energy Provide residents and businesses with information about energy efficiency and green building programs and opportunities for energy use efficiency and green building programs and opportunities for energy use reduction, such as Energy Star®, Earth Craft® and LEED through a City web reduction, such as Energy Star®, Earth Craft® and LEED through a City web site, web links to other programs and educational workshops and site, web links to other programs and educational workshops and presentations.presentations.

Goal B: Encourage green building and resource and energy conservation Goal B: Encourage green building and resource and energy conservation practices in new and existing buildings through financial incentives.practices in new and existing buildings through financial incentives.

Objective B1: Objective B1: Consider opportunities for awarding density bonuses for those Consider opportunities for awarding density bonuses for those developers who commit to build LEED silver® or better certified buildings.developers who commit to build LEED silver® or better certified buildings.

Site Scale Green Site Scale Green Infrastructure Infrastructure

What happens at the site scale is important What happens at the site scale is important too .too .

GI requires an ability to scale up and downGI requires an ability to scale up and down

Monticello Example:

Viewsheds can be part of GI strategy

Moore’s creek in Charlottesville , Virginia – Before restoration

Restoration Strategies to Expand Green Infrastructure

Moore’s creek in Charlottesville – After – Habitat and Geometry restored to natural patterns. Wow!

Student Project for Madison County

Part of a larger project to develop a green infrastructure strategy based on Comp Plan Goals.

University of Virginia Students:

Defined, assessed and mapped green assets.

Developed proposed strategies for protecting assets.

Developed tools to promote GI as new planning paradigm.

The Comprehensive

PlanGoal :Goal : Maintain agriculture and forestry as the Maintain agriculture and forestry as the

primary land use in the Countyprimary land use in the County..

  Objective: Objective: Develop a plan for providing land owners options Develop a plan for providing land owners options for the voluntary preservation of farm and forest landsfor the voluntary preservation of farm and forest lands..

     1. Enhance current zoning and planning practices which 1. Enhance current zoning and planning practices which allow for and encourage the retention of farm and forest allow for and encourage the retention of farm and forest lands.lands.

Goal : Goal : Protect and enhance the natural ecosystems Protect and enhance the natural ecosystems and working lands that support the County’s quality and working lands that support the County’s quality of life and economic baseof life and economic base

  ObjectiveObjective: Protect the natural resource base : Protect the natural resource base

  

2. 2. Establish a county Purchase of Development Rights Establish a county Purchase of Development Rights program or Transfer of Development Rights program as program or Transfer of Development Rights program as allowed by the state legislature. Pursue all available allowed by the state legislature. Pursue all available state, federal and private funds compatible with any state, federal and private funds compatible with any program developed.program developed.

3. 3. Encourage adding financial incentives for establishing Encourage adding financial incentives for establishing agriculture and forestall districts. agriculture and forestall districts.

  

4. 4. Encourage economic development in the county that is Encourage economic development in the county that is compatible with agriculture and forestry.compatible with agriculture and forestry.

  

5. 5. Continue the timed phasing of subdivisions of land such Continue the timed phasing of subdivisions of land such as the current 4 divisions in 10 years as a tool to assist as the current 4 divisions in 10 years as a tool to assist keeping large tracts intactkeeping large tracts intact

Thanks for

your suppor

t!