GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN YOUR BACKYARD: NORTHEAST & … · transparent decision-making process The...

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GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN YOURBACKYARD: NORTHEAST & GREAT LAKES

MAY 26, 2011

NACo is pleased to present this webinar in cooperation with the National and Urban Community Forestry Advisory Council

NACo Green Infrastructure Webinar Series

April 28 West CoastCounty-Wide Habitat Conservation Plans(recording available)

May 12Southern AreaLarge-Landscape-Scale Plans(recording available)

May 26Northeast Area & Great LakesGreen Infrastructure in urban areas

June 9 Central AreaGreen Infrastructure as a tool in flood management

Housekeeping Items:

This webinar will be recorded and made available online to NACo members to view later.

In the next few days you will receive an email notice with the link to the recording with your webinar evaluation survey.

Thank you in advance for completing the webinar evaluation survey. Your feedback is important to us.

How to Participate

Open and close your Panel

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Submit text questions

Q&A addressed at the end of today’s session,

Agenda2:00 Welcome and Review Objectives

NACo StaffPhillip Rodbell, U.S. Forest Service

2:10 Green Infrastructure: National and Regional OverviewOle Amundsen, Strategic Conservation Program ManagerThe Conservation Fund

2:25 Example: Chicago WildernessNancy Williamson, Regional Watershed CoordinatorIllinois Department of Natural Resources

2:40 Example: Montgomery County, PAMichael Stokes, Assistant DirectorMontgomery County Planning Commission

2:55 Q&A

Type your question into the questions box at any time during the presentation, and the moderator will read the question on your behalf during the Q&A session.

Question Instructions

Thank you for participating in NACo’s webinar.

You can also learn about NACo’s online education and future webinars at

www.naco.org/webinars

For more information about NACo membership, contact:

Andrew Goldschmidt at agoldschmidt@naco.org or

Ilene Manster at imanster@naco.org

Please register to attend NACo’s

2011 Annual Conference & Exposition www.naco.org/meetings

Green Infrastructure & Habitat Conservation Plans

Creating, Enhancing and Preserving the Places that Matter

A strategically

planned and

managed network

of natural lands,

working

landscapes, and

other open spaces

that conserves

ecosystem values

and functions and

provides associated

benefits to human

populations

The Green Infrastructure NetworkTHE CONSERVATION FUND

Why Infrastructure?THE CONSERVATION FUND

Infrastructure – “the substructure or underlying foundation on which the continuance and growth of a community depends” Webster’s New World Dictionary

Network connections are required for functioning infrastructure

Infrastructure features and processes need to be managed to maintain essential services

Funding for infrastructure needs to be provided up-front

Infrastructure is a necessity not an amenity

• Which lands to conserve?

• Where to permit

development?

• Where to build roads and

utilities?

• Where & how to select

mitigation projects?

•Proactivenot reactive;

• Systematicnot haphazard;

•Multi-functional not Single Purpose;

• Multiple Scales not Single Scale, and

• Scientifically defensible, transparent decision-making process

The Green Infrastructure ApproachTHE CONSERVATION FUND

Green infrastructure helps us answer… Green infrastructure benefits…

Green Infrastructure Network Elements

Attributes Examples of places Examples of functions provided

Ecological communities Parks, preserves, and reserves

Protect and restore native plants and animals

Fish and wildlife resources Wildlife refuges, game reserves, wildlife corridors.Streams, lakes

Provide habitat for wildlife, support migration,

Watersheds and water resources

Riparian lands, wetlands, groundwater recharge

Protect and restore water quality, aquatic habitat

Working landscapes with ecological values

Forestlands, rangelands,and farmlands with native habitat, working lands with restoration potential

Habitat for fish and wildlife, connecting and/or buffering network components

Natural Ecosystem Values and Functions

Green Infrastructure Network Elements

Associated Benefits to Human Populations

Attributes Examples of places Examples of functions provided

Recreation and health resources

Parks, greenways, trails Encourage exercise,connect with nature

Cultural resources Historic/interpretive sites, outdoor classrooms

Preserve link to natural and cultural heritage

Growth pattern and community character

Greenbelts, scenic vistas, viewsheds, greenways

Guide patterns of growth, foster community

Water resources Wetlands, floodplains Protect water quality and quantity, manage stormwater

Working lands with economic values

Farms, orchards, ranches, managed forests

Protect working lands as a business, maintain rural character

Core Areas: • Contain fully functional

natural ecosystems

• Provide high-quality habitat for native plants and animals

Hubs:• Slightly fragmented

aggregations of core areas, plus contiguous natural cover

Corridors:• Link core areas together

• Allow animal movement and seed and pollen transfer between core areas

Green Infrastructure Network Design Framework

• Clean air and water

• Carbon sequestration & wood products

• Water supply and hydrologic regulation

• Flood protection and storm water management

• Erosion control and sediment retention

• Regulation of water temperature

• Fish and wildlife habitat

• Recreation

• Soil and peat formation

• Pest control and pollination

• Genetic information and biological diversity

• Savings in community services

Benefits of Green InfrastructureValue of Hubs, Cores, Corridors Ecosystem services (Costanza, 1997)

• Reduces habitat

fragmentation and patch

isolation of natural systems

• Preserves interior habitat

and reduces edge habitat

• Improves resiliency from

disturbances and climate

change

• Provides a framework for

habitat restoration and

enhancement

• Provides efficient way to

protect ecosystem services

Greening the Crossroads – Central Indiana

• Covers Nine Counties,

with the City

Indianapolis/Marion

County in the center

• Convened by the Central

Indiana Land Trust

• Includes a five mile

buffer into neighboring

counties

Greening the Crossroads

A regional vision that can be used by decision makers at the local, state and federal level to provide information and guide existing planning efforts.

Nashville/Davidson County Open Space Plan

Greening the Downtown

Establish at least 10 new small parks and landscaped gateways in the next ten years in the downtown

Double the downtown tree canopy of 2016 (85 acres of trees)

Transition 20% of the suitable impervious surfaces in downtown (110 of the 556 acres per the Tree Canopy Report) to pervious surfaces or natural plantings by 2021

• Protect 22,000 acres of parks, natural areas, floodplains, and other green infrastructure by 2035.

• Connect residents to natural environment through community open spaces, large parks and 25 miles of new greenways in the next 5 years.

• Provide alternatives to motor vehicle transportation.

PRIORITIES

CONNECT PEOPLE to GREEN INFRASTRUCTURENASHVILLE:NATURALLY

• Establish large-scale preserves or other protected land in every bend of the Cumberland River in the next 10 years.

• Improve Cumberland River’s water quality by protecting its floodplain and tributaries

• Remove all streams from 303(d) list.

• Restore the Nashville Crayfish population.

PRIORITIES

SLIDE TITLESLIDENASHVILLE:NATURALLY

CONNECT WILDLIFE a nd WATER NETWORKS

• Conserve at least 1,500 acres of land for a sustainable, local food system.

• Make Nashville a national leader in urban agriculture by aggressively supporting local, sustainable food production, distribution and consumption.

• Prioritize the county’s richest soils for agricultural uses.

PRIORITIES

SUPPORT URBAN a nd RURAL FARMINGNASHVILLE:NATURALLY

Ole AmundsenManager – Strategic Conservation Programs

The Conservation Fundoamundsen@conservationfund.org

607-277-0999http://www.conservationfund.org/strategic_conservation

Green Infrastructure Resources

IslandPress.org

Case Study Examples:

MetroGreen – Kansas City, MOSaginaw Bay Greenways Collaborative, MIMilwaukee Conservation Plan, WI BioMap, MACecil County, MDKent County Green Infrastructure Assessment, DE

Green Infrastructure Community of Practice:http://www.greeninfrastructure.net/

Upcoming Course: Strategic Conservation Planning

Using a Green Infrastructure Approach

September 26-30, 2011 National Conservation Training Center

Shepherdstown, WV

Nancy WilliamsonIllinois Department of Natural ResourcesCo-Chair, Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Task Force

National Association of Counties May 26, 2011

Green Infrastructure Vision

Chicago

What is Chicago Wilderness?A regional alliance that connects people and nature

258 organizations working together to restore local nature and improve the quality of life for all who live here, by protecting the lands and waters on which we all depend.

Who is Chicago Wilderness?

• Local, state and federal agencies• Large and small conservation organizations• Chicago Wilderness Corporate Council• Cultural and Educational institutions • Volunteer groups• Municipalities• Faith-based groups

Distribution of public conservation land

• County ForestPreserve Districts

• Municipalities &Park Districts

• Federal land • State Depts. of

Natural Resources • NGOs• Township Open

Space Districts

350,000 acres in the public trust that represent core of CW

1.3 Billion in Open Space referenda

passed since 1995

CW Green Infrastructure

Vision

Chicago Wilderness consortium developed a regional (four-state)Green Infrastructure Vision for biodiversity conservation in 2004.

1.8 million acre landscape of

interconnected lands and

waters

Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Implementation

Implementation Challenges

• Local Jurisdictions were unfamiliar with GI concepts and planning

• GI Planning needs to have “hands-on” participation for local buy-in.

• Inequalities in county/community staff and resources

• Some funding support/technical assistance needs to be provided

CW Sustainable Watershed Action Team (SWAT)

• CW and Private Foundation funded

• Hires area consulting firms for technical expertise (i.e. engineer to engineer)

• Provides workshops on Conservation Design, LID, storm water infiltration, BMPs

• Provides direct assistance for ordinance writing, natural resource planning and GI planning.

• Need for “Hands-On” Technical Assistance to Local Jurisdictions

• Local jurisdictions were unfamiliar with GI concepts and planning

A top GO TO 2040 priority is to expand the green infrastructure network:

– Increase parks. Provide more parks in developed areas to increase park accessibility.

– Preserve natural areas. Preserve the most important natural areas in the region.

– Make connections. Provide functional connections between parks and preserves, using the green infrastructure network as a design concept.

Recommendations

CMAP GoTo 2040 Plan“Goal: Increase Conservation Open Space from

250,000 to 400,000 acres”

CMAP Local Technical Assistance Program (LTA)• HUD Sustainable Cities federal grant funded October 2101

$4.25 award - three-year program• Provide direct assistance for ordinance writing, comprehensive plan

development, GI planning

• CMAP earmarks $150,000 towards GIS resource layer development which will cover Illinois’ CW area

• Some funding support/technical assistance needs to be provided

• Inequalities in county/community staff and resources

• Final stages of 2040 Regional Comprehensive Plan – posted for public input

• Acknowledges natural resource protection opportunities identified in multiple plans, including CW Green Infrastructure Vision

• “Growth is planned, natural and rural areas are valued and protected, and our environment is clean”

• NIRPC – Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission

“Hands-On” Technical Assistance to Local Jurisdictions

McHenry County IL

McHenry County IL - Green Infrastructure Planning

• Maintaining natural system integrity• Preserving natural features• Minimizing impact on resources• Promoting open space• Linking open space• Permitting wildlife movement • Preserving environmentally sensitive corridors• Connecting trails and open space• Enhancing recreational trail opportunities

County 2030 Comprehensive Plan competed April 2010. Greenways, Open Space, and Natural Resources Chapter calls for:

• Site - Comprehensive Stormwater Ordinance

• Community/Neighborhood -Conservation Design Ordinance

• Plan called for greenways planning and references Green Infrastructure as a planning tool

McHenry County has two levels of GI planning in place:

• Worked through County Board and County Board Chairman

• County provided letter of interest to Grand Victoria Foundation

• County planning staff were directed to work with SWAT (including hired consultant) to set up format and schedule for GI mapping

• Two-year schedule• GIS coordination with County

staff• Create an existing resource

inventory map for entire county

• Collect and integrate other county open space trails and plans

• Provide multiple stakeholder meetings for input and to identify gaps

• Develop implementation recommendations

“Core” Green Infrastructure Layers

- Water (lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks)- Wetlands (NRCS, ADID)- FEMA flood hazard areas- Hydrologic Atlas (HA) series- MCNAI - McHenry Co. Natural Areas Inventory- INAI Sites (I-V)- IDNR Nature Preserve sites- IDNR Land and Water Reserve Preserve sites- Conservation Easements - Threatened and Endangered Species - Class III Groundwatershed areas- McHenry Co. Conservation Dist. sites & trails- State trails- Open space mapping (from 2030 Plan)- Buffers -- to be added to streams, wetlands,

and/or other selected resources.)

Supporting Green Infrastructure

• Remnant oak woodlands (MCCD 2005))• Hydric Soils • Sensitive Aquifer Recharge Areas (SARA)• Steep slopes• Watersheds and sub-watersheds• Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure• State Conservation Opportunity Areas (COA

areas from Wildlife Action Plan)• Proposed NWR Hackmatack boundaries• Natural resource and open space mapping

from adjacent counties – for connections • Mapping from adopted watershed plans• Agricultural preservation areas• Highly Erodible Soils• Highly Permeable Soils• Organic Soils• Other local open space and trails plans

Potential Green Infrastructure Benefits• Improved water quality• Enhanced groundwater recharge• Preservation of aquatic and terrestrial

habitat, including wildlife corridors• Reduced flood damage• Reduced erosion• Greenway, trail, and open space

connections• Enhanced recreational opportunities• Reduced life-cycle costs of infrastructure• “Ecotourism” opportunities• Community health*• Ecological services (define if different from

above?)*• Climate change mitigation*• Economic – other*

Part way through the process and still to come:

• All day refinement workshop with County Staff and county resource experts

• Meeting of local park districts, municipalities and townships to gather additional information

• Iterative meetings with County’s Natural Resources and Environment Committee

• Plan recommendations• Public meetings• County Board adoption

Nancy Williamson Nancy.Williamson@illinois.gov

http://www.chicagowilderness.org/GIV.php

Green Infrastructure Vision

Montgomery County Open Space Program

Building Green Infrastructure

Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned

Our Montgomery County

Two Open Space Initiatives

1993 to 2003: Montgomery County Open Space Program County Commissioners’ Ordinance- $100 Million Initiative $66 Million in County funds invested

2003 to Date: Green Fields/Green Towns Program Fall 2003 Voter Referendum for $150 Million So far $87 Million in County funds invested

Total Funds Leveraged from both Pgms: $114 Million

Accomplishments

More than 19,000 acres preserved 7,000 acres municipal parkland acquired 600 acres county parkland acquired 4,600 acres conservation properties preserved 7,000 acres working farms preserved 45 miles of multi-use trails added Open space plans and plan updates funded in all county

municipalities 50+ park improvement projects completed

Everything Begins with Good Open Space Planning

Buildout Analysis

Inventorying Protected Land

Analyzing Natural Resources

Defining Open Space Protection Priority

Open Space Grant Options

Green Infrastructure Heritage resources conservation Municipal trail and pathway development Farmland preservation Flood plain restoration Schuylkill River Greenway

Acquisition Grant Projects

Open lands with scenic, recreation, or natural value

Floodplains and wetlands Woodlands and steep slopes Land for trails, greenways,

and pocket parks Central plazas and town

squares

Redevelop unused public land for recreation

Before

Cynwyd Heritage Trail

Souderton Plaza

Farmland Preservation

More than just farmland

Success

Full participation in planning Partnerships with various groups Hundreds of great projects successfully funded Preservation of large farms and important

landscapes Development of key green infrastructure that

fosters redevelopment success Trail system development

Challenges

Annoying details Small, in my backyard thinking Deal making capacity and options Match funding leverage

Large scale greenway

Program Changes

Allowance for in-kind donation match Municipal grant flexibility Additional funding for trails and farmland

protection Focus on large scale multi-county river greenway

Future Challenges

Funding, funding, and more funding Monitoring properties preserved through grants Municipal education and outreach Integrating open space and economic

development Keeping open space preservation and green

infrastructure an important political issue

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN YOUR BACKYARD: NORTHEAST & … · transparent decision-making process The...

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