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:
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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
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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
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 [email protected]
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
Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Implementation
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”
Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Implementation
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
Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Implementation
• 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
Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Implementation
“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:
McHenry County IL - Green Infrastructure Planning
• 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:
McHenry County IL - Green Infrastructure Planning
• 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
McHenry County IL - Green Infrastructure Planning
• 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
McHenry County IL - Green Infrastructure Planning
“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.)
McHenry County IL - Green Infrastructure Planning
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
McHenry County IL - Green Infrastructure Planning
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*
McHenry County IL - Green Infrastructure Planning
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 [email protected]
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
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
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
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
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
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Everything Begins with Good Open Space Planning
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Buildout Analysis
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Inventorying Protected Land
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Analyzing Natural Resources
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Defining Open Space Protection Priority
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Open Space Grant Options
Green Infrastructure Heritage resources conservation Municipal trail and pathway development Farmland preservation Flood plain restoration Schuylkill River Greenway
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
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
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Redevelop unused public land for recreation
Before
After
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Cynwyd Heritage Trail
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Souderton Plaza
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Farmland Preservation
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
More than just farmland
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
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
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
Challenges
Annoying details Small, in my backyard thinking Deal making capacity and options Match funding leverage
Large scale greenway
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
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
Montgomery County Open Space Program Lessons Learned
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
