Green Infrastructure and Landcare
2010 Regional Centers of Excellence in Green Infrastructure
The National Association of Regional Councils, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, released a national call for applications for its 2010 Regional Centers of Excellence awards. Two grants, in the amount of $5,000-7,500 each, will be awarded to regional planning organizations to promote green infrastructure best practices, programs and projects to their peers through communication projects. This application period is currently closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted applications; additional information will be available in the coming weeks. Contact Jenee Kresge with any questions. For more information on past Regional Centers of Excellence, click here or visit the Green Infrastructure section of this website.
Learn
Green infrastructure is the network of natural lands, working landscapes and other open spaces that are strategically planned and managed to conserve their ecological functions while also providing associated benefits to human populations. Through the strategic development and maintenance of green infrastructure, regions can promote healthy, vibrant ecosystems, reduce pollution and protect valuable working lands and recreational areas.
While green infrastructure can be developed and maintained on a variety of scales, regional work in green infrastructure is especially influential because of the nature and responsibilities of regional organizations. Many regional organizations engage in water and wastewater treatment, transportation planning and environmental planning for multiple municipalities that make up all or part of a larger watershed or ecosystem. A region's woods, wetlands, meadows and grassy areas naturally filter storm water, reduce air pollution and enhance a community's beauty and livability. New concerns about global climate change increase the importance of green space to absorb greenhouse gases and to buffer against the possibility of increased storms. By promoting environmental inventories and mapping projects, low impact development, conservation easements and integrated wastewater management, regional organizations can harness the power of nature to increase the capacity and performance of traditional infrastructure.
Landcare, the community-based practice of holistic, cooperative and sustainable land management techniques is an integral aspect of maintaining green infrastructure. Through the Australian-born, citizen-led Landcare movement, communities across the United States have begun to care for their green infrastructure at the grassroots level. Landcare, as a government-supported practice, is complementary to government-led green infrastructure activities, empowering citizens, landowners, business owners and all community stakeholders to improve the landscapes surrounding them.
Explore
The annotated links below provide information on a variety of current green infrastructure topics.
Community Forest Northwest (England): Green Infrastructure for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation website describes the role of green infrastructure in helping communities reduce greenhouse gases and adapt to climate changes.
The Conservation Fund: The Conservation Fund has developed a Green Infrastructure website, with information on green infrastructure, example projects and a list of resources.
EPA Office of Water: The EPA Office of Water promotes the use of green infrastructure to manage wet weather. They also provide information on Low Impact Development, a way to preserve green infrastructure in land-use planning and site design. You can also click here for the EPA's Green Infrastructure Policies and Resolutions.
Green Infrastructure Center: The Green Infrastructure Center is a nonprofit organization that provides information on and promotes a green infrastructure approach to planning and decision-making. Check out their resources, available here, to see some plans and projects that they have completed.
Green Infrastructure Community of Practice: A collaborative network of organizations and agencies that are actively involved in the green infrastructure approach to strategic conservation has developed a Community of Practice. The website features information on joining the Community of Practice, along with resources developed by members.
Landcare Australia: Landcare Online, supported by Landcare Australia, provides information on Landcare activities and programs in Australia, where the practice originated.
Landcare Central: Landcare Central features information on the history of the Landcare movement, links, projects, resources and much more. In the Resources section, you can find a summary of the 2007 National Landcare Workshop (PDF) and other helpful resources.
National Association of Regional Councils: Visit NARC's Green Infrastructure and Landcare Workshops webpage for information on 11 workshops and webinars held between 2001 and the present. The June 1, 2009 workshop, held in Denver, CO featured speakers from NARC's Regional Centers of Excellence initiative, the Forest Service and the National Association of Conservation Districts. The January 25, 2010 webinar featured final presentations from NARC's 2009 RCEs and includes final reports on the 2009 projects and overall initiative.
National Association of Conservation Districts: Conservation Districts can play a significant role in supporting regional green infrastructure activities. For more information on their urban forestry and green infrastructure work, click here.
TreePeople: TreePeople is an environmental nonprofit that works to provide a sustainable future for Los Angeles with an urban forestry and green infrastructure approach. The TreePeople Center for Community Forestry provides resources and examples of projects within the LA region utilizing a green infrastructure approach. TreePeole's YouTube Channel also provides excellent videos explaining their work, promoting their projects and the success of a green infrastructure approach to conservation.
USDA Forest Service Cooperative and Urban Forestry: The Urban and Community Forestry Department provides green infrastructure related research and tools through their work on urban sustainability and climate change.
USDA National Agroforestry Center: The National Agroforestry Center, a partnership of the U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, conducts research, develops technologies and tools, coordinatse demonstrations and training, and provides information to natural resource professionals.
Share
Many regional planning organizations are involved in projects to increase energy efficiency and develop clean energy sources in their regions. The information below highlights some of these organizations. Please share your experiences through our survey by clicking here!
Project Locations: Central Illinois | Hamilton County, IA | Gulfport, MI | Kansas City, MO | Philadelphia, PA | New River Valley, Southwestern VA | Washington, DC | Eastern Wisconsin
Project Title:
Urban Forestry for Healthier Watersheds
Project Type:
Watershed Management, Ecosystem Repair
Project Location:
Central Illinois
Contact:
Melissa Eaton, (309) 673-9330
Tri-County Regional Planning Commission
Detailed Project Information:
Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties in central Illinois are home to thousands of acres of contiguous oak-hickory forests on glacial bluffs lining the Illinois River. These form an important economic and recreational ecosystem flowing through the heart of the community. While much of the Illinois River Bluffs has remained unscathed by development, urbanization on the fringes and a lack of fire disturbance over the past 100 years is leading to overpopulation of invasive species, eroding slopes and sedimentation of the Illinois River.
To reverse this trend in forest degradation, the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission has partnered with Peoria Park District, several local units of government, and hundreds of landowners to thin invasive tree and shrub species on the bluffs, reintroduce fire, and breathe life into a once thriving open-canopy oak-hickory forest. The work was completed first through an intensive educational initiative, followed by cost share programs funded in part by EPA and USDA. As a result, native species are once again populating the bluffs. These functioning ecosystems continue to provide vital services to hold soils in place, filter stormwater, and improve Illinois River Watershed health. For more information visit the Tri-County RPC's website.
Project Title:
Boone River Landcare Project
Project Type:
Landcare, Watershed Management, Agriculture
Project Location:
Hamilton County, IA
Project Information:
The Mid-Iowa Development Association Council of Governments (MIDAS COG), in conjunction with the Prairie Rivers Regional Conservation and Development District, the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and several other partners developed a partnership supported by the USDA Forest Service, NARC and the Nature Conservancy to support a Landcare initiative in the sub-watershed of the Boone River of north central Iowa. By hiring a project coordinator to work one-on-one with area farmers and community members, the region developed consensus and implemented several soil conservation and urban conservation techniques. The goal of these techniques was to benefit the community while also reducing the sediment runoff and particle borne contaminants contributing to the Gulf of Mexico's Hypoxia Zone. For more information on this project, please click HERE to access a more detailed NARC case study.
Project Title:
Mapping Greenway Connectivity
Project Type:
Green Infrastructure and Landcare
Project Location:
Gulfport, MI
Contact:
Allison Beasley
228.868.2311
Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District (SMPDD)
Project Information:
SMPDD inventoried and mapped greenways and sustainable streets throughout the city of Gulfport and Harrison County, MI, analyzing the greenway accessibility and connectivity. Where accessibility and connectivity did not exist, SMPDD and the Gulfport Greenways Development Committee, with citizen input, developed recommendations to improve accessibility and interconnectivity, providing the public with preserved green space, increased recreational and transportation opportunities, improved health and a stronger connection to nature and sense of place. SMPDD used volunteers with handheld global positioning system (GPS) units to map all greenways and sustainable sidewalks by longitude and latitude.
As a recipient of NARC and the U.S. Forest Service's Mississippi Valley Regional Center of Excellence Award, SMPDD completed this demonstration project and participated in national workshops and webinars to increase their green infrastructure and Landcare capacity, as well as promote this kind of work at the regional and national level. The interactive map created through this project can be accessed here and more information on SMPDD can be found on its website.
Project Title:
MetroGreen
Project Type:
Green Infrastructure, Greenways Plan
Project Location:
Kansas City, MO
Contact:
Jennifer Blattman, 816-474-4240
Mid-America Regional Council (MARC)
Project Information:
The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) has been a prominent regional figure in green infrastructure and Landcare for several years. MARC recently updated its regional greenway plan, entitled MetroGreen. MetroGreen continues a tradition of valuing green space in the Kansas City area by extending the "parkways and boulevards" concept of the 1894 Kessler Plan for the city. MetroGreen enhances this commitment by identifying more than 75 separate corridors to form a regional network of greenways that connects many of the areas most valuable natural assets. More information is available on MARC's MetroGreen website and in MetroGreen: Preserving the Possibilities.
Project Title:
Linking Green Infrastructure and Transportation
Project Type:
Green Infrastructure
Project Location:
Philadelphia, PA
Contact:
Karin Morris, AICP, 215.238.2858
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC)
Project Information:
In its long-range plan, Destination 2030, DVRPC recognizes the importance of regional green infrastructure protection, including the preservation of 500,000 acres of natural features (in addition to the 477,000 acres already protected), to create an interconnected system of greenways. Using a new environmental screening tool, DVRPC links environmental and transportation planning in its Long-Range Transportation Plan. DVRPC also promotes a local "Green Streets" program to address the environmental consequences of impervious surfaces. More information on DVRPC's green infrastructure work and Destination 2030 plan can be found on DVRPC's website.
As a recipient of NARC's 2009 Regional Centers of Excellence Award, DVRPC increased its region-to-region outreach through an expanded website, written materials, outreach at community meetings, partnerships with local and state environmental organizations, and presentations at national conferences. Checks out the final report on DVRPC's RCE project here.
Project Title:
Green Infrastructure Initiative in the New River Valley
Project Type:
Green Infrastructure Mapping
Project Location:
New River Valley, Southwestern VA
Contact:
Regina Elsner
New River Valley Planning District Commission
Project Information:
Virginia's New River Valley is home to a multitude of natural and cultural resources. Localities in the region have expressed a desire for both a set of maps identifying green infrastructure and an in-depth planning tool to enable protection of natural resources and open spaces. Since 2006, the New River Valley Planning District Commission (NRVPDC) has been engaged in an initiative to identify the region's green infrastructure.
A diverse set of stakeholders was convened to undertake this project, with representatives from member localities and numerous organizations including the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, New River Land Trust, Virginia Department of Forestry, and LandCare. Following two years of education and outreach, the Green Infrastructure Initiative is currently developing maps for completion in 2009; afterwards the steering committee will shift focus to implementation. For more information, visit the Green Infrastructure Initiative Website.
Project Title:
Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project
Project Type:
Green Infrastructure, Mapping
Project Location:
Washington, DC Metropolitan Region
Contact:
Brian Lecouteur
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
Project Information:
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) received funding from the National Park Service National Capital Region to produce green infrastructure maps through the Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project in 2004. The maps depict the region's land use / land cover, its increase in developed land over time and its impervious surfaces. With the maps as a solid foundation, MWCOG has engaged in several other green infrastructure projects, including periodic forums and other products. For more information on the mapping project, please click HERE. For information on MWCOG's overall green infrastructure week, please click HERE.
Project Title:
Bay-Lake Region Environmental Corridors
Project Type:
Green Infrastructure, Mapping and Outreach
Project Location:
Green Bay, WI (Eastern Wisconsin)
Contact:
Angela Pierce
Natural Resources Planner
Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission
Project Information:
The Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission began mapping eastern Wisconsin's "environmental corridors" in 1997. The region has over 400 miles of coastal shoreline and 12 major watershed areas along Lake Michigan and Green Bay; mapped corridors include 600,000 acres of wetlands, 1,300 lakes, and 300 waterways, plus intermittent streams, 100-year floodplains, and other important sites.
When mapping was completed in 2005, the Commission developed comprehensive reports on the corridors for each county and for the region as a whole. For its ongoing work, the Bay-Lake RPC was dubbed a 2009 Regional Center of Excellence and awarded a grant from NARC in May 2009. The Commission used that grant to develop and distribute full-color mini-posters with maps and useful information about green infrastructure. The mini-posters were distributed to all 185 local units of government, natural resources partners and other interested stakeholders through meetings, workshops and conferences. For more information on Bay-Lake RPC's green infrastructure program click here and to see the final report on Bay-Lake's RCE project, click here.
Act
Engage in Green Infrastructure Groups: Learn more about green infrastructure, exchange information with other regional planning organizations and experts in the field of green infrastructure and conservation planning.
Join the Community of Practice: The Community of Practice meets regularly through meetings held in Washington, DC that include participants from across the country via conference call. Submit your organization's information here or contact Jenee Kresge for NARC to connect you with the group.
Participate in NARC's Green Infrastructure Work: NARC has a Green Infrastructure and Landcare Advisory Council that meets via conference call to advise NARC on its green infrastructure program and oversee NARC's Regional Centers of Excellence initiative. Contact Jenee Kresge for more information on the Advisory Council and NARC's green infrastructure and Landcare programs or check out NARC's Elements and Strategies for a Successful Green Infrastructure project.Identify Existing Landcare Activities and Groups: By engaging in Landcare activities already taking place within your region, your regional council can gather stakeholder input and identify key green infrastructure at risk or in need of conservation.
Visit Landcare Central: Landcare Central has a list of Landcare Activities to identify these activities and ways in which your regional council can make a difference by participating.Integrate Green Infrastructure Planning into the Regional Planning Process: By incorporating green infrastructure planning into existing regional planning processes, regional councils and MPOs can preserve green infrastructure strategically while making sure all other regional goals are met.
Richmond Partnership: Read the Richmond Regional Green Infrastructure Report for information on the step by step process the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, the Green Infrastructure Center, and the Capital Region Land Conservancy used to identify and make plans to connect and preserve green infrastructure throughout several jurisdictions within the region.
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission: DVRPC has developed an environmental strategy to protect green space and natural resources by incorporating their green infrastructure work into their 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan, Connections. For information on the environmental effort within the plan, click here.
County could play large role in green hubs idea, Southern half of county could be key link to area trails, parks
January 8, 2010, DeWitt-Bath Review
By BRAD RITTER
BATH - Drawing on the region's natural assets -- woods, grassland, streams and lakes -- the concept of "green hubs" could help southern Clinton County become a key link in trails, streams and open land that bring education, recreation and eco-commerce together.
Harmony Gmazel, land use planner with the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, followed up on a previous report last spring to the Bath Twp. Board of Trustees with a presentation Jan. 4.
The TCRPC is launching a project called "Greening Mid-Michigan," with a kickoff meeting at the Meridian Twp.. Hall in Okemos Jan. 12. The project is funded by the Traverse City-based Land Information Alliance.
"Hopefully, our partners will find energy that is crucial to the services of our region," Gmazel said. The "hub" idea of creating linkages of less "gray" space and more "green" space has caught on in several major metropolitan to mid-size cities across the country, with Gmazel using an illustration from Bowie, Md., just outside Washington, D.C., as an example.
"'Greening Mid-Michigan' involves TCRPC and its partners in a network and a vision for a green infrastructure," Gmazel said.
"You'd see a great deal of connectivity ---- where you have road and sewer systems, you'd also have ways of greening the system, involving parks and recreation, and hubs that connect by trails, waters and paths."
The "hub" map TCPRC is formulating involves connections from Grand Ledge westward into Lansing's River Trail network, southward through Hawk Island Park to Burchfield Park and through Michigan State's trails and walks into East Lansing and the trail north into Bath Twp. off Chandler Road.
"Maple River, obviously, is the greatest resource you have in Clinton County," Gmazel said, "but you have Rose Lake (Natural Area) as well." Township Superintendent Troy Feltman said the "Greening Mid-Michigan" dovetails very well with the township's master plan, particularly the non-motorized path plan.
"This is what we've been aiming at all along," he said. "We are at a point in this township, and in this state, that we can't just sit in our own little box, collect taxes and that'll cover it.
"The way things are going are in the direction of partnerships and collaborations."
A "visioning" charette, or design session, is taking place Feb. 18 at the Hannah Conference Center in East Lansing from 5-8 p.m., with a meal included. Information on the visioning session is available by visiting www.greenmidmichigan.org.
City's Sustainable Skylines initiative gets underway: Groups plant trees for cleaner, greener Philadelphia
November 7, 2009: U.S. EPA News Release
Bonnie Smith, EPA,215-814-5543, smith.bonnie@epa.gov
Elise Turner, DVRPC, 215-238-2941, eturner@dvrpc.org
PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The planting of 30 trees in a North Philadelphia park and neighborhood today is one of many projects planned to make Philadelphia one of the nation's cleaner and 'greener' cities. Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission gathered at Reyburn Park, 22nd Street and Lehigh Ave., where they pledged support for a new initiative called Sustainable Skylines.
"Our Sustainable Skylines partnership with the City and other concerned organizations has a clear goal in mind - cleaner air in a greener city," said EPA Acting Regional Administrator William C. Early. "We commend Philadelphia as a leader in sustainability."
Today's tree planting in North Philadelphia is an example of the kinds of projects getting underway to bring cleaner air and greener living through Philadelphia's Sustainable Skylines Initiative.
Sustainable Skylines is an EPA program to help communities improve air quality and find solutions for other local environmental issues for better living. Philadelphia is the third city in the nation chosen to pilot the program.
EPA and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission are working with the City of Philadelphia, PECO Energy Company, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Clean Air Council, SEPTA and numerous other partners to implement the Sustainable Skylines Initiative. The projects complement the Mayor's Office of Sustainability's framework and Mayor Nutter's vision of Philadelphia becoming the greenest city in the country.
All of the Sustainability Skyline partners are contributing. EPA awarded a $150,000 grant to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) for Sustainable Skylines efforts. EPA, DVRPC and it local partners have already leveraged more than $3.75 million.
"By strengthening existing partnerships and fostering new relationships, the Sustainable Skylines Initiative has assisted DVRPC in coordinating efforts that will help reduce air pollution, save energy, and improve quality of life in the Delaware Valley," said Barry Seymour, Executive Director, DVRPC.
The Sustainable Skylines partnership is going to make it easier for individuals and businesses to make tax-deductable contributions to fund tree planting in the Delaware Valley. Trees reduce storm water runoff and flooding, improve air quality and road safety, and add to property values. The Sustainable Skyline's corporate support for tree planting program will provide funding to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) to expand its TreeVitalize program and the city's urban tree canopy.
"PHS is very grateful for the opportunity to grow TreeVitalize efforts in the Philadelphia region, with the support of business and individual contributions made possible through Sustainable Skylines," said Michael Leff, TreeVitalize program manager at PHS. "This initiative makes it easier for everyone to participate in improving our environment and communities."
The Philadelphia Sustainable Skylines partners are also planning:
- an energy efficiency and conservation campaign to conduct energy audits of municipal buildings and develop case studies as a ?how to? guide for local governments and municipalities to quantify their energy usage and conserve energy.
- lawn equipment replacement program for consumers to trade-in working gasoline-powered mowers or other equipment for rebates, discounted electric or push lawnmowers to reduce harmful air emissions.
- anti-idling education campaign to reduce diesel vehicle idling. The Clean Air Council has launched www.idlefreephilly.org for the public?s help in identify idling hot spots.
- expanding and diversifying diesel retrofits and replacements including changes in fleets in the city by replacing diesel-fueled refuse trucks with natural gas-fueled trucks and electrifying ground support vehicles at the Philadelphia airport.
Davenport said the intent of the plan is to complement communities' existing plans.
Call For Projects
Share Your Regional Council's Green Infrastructure and Landcare Experiences:
We invite you to share your experiences with others interested in green infrastructure and Landcare projects. Click HERE to submit your best practices to NARC through our brief online survey.