Green Infrastructure Forum

SUMMARY
Green Infrastructure Forum -- March 17-18, 1999
Washington, D.C.

For two days, a group of about 50 advocates of green
infrastructure approaches discussed experiences and shared
practical tools. Participants included: landscape architects,
foresters, planners, scientists, community coordinators,
ecologists, economists, and more. They searched for key messages
to share with colleagues at the upcoming Town Meeting for a
Sustainable America. The following is a very brief summary of
what took place.

Green Infrastructure: A system of environmental and natural
resource land and water areas within a place-based unit that are
incorporated into a broader plan or policy for land use
management.

Meeting Objectives - Ruth McWilliams, USDA and Glenn Eugster,
EPA: 1) Expand understanding of green infrastructure, and its
many facets; 2) Develop key components for learning session at
the National Town Meeting; and 3) Explore feasibility for
establishing a network to continue green infrastructure effort.

Importance of Workshop - Adela Backiel. USDA Director of
Sustainable Development and Small Farms: The upcoming National
Town Meeting for a Sustainable America, scheduled for May 2-5,
provides a great opportunity to further the discussion and
understanding of green infrastructure. This workshop begins the
groundwork for that town meeting. We will begin to create a
common understanding and language of green infrastructure.

Green Infrastructure at the Metropolitan Level - Beth Benson,
Toronto Waterfront Regeneration Trust: Green infrastructure is a
sustainable development concept that cross boundaries, builds
partnerships, encourages commitments, and takes responsibility.
The four functions of green infrastructure are enhancing urban
design, enhancing recreation opportunities, restoring natural
habitat, and improving environmental quality. For success, we
need: certainty (rules, laws, timeframes . . .), affordability,
and consensus.

Green Infrastructure: A Holistic View from Los Angeles -- Andy
Lipkis, Tree People: Trees must move from an amenity aspect to a
core value of infrastructure. The Los Angeles area has not been
viewed as a watershed, only as a storm water drain. We must catch
and utilize the rain that falls within LA. Tree People created a
GIS-based model that documents economic benefits of tree planting
in urban areas. They have initiated an effort to reduce asphalt
paving and increase strategic tree planting at all public schools
- results are reduced construction costs and building cooling
expenses.

What is happening to the Green? Gary Moll, American Forests:
Using GIS tools to provide a regional vision, American Forests
has developed images that show the change in Chesapeake Bay area
tree cover since 1973. Dramatic declines in tree cover are
evident along major transportation corridors and extend out into
previously rural area. The GIS-based images can be linked to
American Forests' City Green software tool, which enables
inventory and analysis municipal tree planting and maintenance.

Land Trusts and Land Development -- Randall Arendt, Natural Land
Trust: Open space is not easily protected in traditional
suburban development. Efforts to protect and conserve open
space can be integrated into developments where individual lot
sizes are reduced to protect larger open areas. Open space
within these developments must then be protected by permanent
easements.

Efforts at the State Level - Florida -- Mark Benedict, The
Conservation Fund: Florida took a strategic state-wide look at
greenways. The effort identified the natural resources needs,
the human needs, and environmental and economic factors. Florida
calls their greenways "a green network" with existing
conservation lands as the "hubs." We learned that strong State
agency and non-government organization leadership was essential,
as were data base and modeling skills.

Efforts at the State Level - Pennsylvania -- Larry Williamson,
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: In the past, the PA Department of
Recreation and Conservation primarily gave grants for ball fields,
swimming pools, and playgrounds. The Nature Conservancy proposed
something different in the early 1990's and we began funding
easements for natural resource preservation. The Governor's
executive order to create a Greenway Commission created more
interest in conservation easements. We now provide grants to
counties to work with conservancies to identify significant
natural areas. Larry's Tip -- when working on a proposal,
include the local library as a partner, they have strong, active
networks.

Elevating our Perspective About Green Infrastructure -- Anne
Whiston Spirn, University of Pennsylvania: We often lose track
of what we have done in the past. The Boston Reservation System
was a coordinated construction of waterways, railways, roads, and
parkland. Once the vegetation was mature, people forgot the
construction and viewed the area as a work of nature. Many
low-lying land areas, once filled, lose their surface
characteristics. However, in many cases water still flows below
the surface. Years later, we see the evidence of deteriorated
buildings and neighborhoods. We must institutionalize the
valuable lessons of past actions.

Current Facets of Green Infrastructure - Group Discussion --
Terry Tipple, Pinchot Institute (Facilitator) Comments from
participants:

Working landscapes (ag & forest land) were a critical
part of the Florida effort

Talk to people "outside the box" - need new approaches

What is the community? Single municipality, multiple
counties, and regional? Urban/Rural?

Voluntary versus regulatory approaches - strong concerns
for private property rights

Green infrastructure needs a strong educational component

How can we make real for City/County managers?

We learn by doing - use a strong project approach

Must consider the time dimension - processes take time, consider natural time cycles

Conceptually Mapping Green Infrastructure - Group Exercise - Fred
Deneke, Forest Service (Facilitator) The mapping exercise
revealed the following core values and connecting streams:

Core Values: trust, scale, spirituality,
interconnections, equity, diversity, change, and ethics

Connecting Streams: land and landscapes, growth and
change, integrated ecosystem management, policy, design, stakeholders, markets, natural capitol, social capitol, and
multifunctionalism

Tools to Share at the Town Meeting Learning Session - Terry
Tipple:


Give access to a network
Provide a list of the best web sites
Publication on the benefits of trees
A set of presentation slides describing green infrastructure


Forum Summary and Closeout - Ruth McWilliams and Glenn Eugster:

Notes from 3/19 Follow-up Green Infrastructure Work Session

Proposed Learning Session Agenda for Town Meeting (90 minutes)
Proposed Title -- Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and
Communities

Power Point Presentation on Images of Green Infrastructure (5
Minutes) - Janice McDougle (Introduce some images that will be used in later
presentations -- commit to producing a tool kit in CD-ROM format)

Bridge from Intro to Case Studies (15 minutes) - Glenn Eugster (What is GI? Benefits of GI. Why we/you should be involved? Personal Commitments.)

Case Studies -- all reference social, economic, and
environmental facets (60 minutes)

Los Angeles -- Andy Lipkis (NGO)

Lake Elmo -- Bob Engstrom (Developer)

GOCO & Routt County -- Nancy Stahoviak (Local Government Official)


Tools to Take Home (10 minutes) -- Randall Arendt (Practitioner)(8 minute summary of tools for practitioners & 2 minute close)


Green Infrastructure Forum Follow-up Items (from 3/19 meeting)

Prepare flyers on GI Learning Session for distribution at Town Meeting exhibit booths (flyers would also describe other complimentary learning
session - GI itinerary)

Arrange for tables at Learning session for sharing
tools/information brought by participants

Prepare "10 page" handout on GI learning session
(overview of GI, List of tools, web sites, references, summaries of case studies, integrated tools, networks, ask current network for tools) -- Glenn to head collection effort, Ruth & Glenn to finalize

Capture story of GI Forum and use to promote Town Meeting (3 to 4 page summary) - John Nordin to prepare draft.

Pursue idea of onsite artist at Learning Session to create visual
image of GI

Pursue commitments for follow-up training

Other Possible Case Studies:

Mountains to Sound Greenway
West Philly
Natural Lands
MD Green Infrastructure
Chicago Wildlands
Chesapeake Bay
Portland
Woodlands (TX)
Florida Greenways
Metro Greenways
Windcrest/Sandy Spring (MD)