Metropolitan Washington-Potomac Watershed Guide-Atlas

Metropolitan Washington-Potomac Watershed Guide-Atlas

DRAFT: Strategy
November 19, 2004

I. Background

In September 2001 the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the National Parks Service, National Capital Region, and twenty-five public and private partners completed a proposal called "Green Space for Living" which outlined a framework for a public-private partnership to undertake a collaborative demonstration project for parks, open space and recreation areas. The project, the "Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project", which was funded by the National Park Service using funds provided by Congress, was designed to accomplish the following outcome:

A metropolitan region, that has achieved a balance between the built environment and green space, sustained by natural processes able to support and enhance the quality of life for its people and communities.

The project goals and objectives were to:

Goals

· Move the parks, open space and recreation areas--the green infrastructure of the Washington metropolitan area to the forefront of their neighbors consciousness when they think of recreational, environmental leadership, superior education, cultural preservation, stewardship, natural resources, ecosystem management--the myriad of elements that contribute to an excellent quality of life.

Build a lasting public constituency to create a model public and private partnership for a metropolitan region system of park, open space and recreation areas that addresses the needs of people, landscapes and nature.

Achieve a metropolitan region that has a balance between the built environment and green space, sustained by natural processes able to support and enhance the quality of life for its people and communities.

Objectives

Improve communication to the residents of the Washington metropolitan area about the extensive park, open space and recreation resources that exist and that have a direct impact on their quality of life.
Educate and motivate the public to help ensure long-term protection of park and open space resources.
Improve the public’s awareness of the park; open space and recreation area land management efforts in the region.

The partnership has involved seven primary organizations and more than 950 representatives from various local, states, regional, and federal government agencies and private groups and businesses. It used a variety of forums, workshops, technical assistance, and status reports to share information and communicate.

The major activities completed as part of the demonstration project include a mapping forum; a Forest Cover/ Land Cover Map; a Green Infrastructure Directory; Green Space Forums & Workshops; and an Exchange of Best Green Infrastructure Management Practices. A copy of the results of the demonstration project is available from NPS or COG.

NPS, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and One Image, a private nonprofit organization that specializes in Geographic Information Systems and data integration and analysis propose to implement another one the recommendations of the "Green Space for Living" proposal that recommended:

a Guide: Publish a guidebook to the parks, green spaces and recreation areas of the Greater Washington Metropolitan area, in conjunction with a potential project partner such as the National Parks Foundation, to include maps, pointers on park and green space . . . hikes campgrounds etc. The guide could be divided into three regions and include areas within a seventy-five mile radius of Washington. Sales proceeds from the guide would be returned to support the Green Space for Living partnership.

Tasks would include: a) working with project partner to create a regional parks database from the COG region (see Attachment A: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Region Map); b) developing format for guidebook with NPS, the National Park Foundation and graphics consultant; c) collect inventory of background data types to be included such as historical, cultural, natural as well as specific park information; and d) developing a mock up with all interested parties and invite project bids for further development and printing.

Additional future tasks could include: a) marketing the guidebook perhaps through a web-site where sample pages could be posted to demonstrate the usefulness of the guidebook to promote sales; b) evaluation and selection of different printing options and contract with local eco-printer using recycled paper, soy ink, and a recyclable binding format; c) developing and implementing a plan for distribution of the guidebook throughout the region and beyond. (Lead organization: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and National Park Service-National Capital Region. FY 2003 Project).
II. The Metropolitan Washington/ Potomac River Watershed Guide

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, One Image and NPS propose to develop and publish the Guide in FY 2005 through the following tasks:

1. Design and Development of the Metropolitan Washington/ Potomac River Watershed Guide.

2. Green Infrastructure Forums to help facilitate the sharing of information on green infrastructure and generate data for the guide.

Develop a prototype chapter for the guide on Sustainable
Agriculture

4. Develop a website to begin to share Guide information and enable the public, partners and possible supporters to visualize the value of the information service.

III. Start-up Strategy

NPS and COG would amend the existing Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project Cooperative Agreement to add One Image and the tasks noted above.

The partners will develop a simple 2-4-page summary of the Guide proposal. The summary will be used for communication as well as to seek "seed-money" to apply for public and private grants and support start-up activities.

Initially the partners will pursue small government or foundation grants including, the Cafritz Foundation; National Fish & Wildlife Foundation; the Natural Resource Challenge Grant program of NPS, and others.

The partners will seek funding for additional Green Infrastructure Forums and the website. The forums will be used to begin to generate text and maps for the Guide. Speakers participating in the forums will be encouraged to make spatial and written information available and accessible to the public through the website.