Healthy Landscapes, Parks & Living

Farming on the Edge: The Next Generation

May 6, 2006—DRAFT PROPOSAL

Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Council of Governments

National Park Service, National Capital Region

Unilever

Presentation Title: Healthy Landscapes, Parks & Living: Using green infrastructure approaches to link people with farms, open space and outdoor recreation to improve and sustain their health and quality of life.

The National Park Service, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and Unilever propose to make a ninety (90) minute presentation, with discussion, at the November 2006 Farming on the Edge Conference.  The presentation would highlight the following topical areas presented by a panel of practitioners.   Visual information on these activities will be presented and printed material will be provided to the audience.  

A detailed proposal, and biographies, will be prepared upon request.

Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project:  Since 2002, with the support of the U.S. Congress, the National Park Service (NPS), National Capital Region and the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Council of Governments (COG) have been implementing a Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project. NPS and COG have been working with 10 major public and private partners and over 1,200 federal, state, local and private sector leaders. The purpose of the project is:   

To map forest cover and agricultural lands in the Metropolitan Washington Region for purposes of improving sustainable agriculture, forest cover conservation and watershed restoration efforts for our local rivers and the Chesapeake Bay and to promote green infrastructure approaches through information sharing, dialogue, technical workshops, publications and implementing best practices. 

Agriculture’s Connection to Green Infrastructure: Agricultural land is an integral part of green infrastructure. Farmland encompasses many land cover types from wetlands to woodlands and pasture and meadow to stream.  Farmland supports wildlife and many native species of both flora and fauna and provides ecosystem services such as water filtration and carbon sequestration, and preserves the countryside for the enjoyment of everyone.  Population growth in the Washington region will add an additional 2 million residents to in the next 25 years.  

The challenge for local, state and regional planning agencies and other organizations will be to help agriculture and other “green and open space” lands compete for their place in this changing landscape.  The goal of the Washington Metropolitan Area (WMA) Regional Agricultural Initiative is to provide information on the current and historical state of agriculture, and to create a regional agriculture network to link farmers, farmer’s markets, consumers and policymakers. 

The effort is focused on agriculture’s role in the rapidly growing WMA, as well as the opportunities that enable local agricultural producers and markets to connect and flourish. Regional agricultural production and commerce contributes over $1 billion annually to the economy of the Washington Metropolitan Area (WMA), yet land available for food production is shrinking due to development pressure for urban uses.  

Adding Vitality to Life through Agriculture:  Over a decade ago, Unilever significantly changed its role in the agricultural world- leading to their current Sustainable Agriculture Program: Growing for the Future.  This program specifically illustrates sustainable management guidelines for five key crops: palm oil, peas, spinach, tea, and tomatoes.  With taking in account the future of farming, Unilever has the daunting task of remaining productive, competitive, and efficient while at the same time lining this task with green infrastructure; protecting and improving the natural environment and adding vitality to the life of local communities.     

Healthy Parks-Healthy Living: The National Park Service is working with Unilever, a corporate Proud Partner, to help implement commitments to provide appropriate outdoor recreation and to contribute to the physical and mental well-being of all Americans.  The Greater Washington National Parks are one of three ongoing national pilot projects.

The Healthy Parks-Healthy Living program is designed to highlight the vitality, wellness and recreation benefits inherent in National Parks.  An important part of a “healthier you” is daily physical exercise.  Some simple ways to add physical activity to your day include taking stairs instead of the elevator, biking to work rather than driving or hiking a trail in a National Park.  Regular exercise and contributes to maintaining a healthy weight and a long healthy life.  

The program stresses the importance of antioxidants as a passport to good health.  Dietary antioxidants are found in certain foods and beverages and can help to protect the body’s immune system.  

Knowledge Level of Attendees:  All levels/ Intermediate

Names of the Co-presenters:  

Glenn Eugster, Assistant Regional Director, National Park Service, National Capital Region

Brian LeCouteur, Senior Environmental Planner / Urban Forester, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

TBD, Unilever Sustainable Agriculture Program

TBD, National Park Service-Unilever Healthy Parks-Healthy Living Initiative

Contact:

J. Glenn Eugster

Assistant Regional Director, Partnerships Office

National Park Service, National Capital Region

1100 Ohio Drive, SW, Room 350, Washington, DC 20242

(202)619-7492 phone

(202)619-7220 fax

E-mail: glenn_eugster@nps.gov