Summary
Green Infrastructure Forums and Workshops
One of the major accomplishments of the Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project was to establish and maintain a Regional Green Space Forum to highlight and disseminate information on issues pertaining to green space programs, initiatives and innovations both nationally and internationally. These forums have acted as an information exchange on technical topics pertaining to green space, parks and recreation areas. In concert with the activities of the Metropolitan Washington Community Forestry Network, these forums and workshops have augmented and broadened the regional audience and sparked the interest of its current membership.
In developing these programs, COG and NPS staff assembled eight Green Infrastructure Forums, two workshops and a Regional Mapping Forum pertaining to green space in urban areas. The format was developed to work with local partners to develop a program outline and to select using both NPS contacts and COG’s existing network of attendees. As time passed, the forums became more popular and attendance grew. There were over XXX attendees over the course of two and a half years these events were held. Peer networking opportunities were built into the agendas which also aided in building attendance at future meetings. Ample meeting notice served to boost meeting attendance as notices were sent out three to four weeks in advance when possible.
Geared for both public and private interests, these events:
Presented its cooperators and collaborators with accurate and informative,
educational opportunities on the natural, physical, biological, cultural and economic aspects of green infrastructure;
Shared outstanding national examples of protection, regeneration,
management and recreation activities and strategies; Created opportunities for peer networking; and Provided opportunities for dialogue between different government and private sector interests.
Green Infrastructure Forums and Workshops
April 2, 2002
The Forum series began in April 2002 and featured Robert Yaro, President of the Regional Plan Association of the metropolitan NY-NJ-CT region. It also featured a panel of local professionals to present current local and regional efforts in green infrastructure programs that included: Sheila Hogan from the Casey Tree Endowment Fund, Mark Busciano with the DC Dept. of Public Works, and David Burke from Maryland’s Green Print program.
September 9, 2002
On September 9, 2002, Leslie Sauer formerly of Andropogon Associates, and Mari Lou Livingood of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation (ASF) spoke at a forum held at the Council of Governments. Leslie Sauer presented her best management practices for stormwater management in urban areas and on development sites. Ms. Livingood presented her work with the urban youth in managing the environmental stewardship activities of the ASF.
November 7, 2002
Greg Moore of the Golden Gate National Parks Association.
This session was held at the Environmental Law Institute in N.W. Washington, DC. The session was attended by about 50 people. Greg Moore presented their work over the past 25 years in developing a park partnership organization with NPS to assist in revitalizing parks and rehabilitating brownfields in the San Francisco Bay area. A presentation was also made by Nancy Sturm and Bob Sutton of the Greater Washington National Parks Fund. Ms. Sturm and Mr. Sutton provided an overview of the work they are doing to build up this fledgling organization and their partnership with the National Park Service – National Capital Region.
November 22, 2002
Andy Lipkis of Tree People from Los Angeles California and Dave Eckert, local filmmaker and environmentalist. The forum was held at the Hall of States Building in near Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Mr. Lipkis gave an extended presentation about his organizations’ work in the Los Angeles area working with citizens, local, state and federal officials to change urban infrastructure management to harness stormwater as a resource and to conserve resources devoted to obtaining fresh water supplies. Mr. Eckert presented an abbreviated version of his recent film on the history and resources of the Four Mile Run stream system located in Arlington and Alexandria Virginia.
January 23, 2002
Steve Coleman, Director of Washington Parks and People, Gerri Spilka of the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning and Blaine Bonham, Jr. of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society - both from Philadelphia. This forum was held at the offices of Council of Governments in Washington DC. There were approximately 50 people in attendance. Steve Coleman helped create Washington Parks and People and serves as the group’s technical and inspirational leader. He has written articles entitled “The Invisible Park” and “Organization and Programming Across Cultural Boundaries” all highlighting the work of his organization. Mr. Coleman is currently leading a citywide effort to “Celebrate Our Centennial: 100 Years of the District’s Park System”. Mr. Coleman noted that Washington DC is the “Greenest City in America” with a “one-quarter of the city devoted to green space”. Parks and people are working in Watts Branch – a tributary of the Anacostia River, to show how parks, and public health is related.
Gerri Spilka of the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning works on place-based approaches to regional and community development with OMG, a research and consulting organization with clients across the U.S. She discussed her work with an educational strategy that concerns green city management and her work with Mr. Bohnam.
Blaine Bohnam of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society who oversees the Society’s urban greening program, “Philadelphia Green” also serves on the Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s Green Space Alliance, a regional effort to preserve open space and natural resources. Most recently he has lead their “Vacant Land Management Study” in Philadelphia. .
Mr. Bohnam and Ms. Spilka, along with Darl Rastofer, recently authored “Old Cities/ Green Cities: Communities Transform Unmanaged Land”, a publication of the American Planning Association.
January 28, 2003
A “Lessons Learned Forum” was held on January 28, 2003 at the German Embassy in N.W. Washington DC to share the experiences of the U.S. Exchange Team with other Potomac watershed leaders. This was an all day event highlighting the presentations of those that participated in the Germany / US International Exchange that occurred in the Summer of 2002 sponsored by the Glynwood Center in Cold Spring New York. This effort was assisted with funds and technical assistance from the Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project provided by the National Park Service, National Capital Region and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. This event was well attended with over 120 participants. Many inspiring presentations about stormwater management technologies were highlighted by those that participated in this exchange. These included German architect Herbert Dreiseital speaking on water in German cities and the world; Katrin Scholz-Barth of HOK Landscape Architects speaking on Green Roof technology and its application in urban settings to help defray the impact on stormwater; Dale Medaris from EPA’s Office of International Activities, and Marc Gibb from the Northern Virginia Regional Council on how exposure to the innovations he witnessed in Germany has inspired him to begin making changes through his organization to handle stormwater in a positive way in Northern Virginia. This event has resulted in inspiring many to explore these “green” technologies and in some instances to implement innovative stormwater management projects of their own. It also has inspired some discussions for potential intra-regional collaborations for disseminating these technologies between NVRC and the Council of Governments.
Green Mapping Forum:
October 18, 2002
The Green Mapping Forum idea was developed to catalogue existing mapping efforts in the region. Working with existing member governments, regional federal and state agencies and constituents, regional mapping efforts were identified and a listing of potential presenters were composed. From this listing, COG and NPS identified those that were the most developed and when assembled, would cover the geography of the Washington Metropolitan Area and beyond.
On October 18th 2002, COG organized and conducted a Green Mapping Forum, to highlight a representative sample of the regional mapping efforts in the region to date. The keynote speaker for this event was Margaret Maizel of ONEIMAGE, LLC. who presented her GIS analysis of vegetation cover loss in the Washington region. Other speakers included geographic information system experts from the Metropolitan Washington Region.
Kim Finch from Prince George’s County, who presented their county-wide Green Infrastructure plan.
Andrew Zimba from the Casey tree Endowment Fund, who presented the methodology behind the DC street tree inventory.
Robert Dietz from the US Geological Survey who presented their National Biological Inventory Mapping Program, and
Gary Moll and staff from American Forests, who presented their City Green analysis methodology for the Metropolitan Washington region.
Other organizations participated in the Green Mapping Forum as exhibitors / partners and brought materials that were displayed in the meeting room for perusal during session breaks. These included: U.S. Geological Survey; Prince George’s County; American Forests; Casey Tree Endowment Fund, Chesapeake Bay Foundation; National Park Service, National Capital Region; U.S. Forest Service; The Wilderness Society and the National Capital Planning Commission.
III. Workshops
February 13, 2003
A Dialogue Session was conducted by Daniel Martin of International Communities for the Renewal of the Earth and Ms. Anne Pearson of the Alliance for Community Education. The workshop and training, was designed to create a committed group of stakeholders and form a “Green Infrastructure Network”. The purpose of the network is to share ideas, information and expertise from different geographical areas, communities and interest groups of the metropolitan Washington region to help achieve a common understanding of the value of green infrastructure to human well being.
Mr. Martin and Ms. Pearson conducted a dialogue session with 25 participants that
focused on listening techniques to facilitate better communication with those that we encounter in our lives. This technique was loosely applied to the topic of Green
Infrastructure / Green Spaces and what those spaces meant among those in this
group. Group and one-on-one discussion was used to convey ideas for practicing the
newly learned communication techniques and thoughts and feelings about green spaces
and wild lands
Showing posts with label Green Infrastructure Forums and Workshops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green Infrastructure Forums and Workshops. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Green Infrastructure Forums and Workshops
Green Infrastructure Forums and Workshops
Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project
National Park Service and the Metropolitan Washington Council of
Governments
February 2, 2006
Mapping Forum: COG and NPS has catalogued existing mapping efforts as
identified in the region. COG and NPS is working with existing member governments, regional federal and state agencies and private groups, through a workgroup and Green Mapping Forums, to obtain and catalogue regional data sets. This is being accomplished through partnership opportunities with other interested parties.
On October 18, 2002 a Green Infrastructure Mapping Forum was held and included the following presentations.
Tim Aiken, Office of US Congressman Jim Moran, 8th District of VA
Robert Dietz, US Geological Survey
Kim Finch, Prince George’s County, MD
Margaret Maizel, ONEIMAGE, LLC.
Gary Moll, American Forests
Andrew Zimba, Casey Tree Endowment Fund
In addition, in September 2003, COG, the Casey Tree Endowment and NPS, and other partners, agreed to form a workgroup to explore ways to prepare a comprehensive green infrastructure map for the District of Columbia.
Green Space Forums & Workshops: NPS and COG have established and
maintains a “Green Infrastructure Forum” series to highlight and disseminate technical information on issues pertaining to green infrastructure programs, initiatives and innovations both nationally and internationally. This series supplements the activities of COG’s Urban Forest Forum, the Community Forestry Network. The forums act as an information exchange on topics pertaining to open space, parks and recreation areas to:
1) Present its cooperators and collaborators with accurate informative, educational and understandable information on the natural, physical, biological, cultural and economic aspects of green infrastructure.
2) Share outstanding local, regional, national, and international examples of protection, regeneration, management and recreation activities and strategies.
3) Create opportunities for peer networking.
4) Provide opportunities for dialogue between different government and private sector interests.
Some of the speakers that have participated in the forum series included:
Nanine Bilski, America the Beautiful Fund, Washington, DC
Blaine Bonham, PA Horticulture Society, Philadelphia, PA
Dr. John Bruce, Moses Urban Gardening, Washington, DC
David Burke, MD Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis, MD
Mark Buscaino, formerly of the DC Department of Public Works, Washington, DC
Steve Coleman, Washington Parks & People, Washington, DC
Christine Gilday, Virginia “Plant-A-Row”
Peggy Harwood, USDA, Forest Service, Washington, DC
Shelia Hogan, formerly of the Casey Tree Endowment Fund, Washington, DC
Andy Lipkis, Tree People, Los Angeles, CA
Mari Lou Livingood, formerly of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation, Alexandria, VA
Daniel Martin, International Communities for the Renewal of the Earth, NJ
Greg Moore, Golden Gate Park Association, San Francisco, CA
Neil Owens, Metropolitan Police Department Boys & Girls Club, Washington, DC
Brian O’Neill, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, CA
Leslie Sauer, formerly of Andropogon Associates, Hunterdon County, NJ
Gerri Spilka, OMG Center for Collaborative Learning, Philadelphia, PA
Anne Whiston Spirn, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Nancy Sturm, formerly of the National Park Foundation, Washington, DC
Bob Sutton, Greater Washington National Parks Fund, Manassas, VA
Joan Thomas, DC Ward 4 Beautification, Washington, DC
Robert Yaro, Regional Plan Association, NY
Workshops have been held, or are being scheduled, for:
Harmony Hall, MD: A two-day workshop, lead by Michael Clarke, formerly of the Natural Lands Trust, was held in July 2003 to advise NPS leaders on what to do to conserve the NPS-owned Harmony Hall property and buildings. The session focused on ways for NPS to make the economics of conservation and preservation successful.
A report was prepared for NPS park managers to outline alternatives for property and building management.
Potomac Access: A workshop, lead by Ellen Cull, Management & Organizational Consultant, was held to discuss ways to improve access to the Potomac River, from Great Falls to the confluence with Occoquan Creek. The meeting collected input from 35 interested stakeholders on:
· A listing of current high quality access to the Potomac – physical, informational, educational, visual and recreational
· Major concerns, issues and problems with current access to the Potomac
· Major areas of opportunity for improving access to the Potomac
A report was prepared summarizing the discussions.
Dialogue: A workshop, lead by Daniel Martin of International Communities for Renewal of the Earth and Anne Pearson of Sustainable Communities, was held to provide metro-green space leaders with additional skills in dialogue.
The focus of the workshop was to discuss and demonstrate skills that allow people of differing viewpoints to value each other’s perspectives and experience and develop common purpose, mutual understanding, mutual ownership, and trust. The session stressed that dialogue is the communication tool, the glue that will hold together and enrich the green infrastructure process of interaction.
Participants were provided skills in “Appreciative Inquiry”, a communication technique that enables the participants to access their own collective wisdom using an interview technique that encourages new perspectives to surface, a creative exchange to occur. These skills and tools will also enable participants in the workshops to expand the process of working together on local and regional green infrastructure projects after the workshop by sharing ideas with the people and perspectives they represent so that all stakeholders own the process.
Exchange Best Green Infrastructure Management Practices:
The National Park Service, in cooperation with EPA's Office of
International Activities, the Department of Housing & Urban Development,
and the Glynwood Center sponsored a two-year exchange between local,
national and international experts from the metro-region and Germany. The
exchange focused on urban watershed management and included green
urbanism, stormwater management, roof-top and rain gardens, riparian
buffers, and other ways to protect and restore water and air quality
within the Potomac River watershed.
NPS and EPA worked with the Potomac Urban River Watershed Management
Regional Steering Committee to participate in the exchange and to
identify off-the-shelf "Best Green Infrastructure Management
Practices". A report, “Potomac International Urban Watershed
Management Exchange”, which describes these techniques, was published
by the Glynwood Center.
On Tuesday January 28, 2003 the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Washington, DC hosted a daylong forum and reception to share the results of the collaborative effort to exchange best management practices. “The Potomac International Urban Watershed Management: Lessons Learned Forum” brought together 150 public and private leaders from the metropolitan Washington region, including various U.S.-based organizations serving Germany. These leaders listened to presentations by a team of government and private sector leaders from the Potomac who visited Germany to learn about watershed Restoration and Reconstruction, Urban Watershed Retrofit Strategies, and Large Scale Redevelopment.
Presentations were made by:
Katrin Scholz-Barth, formerly of the HOK Planning Group, Washington, DC
Sheila Besse, Nonpoint Source Management Branch, DC Department of Health, Washington, DC
Elizabeth Berry, DC Office of the Mayor, Washington, DC
Uwe Brandes, DC Office of Planning, Washington, DC
Timothy J. Carney, Allegany County Economic Development, Cumberland, MD
Herbert Driesietl, Atelier Dreiseitl, Uberlingen, Germany
Marc Gibb, Northern Virginia, Regional Planning Commission, Annandale, VA
Dale Medearis, U.S. EPA, Office of International Activities, currently Potomac River Navigator, Alexandria, VA
Judith LaBelle, Glynwood Center, Cold Spring, NY
Judy Guse-Noritake, Alexandria, VA Park and Recreation Commission/The Wilderness Society, Alexandria, VA
Michael Packshies, City of Eckernfoerde, Germany
Working Lands in Metropolitan Washington Forum: On Tuesday,
April 12th from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the offices of the
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project held a Working Lands Forum to discuss the future of Agriculture in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Regional Agricultural production and commerce continues to contribute 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.
The purpose of this forum was to both examine and discuss agriculture’s
role in the rapidly growing WMA, as well as the opportunities that enable local agricultural producers and markets to flourish.
Discussion focused on the importance of our local agricultural community and programs and how we may work together regionally to assure their continued success, so as to ensure their continued contribution to our local economy, quality of food, and quality of life.
See attached file for the agenda and speakers.
Green Infrastructure Mapping Forum: Representatives from The Trust for Public Land, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and the National Park Service, and other public and private regional leaders, made a presentation and held a discussion about the results of the “Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Green Infrastructure Mapping Assessment” on Wednesday September 14, 2005, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. The meeting was held at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments at 777 North Capitol St. N.E., Washington, DC 20002.
The Green Infrastructure Mapping Assessment has identified existing green infrastructure mapping activity and needs, and proposed recommendations for improving green infrastructure management across the region.
This assessment, which was prepared by Theodore Eisenman for The Trust for Public Land as part of the Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project, is intended to:
· Identify existing green infrastructure mapping activity and capacity in the region;
· Identify green infrastructure mapping gaps and needs, from both a data and organizational perspective; and
· Identify key informant recommendations for improving regional green infrastructure mapping and decision-making.
The report is based on the results of more than 25 first-person interviews with leaders and specialists involved in green infrastructure mapping. The interviews included experts from non-profit conservation groups, academic institutions, and public agencies.
The report is based on a sample of the many green infrastructure mapping practitioners and activities in the region, and it is important to note that there are groups operating outside the purview of this assessment that are also doing important work. The assessment is intended to function as the first step towards a greater understanding of existing green infrastructure mapping capacity and needs, for the ultimate purpose of improving public and private green infrastructure decision-making and expanding efforts to protect important lands, waters, and living resources.
The event was one in a series of Green Infrastructure Forums to highlight and disseminate information on issues pertaining to green infrastructure programs, initiatives and innovations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Featured at the forum was:
· An overview of the "Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure
Demonstration Project,” a partnership between COG & NPS.
· A presentation by Theodore Eisenman on the findings and
recommendations of the “Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Green Infrastructure Mapping Assessment”.
· Discussion of the finding and recommendations.
Mr. Eisenman is Principal of Environmental Design and Communications. He has consulted on a range of urban ecology and landscape planning projects with groups including Washington, D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, the USDA Forest Service Living Memorials project, and the Chesapeake Bay Program. Earlier in his career he worked at Andropogon Associates and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Eisenman has written for National Public Radio and is a regular contributor to Landscape Architecture magazine.
Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project
National Park Service and the Metropolitan Washington Council of
Governments
February 2, 2006
Mapping Forum: COG and NPS has catalogued existing mapping efforts as
identified in the region. COG and NPS is working with existing member governments, regional federal and state agencies and private groups, through a workgroup and Green Mapping Forums, to obtain and catalogue regional data sets. This is being accomplished through partnership opportunities with other interested parties.
On October 18, 2002 a Green Infrastructure Mapping Forum was held and included the following presentations.
Tim Aiken, Office of US Congressman Jim Moran, 8th District of VA
Robert Dietz, US Geological Survey
Kim Finch, Prince George’s County, MD
Margaret Maizel, ONEIMAGE, LLC.
Gary Moll, American Forests
Andrew Zimba, Casey Tree Endowment Fund
In addition, in September 2003, COG, the Casey Tree Endowment and NPS, and other partners, agreed to form a workgroup to explore ways to prepare a comprehensive green infrastructure map for the District of Columbia.
Green Space Forums & Workshops: NPS and COG have established and
maintains a “Green Infrastructure Forum” series to highlight and disseminate technical information on issues pertaining to green infrastructure programs, initiatives and innovations both nationally and internationally. This series supplements the activities of COG’s Urban Forest Forum, the Community Forestry Network. The forums act as an information exchange on topics pertaining to open space, parks and recreation areas to:
1) Present its cooperators and collaborators with accurate informative, educational and understandable information on the natural, physical, biological, cultural and economic aspects of green infrastructure.
2) Share outstanding local, regional, national, and international examples of protection, regeneration, management and recreation activities and strategies.
3) Create opportunities for peer networking.
4) Provide opportunities for dialogue between different government and private sector interests.
Some of the speakers that have participated in the forum series included:
Nanine Bilski, America the Beautiful Fund, Washington, DC
Blaine Bonham, PA Horticulture Society, Philadelphia, PA
Dr. John Bruce, Moses Urban Gardening, Washington, DC
David Burke, MD Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis, MD
Mark Buscaino, formerly of the DC Department of Public Works, Washington, DC
Steve Coleman, Washington Parks & People, Washington, DC
Christine Gilday, Virginia “Plant-A-Row”
Peggy Harwood, USDA, Forest Service, Washington, DC
Shelia Hogan, formerly of the Casey Tree Endowment Fund, Washington, DC
Andy Lipkis, Tree People, Los Angeles, CA
Mari Lou Livingood, formerly of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation, Alexandria, VA
Daniel Martin, International Communities for the Renewal of the Earth, NJ
Greg Moore, Golden Gate Park Association, San Francisco, CA
Neil Owens, Metropolitan Police Department Boys & Girls Club, Washington, DC
Brian O’Neill, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, CA
Leslie Sauer, formerly of Andropogon Associates, Hunterdon County, NJ
Gerri Spilka, OMG Center for Collaborative Learning, Philadelphia, PA
Anne Whiston Spirn, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Nancy Sturm, formerly of the National Park Foundation, Washington, DC
Bob Sutton, Greater Washington National Parks Fund, Manassas, VA
Joan Thomas, DC Ward 4 Beautification, Washington, DC
Robert Yaro, Regional Plan Association, NY
Workshops have been held, or are being scheduled, for:
Harmony Hall, MD: A two-day workshop, lead by Michael Clarke, formerly of the Natural Lands Trust, was held in July 2003 to advise NPS leaders on what to do to conserve the NPS-owned Harmony Hall property and buildings. The session focused on ways for NPS to make the economics of conservation and preservation successful.
A report was prepared for NPS park managers to outline alternatives for property and building management.
Potomac Access: A workshop, lead by Ellen Cull, Management & Organizational Consultant, was held to discuss ways to improve access to the Potomac River, from Great Falls to the confluence with Occoquan Creek. The meeting collected input from 35 interested stakeholders on:
· A listing of current high quality access to the Potomac – physical, informational, educational, visual and recreational
· Major concerns, issues and problems with current access to the Potomac
· Major areas of opportunity for improving access to the Potomac
A report was prepared summarizing the discussions.
Dialogue: A workshop, lead by Daniel Martin of International Communities for Renewal of the Earth and Anne Pearson of Sustainable Communities, was held to provide metro-green space leaders with additional skills in dialogue.
The focus of the workshop was to discuss and demonstrate skills that allow people of differing viewpoints to value each other’s perspectives and experience and develop common purpose, mutual understanding, mutual ownership, and trust. The session stressed that dialogue is the communication tool, the glue that will hold together and enrich the green infrastructure process of interaction.
Participants were provided skills in “Appreciative Inquiry”, a communication technique that enables the participants to access their own collective wisdom using an interview technique that encourages new perspectives to surface, a creative exchange to occur. These skills and tools will also enable participants in the workshops to expand the process of working together on local and regional green infrastructure projects after the workshop by sharing ideas with the people and perspectives they represent so that all stakeholders own the process.
Exchange Best Green Infrastructure Management Practices:
The National Park Service, in cooperation with EPA's Office of
International Activities, the Department of Housing & Urban Development,
and the Glynwood Center sponsored a two-year exchange between local,
national and international experts from the metro-region and Germany. The
exchange focused on urban watershed management and included green
urbanism, stormwater management, roof-top and rain gardens, riparian
buffers, and other ways to protect and restore water and air quality
within the Potomac River watershed.
NPS and EPA worked with the Potomac Urban River Watershed Management
Regional Steering Committee to participate in the exchange and to
identify off-the-shelf "Best Green Infrastructure Management
Practices". A report, “Potomac International Urban Watershed
Management Exchange”, which describes these techniques, was published
by the Glynwood Center.
On Tuesday January 28, 2003 the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Washington, DC hosted a daylong forum and reception to share the results of the collaborative effort to exchange best management practices. “The Potomac International Urban Watershed Management: Lessons Learned Forum” brought together 150 public and private leaders from the metropolitan Washington region, including various U.S.-based organizations serving Germany. These leaders listened to presentations by a team of government and private sector leaders from the Potomac who visited Germany to learn about watershed Restoration and Reconstruction, Urban Watershed Retrofit Strategies, and Large Scale Redevelopment.
Presentations were made by:
Katrin Scholz-Barth, formerly of the HOK Planning Group, Washington, DC
Sheila Besse, Nonpoint Source Management Branch, DC Department of Health, Washington, DC
Elizabeth Berry, DC Office of the Mayor, Washington, DC
Uwe Brandes, DC Office of Planning, Washington, DC
Timothy J. Carney, Allegany County Economic Development, Cumberland, MD
Herbert Driesietl, Atelier Dreiseitl, Uberlingen, Germany
Marc Gibb, Northern Virginia, Regional Planning Commission, Annandale, VA
Dale Medearis, U.S. EPA, Office of International Activities, currently Potomac River Navigator, Alexandria, VA
Judith LaBelle, Glynwood Center, Cold Spring, NY
Judy Guse-Noritake, Alexandria, VA Park and Recreation Commission/The Wilderness Society, Alexandria, VA
Michael Packshies, City of Eckernfoerde, Germany
Working Lands in Metropolitan Washington Forum: On Tuesday,
April 12th from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at the offices of the
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project held a Working Lands Forum to discuss the future of Agriculture in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Regional Agricultural production and commerce continues to contribute 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.
The purpose of this forum was to both examine and discuss agriculture’s
role in the rapidly growing WMA, as well as the opportunities that enable local agricultural producers and markets to flourish.
Discussion focused on the importance of our local agricultural community and programs and how we may work together regionally to assure their continued success, so as to ensure their continued contribution to our local economy, quality of food, and quality of life.
See attached file for the agenda and speakers.
Green Infrastructure Mapping Forum: Representatives from The Trust for Public Land, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and the National Park Service, and other public and private regional leaders, made a presentation and held a discussion about the results of the “Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Green Infrastructure Mapping Assessment” on Wednesday September 14, 2005, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. The meeting was held at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments at 777 North Capitol St. N.E., Washington, DC 20002.
The Green Infrastructure Mapping Assessment has identified existing green infrastructure mapping activity and needs, and proposed recommendations for improving green infrastructure management across the region.
This assessment, which was prepared by Theodore Eisenman for The Trust for Public Land as part of the Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project, is intended to:
· Identify existing green infrastructure mapping activity and capacity in the region;
· Identify green infrastructure mapping gaps and needs, from both a data and organizational perspective; and
· Identify key informant recommendations for improving regional green infrastructure mapping and decision-making.
The report is based on the results of more than 25 first-person interviews with leaders and specialists involved in green infrastructure mapping. The interviews included experts from non-profit conservation groups, academic institutions, and public agencies.
The report is based on a sample of the many green infrastructure mapping practitioners and activities in the region, and it is important to note that there are groups operating outside the purview of this assessment that are also doing important work. The assessment is intended to function as the first step towards a greater understanding of existing green infrastructure mapping capacity and needs, for the ultimate purpose of improving public and private green infrastructure decision-making and expanding efforts to protect important lands, waters, and living resources.
The event was one in a series of Green Infrastructure Forums to highlight and disseminate information on issues pertaining to green infrastructure programs, initiatives and innovations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Featured at the forum was:
· An overview of the "Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure
Demonstration Project,” a partnership between COG & NPS.
· A presentation by Theodore Eisenman on the findings and
recommendations of the “Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Green Infrastructure Mapping Assessment”.
· Discussion of the finding and recommendations.
Mr. Eisenman is Principal of Environmental Design and Communications. He has consulted on a range of urban ecology and landscape planning projects with groups including Washington, D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, the USDA Forest Service Living Memorials project, and the Chesapeake Bay Program. Earlier in his career he worked at Andropogon Associates and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Eisenman has written for National Public Radio and is a regular contributor to Landscape Architecture magazine.
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