10. PRSR 06 09 2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Green Infrastructure continued from page 5 • Regional Parks and Preserves -Less extensive hubs of regional significance, like the forest preserve system in Cook County, Illinois, provide ecological bene- fits and conserve biological diversity as well as offer important compatible resource-based recreational opportunities. • CulturaVHistoric/Recreational5ites- Community parks or culturaVhistorical sites that provide recreational opportuni- ties, help protect and interpret a com- munity's heritage, and can often serve as an origin or destination for a recreational trail. • Trailheads -Selected ecological, recreational, or culturaVhistoric sites with appropriate visitor services that serve as points of origin or destination linked by trail corridors. Trailheads can occur with- in rural natural areas and working land- scapes or within urban areas ranging from large metropolitan areas to small commu- nities. Trailheads serve as human hubs within greenways systems. Links Many different types of landscape links can go into creating a system of green space. For example: • Landscape Linkages -Large protected natural areas that connect existing parks, preserves or natural areas and provide suf- ficientspace for native plants and animals to flourish while serving as corridors con- nectingecosystems and landscapes. Land- scape linkages can also provide space for the protection of historic sites and oppor- tunities for human use like homing, fish- ing, canoeing, and hiking. • Conservation Corridors -Less exten- sive linear protected areas, such as river and stream corridors, serve as biological conduits for wildlife and, in many cases, also provide opportunities for compatible outdoor, resource-based recreational activities. • Greenbelts -Protected natural lands or working landscapes, such as the one around Boulder Colorado, serve as a framework for development while also preserving native ecosystems and/or pro- ductive farms or ranchland and directing urban and suburban growth. • Trail Corridors -Designated routes, such as rail-trails and greenways, provide access to and appreciation of [he values of natural areas and ocher green spaces, present diverse resource-based outdoor recreational opportunities, and enhance the understanding of historical sites and cultural diversity frail corridors include linear urban open spaces that accommo- date moderate to intense recreational use for residents and visitors. • Utilitarian Corridors -Linear fea- tures, such as powerline and pipeline rights-of-way and canals, can provide a way of connecting recreational, cultural or natural system features. Addison Texas, for example, has created an outstanding park system using utility rights oC way, while communities in New York have used the Erie Canal as the backbone for a series of linear park and recreation areas. WHAT ARE IHE BENEFITS OF A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN? Green infrastructure initiatives pro- vide ablueprint for conservation the same way long-range transportation plans pro- vide ablueprint for future roads or transit lines. Green infrastructure plans can cre- ate aframework for future growth while also ensuring that significant natural and cultural resources will be preserved for future generations. Green infrastructure plans can even reduce opposition to new development by assuring civic groups and environmental organizations that growth will occur only within a framework of expanded open space and conservation lands. Investing in green infrastructure can also be much more cost effective than building conventional public works pro- jects. Consider flood control. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates that flood damage in the United States aver- ages more than $4 billion a year. Despite massive investments in dike and levee sys- tems, many communities have learned the limitations of structural approaches to flood control. In fact, it is Far less expen- sive to buy or otherwise protect tloodplain land. Arnold, Missouri, for example, has dramatically reduced the cost m taxpayers of disaster relief and repairing flood dam- age by purchasing threatened properties and creating a greenway in the flood plain. Similarly, green infrastructure can pro- vide ales costly way of assuring safe drinking water. New York City, for exam- ple, avoided the need to spend between $6 and $8 billion on new water filtration and treatment plants by instead purchasing P L d A N I N G C O M M I S S I O N E R S J O U R N d L / V U M 8 E R 3 7 / W I N T E R 2 0 0 0 t t Boil[ between 1828 and 1850, the 185 mile long CErO Canal runs from Washington, D.C_ m Curnberlnnd, Maryland.