10. PRSR 06 09 2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Consequences of Haphazard Development Over the past several decades, growth has leapfrogged cities and older suburbs into many once rural areas. Development is overtaking farms and forests a[ an increasingly rapid rate. This expansion often occurs without well-designed land-use plans, resulting in urban sprawl, which fragments natu- ral areas, isolates productive farmland and disrupts ecological functions. This has led to the: Loss of Natural Areas-For ex- ample, about 25,000 acres of wetlands continue to be lost each year to sprawl. As natural areas are diminished, so is habitat diversity. The result is a decline in the number of species and in the number of individuals of those species that survive. Fragmentation of Open Spaces- As we convert land, it is fragmented into isolated patches of open space, greatly altering the function of its natu- ral systems by increasing edge habi- tats and isolating patches, reducing both the number and diversity of na- tive species. Degradation of Water Resources- Developing wetlands and riparian zones reduces their capacity to control floods, trap sediments, filter out tox- ins and excess nutrients, and support wildlife and plant species. Decreased Ability for Nature to Respond to Change-Development has hindered nature's ability to respond to climate change and has reduced the viability of wildlife populations by lim- iting genetic diversity and wildlife movement. Loss of "Free" Natural Services- Namral systems provide important ser- vices such as flood control, stormwater management and pollution filtration. The loss of these services increases the risk of floods and natural disasters. costing communities billions in miti- gation and disaster relief efforts. AUTUMN 2002 Increased Costs of Public Ser- vices-Haphazard development often requires huge investments in roads, sewers, schools and other public infra- structure. As new communities are built, new infrastructure needs to ex- pand to accommodate them. Increased Taxes-Many studies show that farming and forestry gener- ate more revenue than they require in public services. Haphazard residential development has the opposite effect. It forces communities to provide services across a larger geographic area, stretch- ing municipal services and resulting in increased infrastructure costs that lead to higher taxes. Smart Growth The United States grows by 2.7 mil- lion people every year, requiring an annual increase of at least 1 million new housing units. To conuol how and where this growth will occur, many communities have started smart growth initiatives. Smart growth has been defined as development that is economically sound, environmentally friendly and supponive of community livability- growththat enhances our quality of life. A recent study by Rutgers University found that the annual operating and maintenance costs for roads and other public facilities in New Jersey could be reduced by $400 million a year by developing in a more compact manner. Additional studies by the Brookings Institution and others show that the pace of land development far exceeds the rate of population growth in America. This suggests the problem is not growth itself, but the pattern of growth. Simply put, some places are better for development than others. The first principle of better development is de- terminingwhere not to develop. Green infrastructure planning can help com- munities figure this out. Communities need to make better use of existing in- frastruciure to encourage more com- pact, walkable communities and to develop a framework for shaping where growth will go. Smart Conservation Smart growth programs are designed to address the problems of haphazard development and sprawl. Likewise, we need smart conservation programs to strategically direct conservation prac- tices. Smart conservation promotes re- sourceplanning and protection in a way that is proactive not reactive; system- atic not haphazazd; holistic not piece- meal; multifunctional not single pur- pose; multi-jurisdictional not single jurisdictional; and multiple scale not single scale. Green Infrastructure Functions and Benefits Green infrastructure systems help protect and restore naturally function- ing ecosystems by providing a frame- work for future development that fos- ters adiversity of ecological, social, and economic benefits. These include enriched habitat and biodiversity; maintenance of natural landscape pro- cesses; cleaner air and water; increased recreational opportunities; improved health; and better connection to nature and sense of place. Green space also increases property values and can de- crease the costs of public infrastruc- ture and services such as, flood con- trol, water treatment systems and storm water management. Investing in green infrastructure is often more cost effective than devel- oping conventional public works projects. For example, in the 1990s, New York City saved spending $4-6 billion on new water filtration and treatment plants by purchasing and pro- tecting watershed land in the Catskill Mountains for about $1.5 billion Like- wise, Arnold, Missouri. has dramati- RENEWABLE RESOURCES JOURNAL 14