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tally reduced [he need for costly di- saster relief and flood damage repair efforts by purchasing threatened flood plain properties and replacing them with greenways. Trends Influencing the Shift to Green Infrastructure In the past, many communities con- sidered open space to be unutilized land. The legal and philosophical framework of our land use system as- sumed land was a commodity to be consumed. Communities that did plan for open space focused almost exclu- sively on preserving land for parks, which were viewed as a community amenity. Most open space preservation efforts were site-specific and were rarely coordinated with local land-use planning. However, shifts in the way government officials think about green space, and a growing awareness among states and iocalities of the need to plan for green infrastructure, have resulted from a number of positive trends in- cluding: • Increased recognition of the prob- lems associated with urban sprawl and landscape fragmentation; • Federal water quality mandates; • Endangered species protection, particularly the emphasis on habi- tat conservation plans that protect multiple species and link isolated preserves; • Increased marketability and resale value of homes near open space, parks and greenways; • Community revitalization empha- sizing the value of urban natural areas; • Smart growth policies and pro- grams at the state, regional and community levels; • Green development practices de- signed to promote environmental and economic sustainability. Green Infrastructure Planning Approaches Like our transportation system, green infrastructure should be carefully planned, designed, and expanded as communities grow. Green infrastruc- ture planning should be the first step in developing land-use plans, and should be coordinated with planning roads, sewers, water lines, and other essential gray infrastructure. Integrated planning and design should connect green and gray in a more effective, eco- nomic and sustainable network. Open space planners should use approaches similar to those of transportation plan- ners. Green infrastructure should be: Designed Holistically-Green in- frastructure should be designed to link elements into a system that functions as a whole, rather than as sepaza[e, un- related parts. Planned Comprehensively-Our green space systems need to be planned to include ecological, social and eco- nomic benefits, functions and values. Laid Out Strategically-Green space systems need to be laid out stra- tegically to cross multiple jurisdictions and incorporate green space elements at each level of government. Planned and Implemented Pub- licly-Green infrastructure systems should be planned and implemented with input from the public, including community organizations and private landowners. Grounded in the Principles and Practices of Diverse Professions- Green space systems should be based on sound science and should build on the knowledge of professional disci- plines such as landscape ecology, ur- ban and regional planning, and land- scape architecture. Funded Up-Front-Like other in- frastructure systems, our green space systems need to be funded as primary public investments rather than with money left over after al] other services have been provided. Benefits of Integrating Green Infrastructure Into the Land Planning Process There are many benefits to utilizing a green infrastructure approach to con- servation and development planning. Green infrastructure planning: • Recognizes and addresses the needs of people and nature; • Provides a mechanism to balance environmental and economic fac- tors; • Providesaframework for integrat- ing diverse natural resource and growth management activities in a holistic, ecosystem-based ap- proach; • Ensures that both green space and development are placed where they are most appropriate; • Identifies vi[a] ecological areas prior to development; • Identifies opportunities for the res- toration and enhancement of natu- rally functioning systems in urban areas; • Provides a unifying vision for the future; • Enables communities to create a system that is greater than the sum of its parts; • Provides communities and devel- opers with predictability and cer- tainty; and • Enables conservation and develop- ment to be planned cooperatively. Green Infrastructure Principles Across America, states, communi- ties, private landowners, public agen- cies and conservation organizations are working to conserve and restore our country's natural life sustaining sys- tem.Although these projects are called different names (greenway planning, ecosystem management, watershed protection, conservation development, habitat restoration, greenprints, etc.), successful initiatives are based on com- mon principles and strategies. AUTUMN 2002 RENEWABLE RESOURCES JOURNAL l5