Green Infrastructure. by Karen Engel, NYS DEC. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Transcription

1 Green Infrastructure by Karen Engel, NYS DEC

2 What is Green Infrastructure?

3 For some it s all about water Green Infrastructure techniques use soils and vegetation to infiltrate, evapotranspirate, and/or recycle runoff, creating an effective stormwater management system.

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6 The UNH Stormwater Center Dedicated to the protection of water resources through effective stormwater management Research and development of stormwater treatment systems To provide resources to stormwater communities currently involved in design and implementation of Phase II requirements 6

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8 but GI Does Far More Than That Vegetation and natural systems also help filter air pollutants, reduce energy demands, mitigate urban heat islands, and sequester carbon while also providing communities with aesthetic and natural resource benefits.

9 We always knew trees were pretty, but they also: Improve air quality Improve water quality Reduce stormwater run-off Reduce soil erosion Reduce noise Store carbon Reduce energy costs Reduce crime Increase property values Provide wildlife habitat and more... and now we can prove it!

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11 So GI means different things to different people, but these are basic common principles: It is or uses natural systems, usually vegetated It has utilitarian value like gray infrastructure It performs critical life-sustaining functions

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13 and size matters L A N D S C A P E scale to site scale

14 Strategy is key to sustaining a complex, interconnected matrix of natural systems for effective GI. A large-scale plan can help to ensure the most beneficial arrangement of small-scale pieces. Beneficial arrangement Non-beneficial arrangement The Conservation Fund

15 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE is Green infrastructure is strategically planned and managed networks of natural lands, working landscapes and other open spaces that conserve ecosystem values and functions and provide associated benefits to human populations. The foundation of green infrastructure networks are their natural elements woodlands, wetlands, rivers, grasslands that work together as a whole to sustain ecological values and functions. Healthy functioning natural or restored ecological systems are essential to ensure the availability of the network s ecological services. Additional elements and functions can then be added to the network, depending on the desires and needs of the designers working lands, trails and other recreational features, cultural and historic sites. These all can be incorporated into green infrastructure networks that contribute to the health and quality of life for America s communities. While green infrastructure planning occurs at a broad landscape scale, elements of the over-arching network can be found at all scales, from state-wide, to the county, city, and parcel/site scale. Critical elements of the implementation strategy, such as lowimpact development practices (LID), conservation developments, green/grey interface, etc., are necessary components to any successful green infrastructure plan, and are frequently found at the site/parcel scale. The Conservation Fund

16 Diverse New York

17 Impacts Beyond our Borders

18 GI Projects Funded by the USFS

19 The GI Mapping Project EPA s Healthy Watersheds Initiative provided the funding for The Green Infrastructure Center, Inc. to do the work of Writing a chapter specific to NY in their GI Practitioner s Guide which is available to all Based upon a pilot project they conducted in one NY county. Ulster was selected based upon data considerations, and a variety of factors that contributed to Statewide applicability.

20 Green Infrastructure Center :: Our Mission To assist communities in developing strategies for protecting and conserving their ecological and cultural assets through environmentally-sensitive decisions, lifestyles and planning. Green infrastructure is the interconnected natural systems and ecological processes that provide clean water, air quality and wildlife habitat. Green infrastructure sustains a community s social, economic, and environmental health.

21 Mapping & Assessment Process Create an individual map of every natural resource attribute, as well as for related or impacting features, for which there is data. Layer selected maps to assess relationships, rank assets, evaluate risks, identify opportunities and rank priorities.

22 Data Sources

23 Creating and Utilizing the Maps by Amanda LaValle Coordinator Ulster County Department of the Environment

24 Themed Maps: Overlay key landscape features to see relationships and other natural assets. + Size and shape + Rare, threatened and endangered species + Water quality, aquatic biodiversity + Water abundance = Habitat Core Ranking for Intact Landscape

25 What makes these cores so special? 12,758 acres in size 258 acres of interior wetlands 27 Element Occurrences 12 KM of DEC Class A streams 9,880 acres in protection (77%) 11,543 acres of significant natural communities

26 Themed Map: + Watersheds + Water Quality Rankings = Watersheds with High Quality Waters

27 Small parcels fragment forest into many owners Large parcels create contiguous forest blocks We use local parcel data to determine current and future intactness. Timber Asset = Contiguous Large Forested Parcels (>50 acres). A wildlife asset = > 100 acres

28 Themed Maps: + Forested Land + Land > 50 acres by owner - Protected reserve lands - Slopes > 15 % = Sustainable Forestry Potential

29 Themed Maps + Top fishing areas + Trout waters + State hunting lands and hunt clubs = Hunting and Fishing

30 Themed Maps + Prime (best) agricultural soils + Agricultural Districts - Forested lands = Agricultural Lands

31 Themed Maps + Scenic/land based tourism (wineries, apples, maple sugar) + Scenic routes + National Register properties that are landscape dependent + Hudson River Viewshed = Cultural Resources Supported by the Landscape

32 Risk Assessment What assets are most at risk? Waters deemed impaired by state and EPA, mapped floodplains

33 Of the high quality habitat cores, which are protected, which are not? + Forest Cores + Land under easement, parkland or nature reserve = Protected High Quality Cores

34 34 Linking to the Municipal Level

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36 Town of Saugerties- Open Space Vision Plan How can town level data inform the potential reconnection/ improvement of cores? How can County level cores inform town level efforts?

37 Trees and woodlots Habitat patches Portion of Town of Marbletown Natural Systems Map by Behan Planning Associates, LLC Streams and wetlands Trails and smaller parks Local site plans can be connected to the County plan and visa versa

38 Site to Municipal to County to Regional GI at smaller scales are the pieces of the landscape scale GI puzzle Sites change focus, but still need to connect to larger scales. May require restoration.

39 39 Regional Context- Protected Lands & Centers Mid-Hudson Regional Sustainability Plan

40 40 Connecting to Regional/County Wide Initiatives Cores mapping can be used to link to various regional and county wide efforts including: Ulster County Open Space Plan Greenway Compact for NYS DEC Open Space Plan Mid-Hudson Regional Sustainability Plan Ulster County

41 County Green Infrastructure Mapping Rank assets, assess risks, and determine opportunities What should be protected or restored? Link both ways Down to municipal scale and up to regional scale to connect and improve cores; increasing the size and complexity and strengthening resiliency. Implement Opportunities Include natural asset maps in both daily and long-range planning (park planning, comp plans, updates to open space plans, greenway plans, zoning, tourism and economic development, seeking easements etc).

42 Opportunities for Synergy? NYS DEC s Division of Lands and Forests: NYS Open Space Conservation Plan NYS DEC s Office of Climate Change: Climate Smart Communities Program NYS Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA): Cleaner Greener Communities Program at The Land Use Toolkit at ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability: Sustainability Planning Toolkit (formerly the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) at

43 So, county planning folks the EPA Healthy Watersheds Initiative supported the Green Infrastructure Center in a pilot project in Ulster County to develop a methodology that you can use to: Inventory your green assets and connections, Identify opportunities for protection and/or restoration, Plan a coordinated strategy to channel development and redevelopment to the most appropriate locations.

44 Green Infrastructure is earth s life-support system. Green Infrastructure is, then, our life-support system.

45 So how much is too much?

46 Avoiding, Mitigating, & Adapting to Disasters

47 Questions to Think About At what point have we cut, mown, cleared, built, paved, poisoned too much? Will we know before we get there? How can I help?

48 Ponder the Possibilities with Plants Presentation prepared by: Karen Engel NYS DEC 625 Broadway Albany, NY (518)