Nov 23 Reading Summaries & Carmela's Feedback on Term Projects

Discussion from Nov 23 Readings: CASE STUDY 1

First article:

Benedict, Mark, Edward T. McMahon, and The Conservation Fund. Green Infrastructure: smart conservation for the 21st Century, Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse Monograph Series. Washington Dc: Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse.

This is the focus of my Plan of Study!!

• Modern Greenway movement has been around for the last 15 years – a linear approach for ecological functioning

• Greenbelt is wider is than a greenway.

• The Greenbelt surrounding the GTA is under constant erosion

• GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE is a counterpart to grey infrastructure i.e. such as roads,
  sewers and water lines.

• In urban environments, we need to plan as we do for grey infrastructure, a connected hierarchy of natural and open space elements, green roofs, streetscape -A need to create synergies between elements.
  

• GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE can function in parallel with Grey simultaneously, but so far disconnected, either you plan separately, connected continuous
  
  
  Words Matter:

Excerpts from Words Matter, editorial by Ed McMahon, Vice President of Land Use Programs at The Conservation Fund. Full editorial appears in the January-March 2003 edition of Common Ground

"Today the economy is lagging and budgets are tight. Open space funding is on the chopping block. This is because the public and local officials think open space is a luxury they can no longer afford. They think of it as an amenity, something that is nice to have. However, the same people understand that infrastructure is a necessity, not an amenity; something that communities must have, not just something that is nice to have...

We view infrastructure as a primary public investment, not something we pay for with leftover money. Likewise, public officials understand that infrastructure must be constantly upgraded and maintained. It is not something we just buy and forget. Finally, we all know that infrastructure must be developed as a system, not as isolated parts. One way to change this perception of open space as an amenity is to change the nomenclature...

A popular bumper stickers says “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” Well, if you think green space is expensive, just imagine the future costs for clean air, clean water and healthy natural systems if we don’t invest in green infrastructure today. "

Source:

McMahon, E. V. (2003). Words Matter – An Editorial. Common Ground, 14(1), 2.

And here some more info from the Main Currents of My Plan of Study which is called:

Planning for Green Infrastructure Design and Feasibility

Green Infrastructure

Cities require continual investments in their built or “grey” infrastructure (roads, sewers, utilities, etc.) to sustain growth. By the same logic, cities can also invest in and expand their “green infrastructure.” Green infrastructure can be defined as:

“our nation’s natural life support system - an interconnected network of waterways, wetlands, woodlands, wildlife habitats and other natural areas; greenways, parks and other conservation lands; working farms, ranches and forests; and wilderness and other open spaces that support native species, maintain natural ecological processes, sustain air and water resources and contribute to the health and quality of life for America’s communities and people”

(Benedict & McMahon, 2002, pp 12).

However, natural areas are still commonly regarded as amenities. Reconceptualizing all of them together as part of a planned and managed green infrastructure system can help city residents value green spaces and waterways as essential to urban life. When the network’s components are functioning together properly, vital ecological processes and services (e.g., absorption of stormwater runoff, cleaning fresh water, climate moderation, oxygen supply, soil enrichment, creation of wildlife habitat etc.) are well provided and city residents and wildlife are healthy. McMahon (2003) thus insists that investments in green infrastructure are critical to sustain the health of our ecosystems now and in the future.

The theory and practice of green infrastructure is supplied by the fields of conservation biology, landscape ecology, urban and regional planning, landscape architecture, geography and civil engineering (Benedict & McMahon, 2002). The successful planning and design of green infrastructure systems will depend on professionals from these disciplines working together and integrating current knowledge into practice. The theory and practice that informs the planning of green infrastructure is supplied by various approaches that place emphasis on “nature” to re-plan and restructure urban development.

References:

Benedict, M. A., & McMahon, E. T., (2002). “Green Infrastructure: Smart Conservation for the 21st Century.” Renewable Resources Journal (20) 3: 12-17.

Benedict, M. A., & McMahon, E. T., (2003). “How Cities Use Parks for Green Infrastructure.” American Planning Association - City Parks Forum Briefing Paper, Chicago, IL.

Second Article

University of Cambridge Department of Geography. The Flooded Forest: Guidance for policy makers and river managers in Europe on the restoration of floodplain forests. Cambridge, UK: The FLOBAR2 Project, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge.

Methodology is basically following Steinitz model

Need to maintain floodplains

More from the Article

Introduction

This illustrated document provides knowledge about the unusual and increasingly rare ecosystems known as floodplain (or alluvial) forests. This information is provided in an accessible

way so that individuals and organisations interested in conserving or restoring these ecosystems can understand not only the key underlying biological and physical processes but also the institutional and policy contexts within which restoration can proceed.

The document is presented in five sections.

1. The first section, 'A case for floodplain forests?' provides important background information about what these forests are, why they are important and why they are threatened. It also explains why there is a growing interest in conserving and restoring floodplain forests.

2. In the second section, 'How do floodplain forests work?', more detail is given on the biological and physical processes which define these ecosystems. The section is divided into sub-sections dealing with hydrology, geomorphology and biology and all information is presented in the form of questions and answers. Some of this information is quite technical as the linkages between floodplain forests and their adjacent rivers are complex. Consequently, examples are provided throughout the text to explain the key points.

3. In the third section, 'How can floodplain forests be restored?', different approaches to the conservation and restoration of these forests are described. This section presents case studies to illustrate the range of options available and concludes with a section on how to monitor restoration success.

4. The fourth section, 'What prospects for restoration?', considers the institutional and policy contexts within which restoration of rivers and floodplain forests takes place, including constraints and drivers. This section also uses case studies to illustrate important trends and opportunities.

5. Finally, the short section, 'What are the principle challenges?' considers both conceptual and practical issues encountered in the restoration of these complex and fascinating ecosystems.

See the concise 4 page Executive Summary

Some Good Questions which could be useful for our Presentations from within the Executive Summary (Insert your topic in the blanks)

What are _________and why do we need to restore them?

What do _________need and how should they be restored?

What are the constraints on restoring ______________?

Article Conclusions

This document promotes the restoration of floodplain forests by providing natural science knowledge about these ecosystems, recommendations on how to approach their restoration and knowledge about the policy and institutional contexts within which restoration can take place. (Good STRUCTURE for our term projects or even Major Projects)

Because floodplain forests depend on flooding processes that are affected by activities

across whole catchments, it recommends managing hydrological processes at a catchment scale. The dynamic ecosystem processes that characterise floodplain forests take place over many decades. A long-term vision is therefore also advocated with a particular emphasis on

the need for a great variety in river flow patterns between and within years. To apply this knowledge towards effective conservation and restoration of floodplain forests within the context of contemporary policy, planning and political timeframes is acknowledged to be highly complex. Despite these complexities, the idea of giving rivers more space is becoming integrated into

mainstream river management policy and opportunities for the restoration of floodplain forests should increase.

Third Article

Rutgers Department of Landscape Architecture, and Morris Land Conservancy. 2002. High Lakes Greenway: Linking Communities with Nature (PDF, 10 Mbytes). Boonton, NJ: Morris Land Conservancy.

INTRODUCTION

This report develops a proposal for a “High Lakes Greenway” (Figure 1) that encompasses six communities in southeastern Sussex County, New Jersey. Located within the Highlands Region (Figure 2) of New York and New Jersey, these towns are typified by densely wooded mountains, beautiful lakes, streams, rural beauty and charm. The many ecosystems of the region provide habitats for complex plant and animal populations and are the source of drinking water for millions of people in New Jersey.

The Highlands are significant because they hold a “vision for the future with a regional oasis of open land that provides a sustained quality of life and environmental integrity.” (NY NJ Highlands Regional Study Draft Report) This Region’s recreation facilities receive an average fourteen million visits each year to its 235,000 acres of local, county, state and federally owned parks. Existing recreational opportunities include a network of over 343 miles of trail corridors. From the lakeside and mountainous communities of Byram Township, Hopatcong Borough, and Stanhope Borough, to the agricultural lands in Andover Borough, Andover Township, and Sparta Township, the local vistas and economies are both characteristic of and dependent upon the resources inherent to the Highlands Region.

Preservation of this area’s natural features and better accessibility for the community will enhance recreational opportunities and overall quality of life for local residents. In addition, the natural features will attract visitors into the region, creating eco-tourism opportunities. Preservation activities protect water systems and sensitive habitats that are home to threatened and endangered species of plants and animals. Permanent protection of the landscape’s rural beauty and character will ensure that the local agricultural heritage and wildlife habitat will remain for years to come.

Goals and Objectives

The overarching goal of this project is to develop a tool that the towns may use in local planning and open space acquisitions programs. The proposed greenway provides a framework. The greenway proposal extends outward from this area, suggesting a system of coordinated preservation within this region of the Highlands. The production of a conceptual plan for six communities in southeastern Sussex County allows the municipalities to develop a common vision and goals on how to best preserve their regional resources. To better engage the public in the planning process, a series of public meetings was held. This report concludes with strategies for acquiring land for the preservation and conservation of natural resources.

What is a Greenway? (also from the article)*****

Greenways connect- they tie together people, parks, historic sites, and natural areas. They follow streams and rivers, ridgelines, abandoned rail lines, hedgerows, canals and other transportation corridors. All within the greenway are unique and created through local initiative and reflecting a sense of community needs and concerns. (J.M. Labaree)

How does a Greenway Function?

1. Habitat: Greenway’s serve as a habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species. Examples of habitats include ecologically significant areas where endangered plants or animals are found, parks, and prime core preservation areas.
2. Channel: Greenways serve as a channel for the movement of humans, animals, plants, and water. Examples of channels include riparian and ecological corridors, roads, and trails.
3. Barrier: Greenways serve as a barrier to the movement of animal and plant species. Examples of a barrier would be buffers along stream corridors, fences, and visual barriers that can be created through vegetative screens.
4. Filter: Greenways serve as a filter, removing pollutants and reducing nutrient flow through eroded soil. Examples of filters can be seen in wetlands and river lands where they filter out toxins and excess nutrients.
5. Source: Greenways serve as a source of plant and animal species and water. Examples of sources provide the surrounding land with various elements such as water or biologically diverse species.
6. Sink: Greenways serve as a sink through the retention of filtered nutrients and sediment. Examples of sinks include rivers, streams, and wetlands.

Greenways provide environmental, economic, and social benefits to the community. Air quality is enhanced by the protection of vegetation that naturally creates oxygen and filters pollutants. Water quality is enhanced through the protection

of buffer zones along streams, rivers, and lakes. Greenways also have positive impacts on the property value of adjacent land. Local service sectors within greenway towns may be boosted by the presence of out of town visitors, who come to bike, walk, fish or hike along greenways. Greenways provide a place where people can interact with one another. They offer a cost effective place to exercise. They bring the sense of community and “genius loci” back to the community by knitting the communities together through a green infrastructure of trails and open space.

Green Space Analysis

The analysis work for the High Lakes Greenway was completed using the guidelines set forth by Green Space Design
(Box 1, http://www.greenspacedesign.org/what_cedar.html# )

This group uses the acronym CEDAR to categorize areas that will identify open spaces and resources to be protected or preserved. The acronym CEDAR stands for:

C ultural

E cological

D evelopmental

A gricultural

R ecreational

This method allows for analysis of nearly all types of open space areas. Resources are inventoried and prioritized in each category, resulting in a suitability analysis. The suitability analyses can be combined (or overlaid) to become the backbone of

the greenway design. The five maps showing suitability analyses for these categories are shown, followed by text and illustrations that explain the criteria used in creating the CEDAR maps.

BOX 1. The green space design process

The green space design process is based on an easily understood approach. This approach, known as "CEDAR,"

helps a community understand, locate and evaluate its open spaces. CEDAR is an acronym which represents the main categories of open spaces commonly found in communities: cultural, ecological, developmental, agricultural and recreational.

The CEDAR approach allows a community to understand, locate and evaluate its unique open spaces in terms of cultural, ecological, developmental, agricultural and recreational (CEDAR) characteristics.

An inclusive method to land assessment, the CEDAR approach truly addresses all types of open space, because every open space falls

within one or more of the CEDAR categories. When a community determines which of its open spaces are important for cultural, ecological, developmental, agricultural and recreational reasons, a community gains valuable insight into the legacy it wants to preserve for future generations.

Dozens of specific types of open spaces fall within the cultural, ecological, developmental, agricultural and recreational (CEDAR) categories of open space mentioned above. For example, ecological open spaces include slopes, water quality, drainages, geological features, wildlife habitat, vegetation, and ecological corridors. The chart illustrates types of open spaces that are commonly found in a community, particularly along its growing fringes. A particular community may exhibit all or some of these open space types, and some communities may want to add or further define open space types listed under the general headings represented by the CEDAR acronym.

GO to the Flash Animation at http://www.greenspacedesign.org/cedar_set.html
to get more info ON EACH Category
and for each square within the category

Fourth Article

Yahner, et al. 1995. Cultural landscapes and landscape ecology in contemporary greenway planning, design and management: a case study. Landscape and Urban Planning 33.

Cultural landscapes and landscape ecology in contemporary greenway planning, design and management: a case study Cultural landscapes and landscape ecology in contemporary greenway planning, design and management: a case study

· What are cultural landscapes? Layers of layers of human understanding of that land, altering the land over time according to the need of the land and some of their own land i.e. terracing, or contour ploughing, an alteration of the landscape.

· Article set on the Appalachian trail

· Preventing erosion with hedgerow for habitat and connection to separate visually the corridor and

· Consider the impact and distance. An inverse relationship more urbanized an area, the more you need habitat

· If you are in an area that is not urbanized, it not so disturbed

Article Abstract:

http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=ENV&recid=4093124&q=author%3A%5C%22Yahner%5C%22+intitle%3A%5C%22Cultural+landscapes+and+landscape+ecology+in+...%5C%22&uid=786793110&setcookie=yes

The Appalachian Trail traverses 3300 km (2050 miles) of the Appalachian Mountains from Maine to Georgia in the eastern USA. Except for the Cumberland Valley (the Great Valley of the Ridge and Valley region of the Appalachian Mountains) in Pennsylvania, and a few other valley crossings, the Trail passes primarily along forested ridges. The Cumberland Valley is the longest valley crossing of the Trail-26 km (16 miles) of intensively cultivated prime farmland undergoing residential and commercial development. To secure public ownership of the Trail through this urbanizing landscape, the US Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service, acquired a 600 ha (1500 acre) corridor through the Cumberland Valley to be managed and maintained by the volunteers of the Appalachian Trail Conference. This study was developed by a project team from the Department of Landscape Architecture of The Pennsylvania State University, for the Appalachian Trail Conference, as a set of planning, design, and management recommendations for the newly acquired trail corridor.

The method of study involves developing (1) an understanding of the Trail, its history, and its users; (2) a general understanding of the natural and cultural conditions of the region; (3) a more specific inventory, analysis, and assessment of the natural and cultural elements of the trail corridor.

This process reveals a corridor landscape containing the interpretable evidence of 250 years of agrarian landscape history and a diverse set of physical environments and biotic communities that have been fragmented by that land use.

The two central ideas explored in this paper that underlie the planning and design of the Trail greenway across the Cumberland Valley are, first, the conservation and interpretation of the cultural landscape,

and, second, the reduction of habitat fragmentation and enhancement of biological diversity.

The product of the planning and design of the corridor land is a set of recommendations intended to direct future actions within the valley corridor.

The cultural landscape recommendations focus on maintaining the fabric and interrelationships of the cultural landscape by including a complete representation of both the structural and biotic cultural resources.

The ecological recommendations focus on protection of existing natural resources, establishment of forest habitat linkages, and restoration of native plant communities.

Finally, two examples of the corridor planning, design, and management study are presented as a case study in greenway planning and design in response to cultural landscape conservation and landscape ecology.

General Discussion

You should not touch aquifers – walk and hike – at same time maintain ecological functioning (Go backwards)

Whatever is left you intensify

There are too much roads in subdivisions, more efficient to go for one lane rather spread out too wide, Reduce the frontage by putting garage at the back

Second half of lecture After Break - Term Project Progress Report

I) Eric Site in Pickering, ON
– the most preserved natural space in the GTA

Ø Site Boundaries

Ø Why did he chose the area

Ø Talking about the natural heritage (show where the trails are)

Ø Show Municipal boundaries

He wants to describe the main natural heritage features

Ø Talks about the hedgerows

Ø The Creeks

His vision – A great opportunity to protect natural heritage features

Look for Connectivity (so they can function as a system)

His Methodology -

· Start with natural features

· Need to analyze the landscape structure – patch, corridor, matrix (Show the max size, the average, how can we maximize the interior, and protect the river corridor)

· Link together the above green infrastructure

· Look at Grey infrastructure Impacts:

Þ A Major highway will have a 500 metre impact i.e. 407)

Þ A standard road has a 200 meter impact)

Þ A dirt road for regular agricultural purpose would not impact much, you do not have to consider.

Þ Look for where roads are crossing rivers

Þ Is there gulf course runoff

· Get Maps with the Topography (look for steep slopes indicative of erosion)

· Eric also wants to show Current Green infrastructure Layer

· Next layer – proposed green infrastructure

· & A map with proposed development)

Carmela’s Feedback

In your study area

· Look for nodes and reinforce them

· Analyze both strip and road corridors

· What kind of hardwoods are out there hardwoods and open spaces? ,
Depending on the mix of hardwoods and open spaces, you will attract a
particular flora and fauna i.e. Cedar provide shelter for the deer

II) Colleen’s site in Greenwood & Plainfield, Indiana

Goals and Methodology

· She is trying to assign core areas

· Colour coding everything to identify the patches

· Roads are being used to contain development

· Want to identify Riparian Vegetation

· Need to prioritize development areas,

· Need to prioritize the areas based on patch size and connectedness.

Carmela’s Feedback

· Pay attention to Special Features Category on Google Map

· Look for relationships between human use and natural heritage

· Need to reinforce ecological vegetation (another map)

· Look for constraints (that will you prevent), direct specific areas

III) Doug’s Site in Kingston, ON??

· Blob overlay to show growth

· Describe how land has been designated/ land use

· Provide topographic data

· Trying to identify vegetation patches

Carmela’s Feedback

· Need to reinforce both ecological functions and human activities such that they are self-reinforcing

· Create a buffer zone, show different corridors, rail, roads, vegetation strips

· Know the history of the landscape if relevant

IV) Raza’s site in Vaughan, ON: The Bartley Smith Greenway (BSG)

Goals and Methodology

Inventory important natural heritage: i.e. wetlands, marshes, woodlots, parks

• Identify Habitat: Greenway’s serve as a habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species. Examples of habitats include ecologically significant areas where endangered plants or animals are found, parks, and prime core preservation areas.
• Show how the Greenway can serve as a channel for the movement of humans, animals, plants, and water.
• Show how the Greenway can serve as a barrier to the movement of animal and plant species
• Show how the BSG serves as a source of plant and animal species and water.
• Show how the BSG serves as a sink plant and animal species and water.

Critique existing greenway plan with GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE methodology

• Identify Hubs to anchor green infrastructure networks, providing origins and destinations for the wildlife and ecological processes moving to or through them.
• Identify Links - the connections tying the system together and enabling green infrastructure networks to work.

Carmela’s Feedback

• Review your BSG maps and compare with Google Earth & Google Maps (Map, Satellite and Hybrid) and update them
• Look for patches, habitats and corridors
• Define Boundaries
• Look at cultural heritage
• Extend the width of the corridor?
• Get topographic map (UofT Map Library in Robarts)
• Maximize riparian corridors
• Consider Methodology Presented in the Conservation Thresholds Article as well as the 2 Greenway Articles from this week
• Consider the Steinitz model

What’s NEXT

For Wednesday, November 30^th

· Presentation Dry-run

For Wednesday, December 7^th (Last Class)

With Feedback from Last Week,

· Present Again

· & Compile a Short Report/ Pamphlet

· & Provide Backup of Both Report and Presentation on CD