Green Infrastructure Wiki - Recently Updated Pages

Bike Lane

bmaryman — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:20:25 CDT

DEFINITION
a simple description of the element

AKA
cycleway, bike path

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
how is it measured? what are the criteria for its design or planning?

ILLUSTRATION

There are so many different sorts, how to choose? These two examples are in Copenhagen.

Separate pedestrian, bike and auto lanes in Amsterdam. Each has a their own lane, paving and traffic lights.

CASE STUDIES
links to separate pages documenting specific places or projects where this element is on display

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
evaluation ofRAISED BIKE LANESin Eugene, OR
The City of Sydney, Austrailia has a nice set of diagrams regarding the "Types of Cycleways"

GI Reports & Publications

ncormier — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:06:04 CDT

Journal of Conservation Planning

2005-present

premier refereed journal for strategic conservation planning

Urban Habitats

2003-present

online journal of biology of urban areas

Smart Green Infrastructure: How to Grow Sustainable Cities

2010

video interview with Andy Lipkis of TreePeople, discussing LA as watershed

Water Quality Scorecard: Incorporating Green Infrastructure Practices at the Municipal, Neighborhood, and Site Scales

2009

urban applications and scoring system for diverse GI features focused on stormwater

Siting Green Infrastructure: Legal and Policy Solutions to Alleviate Urban Poverty and Promote Healthy Communities

2009

article by Alexandra Dunn in Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review regarding legal and policy approaches to getting more GI in distressed neighborhoods

2009

report from the British group CABE

A Triple Bottom Line Assessment of Traditional and Green Infrastructure Options for Controlling CSO Events in Philadelphia's Watersheds

2009

Stratus Consulting for City of Philadelphia

Green Infrastructure: connected and multifunctional landscapes

2009

Britain's Landscape Institute position paper

Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure in Urban Landscapes

2008

report by Swede Ulf Sandstrom; in book format

Green Infrastructure Report to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution

2006

report on conditions of green infrastructure in UK by David Goode

Green Infrastructure Planning Guide

200X

planning guide from North East Community Forest, University of Manchester on Tyne, and others

Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and Communities

2006

the classic book by Benedict and McMahon

Green Infrastructure Plan Evaluation Frameworks

2005

important study comparing planning approaches; by McDonald, Benedict, et al.

Infraestructura Verde y Nuestros Parques ("Green Infrastructure & Our Parks")

2005

report on green infrastructure view of Puerto Rico's national parks

How cities use parks for Green Infrastructure

2003

APA City Parks Forum Briefing Paper by Ed McMahon and Mark Benedict

Growing with Green Infrastructure

2003

report by Karen Williamson of the Heritage Conservancy

Ergonomics of the City: Green Infrastructure and Social Benefits

2003

report from National Urban Forest Conference by Kathleen Wolf, University of Washington urban forest guru

Washington: City in the Woods

2003

draft report by Glenn Eugster, NPS, describing a green infrastructure approach for metro DC

Green Infrastructure: Smart Conservation for the 21st Century

2002

Benedict and McMahon's original report based on courses at the Conservation Leadership Network, lays out green infrastructure planning basics

Metropolitan Ecosystem Action Plan

1998

draft findings and recommendations by Glenn Eugster outlining strategies for growing communities to protect environmental assets; early advocacy for green infrastructure

Bicycle Boulevard

ncormier — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:57:54 CST

DEFINITION
Bicycle boulevards are low-volume and low-speed streets that have been optimized for bicycle travel through treatments such as signage and pavement markings, traffic calming, and intersection crossing treatments.

AKA
other names, related ideas, etc.

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
how is it measured? what are the criteria for its design or planning?

ILLUSTRATION

CASE STUDIES
Virginia St. & Shattuck Ave., Berkeley

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
PSU initiative for pedestrian & bicycle innovation (with ALTA) Bicycle Boulevard Guidebook
Portland Mayor Adams finds $20 million for bike boulevards

Case Studies: Planning and Policy

ncormier — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:47:17 CST

UNITED KINGDOM (UK) - resources include case studies and more detailed discussions of GI resources

UNITED STATES

Michigan
Oakland County
Oakland County's Green Infrastructure Program
New Jersey
Edison
Edison Smart Growth Planning Summit
Washinton
Seattle
Re-imagining Seattle Streets

WATER SYSTEM PLANNING AND PROGRAMMATIC CASE STUDIES
Portland Stormwater Discount Program
Pennsylvania stormwater BMP manual:http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/watermgt/wc/subjects/stormwatermanagement/BMP%20Manual/BMP%20Manual.htm
Puget Sound Partnership's LID resources:http://www.psp.wa.gov/our_work/stormwater/lid.htm
LIUDD Policy Report from New Zealand

need to sort all of these and give them each a page...

Prince George's County, MD Green Infrastructure Plan

GreenWays Initiative for Southeast Michigan(describes plan for a green infrastructure around Detroit)

Cincinnati, OH Green Infrastructure Engineering and Planning(mostly focused on water and site scale, may move to our water system page)

On the Water, Palisade Bay, New York City(a coastal infrastructure network to confront climate change, careful... a 400MB download, but worth it)

Urban Planning for a Quality Dense Green Structure, Stockholm Sociotop Map and Park Programme

Re-Imagining Seattle Streets: planting strips and street edge treatments for urban green infrastructure (Nancy and students at UW)

East London Green Grid

ncormier — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:46:22 CST

Goodwill-Milgard Living Wall

lisastown — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:11:53 CST

PROJECT PARTNER(S)
Designer: Patrick Blanc

LOCATION
Tacoma, Washington

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ASSETS
Living Wall

DESCRIPTION
what is the context, program, purpose, and/or character of the place?

PHOTOS AND DRAWINGS
illustrations or photographs of the place, feel free to embed a gallery widget that links to a flickr or picasa set

LESSONS LEARNED
what can we learn from this place? you could address issues of performance, funding, maintenance, interpretation, aesthetics, anything...

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
links, other sources of info about this case study

Case Studies: High Performance Landscapes

lisastown — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:10:03 CST

The following case study places feature noteworthy green infrastructure assets. Many contain features that perform multiple functions so if you are looking for examples of a specific element first visit our wiki page for that element and you'll find these same case studies cross-referenced there. They are organized here by location.

BRAZIL

Sao Paulo
- Sao Paulo
  - FUPAM

CANADA

British Columbia
- Vancouver

FRANCE

Ile-De-France

Paris

Promenade Plantee

ICELAND

Unspecified
- Iceland New Energy

GERMANY

Baden-Württemberg
- Stuttgart

Bavaria

Neu Ulm

Heiner-Metzger Plaza

MEXICO

Mexico D.F.
- Mexico City

SPAIN

Catalunya
- Barcelona
  - Jardi Botanic de Barcelona
  - Park Guell

SWEDEN

Scania
- Malmo
  - New Harbor

SWITZERLAND

Zürich

Neu Oerlikon

MFO Park

UNITED STATES

Alaska
- Homer
  - Homer Suitability Map
Arizona
- Pima County, Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan
California
- San Francisco
  - California Academy of Sciences
- Berkeley
  - Virginia St. & Shattuck Ave.
Illinois
- Chicago
  - St. Margaret Mary School Native Garden
  - Millenium Park
Maryland
Nebraska
- Lincoln
  - Pioneers Park Prairie Nature Center
Oregon
- Portland
Puerto Rico
- Infraestructura Verde y Nuestros Parques ("Green Infrastructure and Our Parks")
Washington
- Bremerton
  - Kitsap Homebuilders LID Demonstration Project
- Fall River
  - Cedar River Watershed Education Center
- Kent
  - Earthworks at Mill Creek Canyon
- Lake Forest Park
  - LFP Green Infrastructure Plan
- Renton
  - Waterworks Gardens
- Seattle
- Tacoma

Virginia
- Hampton Roads
Washington, DC

GI Assets

lisastown — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:57:20 CST

SITE SCALE
Backyard Habitat, Bench, Blue Roof, Cistern, Compost, Bike Box, Bike Lane, Bioswale, Community Garden, Constructed Wetland, Drypond, Filter Strip, Green Roof, Hedgerow, Intersection Repair, Living Wall, Oyster Filter, Play Area, Porous Pavement, Public Art, Rain Garden, Sharrow, Sidewalk, Stormwater Channel, Stormwater Planter, Streetside Garden, Street Tree, Treebox, Wetpond, Woonerf

METROPOLITAN SCALE
Algal-power Landscape, Bicycle Boulevard, Blueway, Complete Street, Community Garden, Compost, Decentralized Energy, Green Alley, Greenbelt, Greenway, Guerrilla Garden, Habitat Corridor, Junk Space, Liminal Space, Park, Pedestrian Street, Plaza, Pocket Park, Residential Landscape, Riparian Corridor, Schoolyard, Square, Third Place, Trail, Transit, Urban Forest, Urban Wild, Waste Landscape, Waterfront, Wetlands, Woonerf, Workplace,

REGIONAL SCALE
Decentralized Energy, Farm, Forest, Greenbelt, Greenway, National Park, Ranch, Reservoir, Shoreline, Trail, Transit, Wetlands, Wildlife Crossing,

Living Wall

lisastown — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:55:42 CST

DEFINITION
a simple description of the asset

AKA
Green Wall, Vegetated Wall, Vertical Garden, Green Facade, Biowall

RELATED FUNCTIONS
what system functions can this asset perform?

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
how is its performance measured? what are the criteria for its design or planning?

ILLUSTRATION
a diagram or drawing that demonstrates the basic pattern or concept

CASE STUDIES
links to planning and policy case studies (metropolitan scale) or high performance landscape case studies (site-scale) documenting specific places or projects where this asset is a key feature

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
other weblinks, books, articles, etc. related to this element

Urban Forest

bmaryman — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 01:12:22 CST

DEFINITION
a simple description of the element

AKA
other names, related ideas, etc.

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
how is it measured? what are the criteria for its design or planning?

ILLUSTRATION
a diagram or drawing that demonstrates the basic pattern or concept

CASE STUDIES
links to separate pages documenting specific places or projects where this element is on display

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Access Article: The Intersection of Trees and Safety by Elizabeth MacDonald
Kathleen Wolf's Urban Forestry and Community Benefits Presentation to the UNRI
Urban Forestry in New York Presentation to UNRI
San Francisco Bay Area State of the Urban Forest
Why Street Trees Help Streets
US Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Program
Center for Urban Forest Research (USFS)
Shade Crusade: Why City Trees are Good Medicine
Top Ten Trees for Fighting Greenhouse Gases
Street Trees Shown to Reduce Asthma Rates in NYC
James Urban Presentation on Trees from Toronto
Tree Carbon Calculator for California
US Forest Service Urban Tree Risk Management
22 Benefits of Urban Street Trees

Tree Space Design (by Casey Trees)

Alliance for Community Trees (good webcasts)
Kathleen Wolf's University of Washington Website for Research on the Urban Forest and a recent presentation by Kathleen
Trees in the city: Valuing street trees in Portland, Oregon

S: Social System

bmaryman — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:21:26 CST

DESCRIPTION
This system includes all places for outdoor living, essentially all habitat for people outside of buildings.

SOCIAL FUNCTIONS
interaction, recreation, cultural expression, commerce, trust-building, social cohesion, acceptance/inclusion,

PERFORMANCE METRICS
The number and diversity of activities that people can enjoy outside--throw a frisbee, lunch with friends, garden, etc.; increase in social cohesion; increased sense of community; psychological development; adjacent property values; adjacent rents; connectivity; psychological well-being, lowering obesity, promotion of a more active and less sedentary population;

equality, diversity
violence reduction
education

CASE STUDIES: PLANNING AND POLICY

CASE STUDIES: HIGH PERFORMANCE LANDSCAPES

SOCIAL SYSTEM RESOURCES
The human-scale reawakening of America's urban parks, Seattle Times, Sept. 6, 2009
Active Design Guidelines from New York City

Cambridgeshire Green Infrastructure Strategy

ncormier — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:50:37 CST

DESCRIPTION AND/OR LINK

Cambridgeshire Green Vision and Green Infrastructure Strategy

PROJECT PARTNER(S)
Cambridgeshire County Council, Horizons

LOCATION
Cambridgeshire, UK

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
links, other sources of info about this case study

C: Circulatory System

bmaryman — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:48:27 CST

DESCRIPTION
This system includes elements that connect our communities and move people and goods into, out of, and around the region. The circulatory system is inextricably linked to land use planning (zoning and development controls), as well as impacting human health through air quality and fitness.

CIRCULATORY FUNCTIONS
pedestrian mobility, bicycle mobility, transport of goods

PERFORMANCE METRICS
connectivity; percentage of people getting around without a car; public health benefits due to increased non-motorized mobility, reduction of carbon footprint; health care cost reductions; pollutant removal;

Recently, researchers at the St. Louis University School of Public Health's Prevention Resource Center, funded by a Robert Wood Johnson Active Living grant, created a community check list to evaluate whether your community is healthy or not. You can view it here:http://prc.slu.edu/iafc.htm.

Health Impact Assessments (HIA) are an emerging tool for planners and public health officials to measure the potential effects a policy or project will have on human health. An HIA is similar to an Environmental Impact Assessment, however there is no regulatory requirement, it focuses exclusively on health, and reports can vary in length. To date there have been 26 HIA's conducted in the United States that meet the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) assessment criteria and methodology. In an ideal world the CDC would like to see more HIA's published in public health literature for researchers to learn from others methodologies. However, these assessments can often be resource intensive.

So what does this mean for planners and designers who want design healthy communities and do not have the time to conduct labor intensive assessments? The CDC recognizes that the HIA is a scientific tool, but it can also be adapted to a desktop tool such as the NACCHO checklist and LEED ND points that focus on human health for designers to reference during the design process.

Health Impact Assessments (HIA) Websiteby the Centers for Disease Control

CASE STUDIES: PLANNING AND POLICY

CASE STUDIES: HIGH PERFORMANCE LANDSCAPES

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM RESOURCES

Moving Communities Forward, a project by theAmerican Institute of Architectsand theCenter for Transportation Studies
USGBC, CNU and NRDC's compelling report onPublic Health and the Built Environment (PDF). This is a great report that summarizes some of the correlations between the built environment and human health.
Health Impact AssessmentBlog
WalkScore: a very cool mash-up that measures the walkability of your neighborhood
Neighbourhood Environments and Resources for Healthy Living—A Focus on Diabetes in Toronto
Green Highways Partnershiphttp://www.greenhighways.org/
Street Films: Lessons from Bogota (ped streets, rapid bus, cyclovias, etc.)
FHWA Eco-Logical Grant Program
Integrating HIA into EIA processes by Rajiv Bhatia and Aaron Wernham
Institute of Transportation Engineers
San Francisco'sBetter StreetsProgram
Rails to Trails Conservancy'sActive Transportation for Americareport
New York City'sWorld Class Streets(by Gehl Architects) andSustainable StreetsPlans
Greening Mass Transit and Metro Regions
NYC Sustainable Streets Plan -websiteandPDF
Active Transportation Alliance - http://www.activetrans.org/
Car-Free Census Database
SF Turning Street into Plaza
Active Transportation for America's documentThe Case for Increased Federal Investment in Bicycling and Walking
Virginia Outlaws the cul-de-sac(Washington Post, 22 March 2009)
Rethinking Congestionby Brian D. Taylor
Planning Complete Streets for Aging America
Cyclocentric manifesto: the bicycle as a trojan horse for sustainability, Dreams on Wheels, 2009
NYC2: Cycling, Price Tags 108, 2009
The Economic Benefits of Walking by the Victoria Transportation Policy Institute

H: Hydrologic System

bmaryman — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:45:31 CST

DESCRIPTION
This system includes elements that are focused on water and stormwater management. The terms natural drainage and LID (Low-Impact Development) are often used to describe sustainable stormwater strategies.

HYDROLOGIC FUNCTIONS

flow control, water quality, groundwater recharge, water reuse
PERFORMANCE METRICS
amount of water retained/detained; cost savings over traditional infrastructure; amount of pervious surface; pollution abatement/removal; hydrologic connectivity

CASE STUDIES: PLANNING AND POLICY
Portland Stormwater Discount Program
Pennsylvania stormwater BMP manual:http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/watermgt/wc/subjects/stormwatermanagement/BMP%20Manual/BMP%20Manual.htm
Puget Sound Partnership's LID resources:http://www.psp.wa.gov/our_work/stormwater/lid.htm
LIUDD Policy Report from New Zealand

CASE STUDIES: HIGH PERFORMANCE LANDSCAPES

HYDROLOGIC SYSTEM RESOURCES
model stormwater BMP operations and maintencance ordinances:http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/ordinance/stormwater.htm
King County Stormwater booklet:ftp://dnr.metrokc.gov/dnr/library/1998/kcr745/casestudies.pdf
high-performanceinfrastructure article fromUrban Land:http://www.box.net/shared/59atiz4i6e
Washington State University Extension, Pierce County LID Resources:http://www.pierce.wsu.edu/Water_Quality/LID/index.htm
NRDC'S Rooftops to Rivers report:http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/rooftops/contents.asp
City of Portland'sStormwater Solutions Handbook:http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=edbba
case study of Seneca College porous paving and bioswale performance:http://www.box.net/shared/i5o7q36jn2
powerpoints from a 2007 LID conferences:http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/lidconference07/
NSCU stormwater engineering group:http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/stormwater/
Low Impact Development Center:http://lowimpactdevelopment.org/home.htm
Low Impact Development Center's Urban Design Tools Websitehttp://lid-stormwater.net/
Green Highways Partnershiphttp://www.greenhighways.org/
Center for Watershed Protection:www.cwp.org
Oregon's Stormwater Solutions: Turning Oregon's Rain back into a Resource
Facility for Advancing Water Biofiltration
TheEPA's Low-Impact Development website, with some great links and reports
EPA's report with LID case studies and favorable cost comparisons with typical infrastructure
The Washington Post's Green Infrastructure article- January 2007
Stormwater Magazine: How Green Infrastructure Measures up to Structural Stormwater Services
EPA Green Infrastructure Strategy Statement
Soil for Salmon
Building Soil
Water Environment Research Foundation's Online ToolUsing Rainwater to Grow Livable Communities
EPA - Urban BMP Performance Tooll
LID Urban Design Tools
Montgomery County, Maryland'sRainscapes Natural Drainage Grant Program
Water Management Strategies: Seattle Case Studiesby Matt Martenson, Berger Partnership intern
Casey Trees' Green Build Out Model for Green Roofs and Trees in Washington DC
EPA Grey Funnels to Green SpongesPodcastandTranscript
Water Sensitive Urban Design Photos from Australia
EPA Watershed Academy Webcasts
LID Center's Green Highways, Green Streets website

plaNYC Sustainable Stormwater Management Plan 2008
Matt Baumgardner'sStormwater Library Blog
Brad Lancaster'sRainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond
Kentucky Wet Growth Tools for Sustainable Development

HYDROLOGIC SYSTEM VIDEOS
An excellent video explaining LID in Olympia, WA:

Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In (a video by the EPA introducing green stormwater practices)

HYDROLOGIC SYSTEM NEWS ARTICLES (MOST RECENT AT THE TOP)
Saving rain: how much is too much?(Seattle P-I, 20 July 2008)
State and local governments side with builders on runoff polution(Seattle P-I, 6 July 2008)
Rain Gardens Reign(Stormwater, May 2008)

G: Geologic System

bmaryman — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:43:52 CST

DESCRIPTION
...

GEOLOGIC FUNCTIONS
erosion control, substrate creation, soil formation, natural hazardmitigation

PERFORMANCE METRICS
...

CASE STUDIES: PLANNING AND POLICY

CASE STUDIES: HIGH PERFORMANCE LANDSCAPES

GEOLOGIC SYSTEM RESOURCES

M: Metabolic System

bmaryman — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:33:54 CST

DESCRIPTION
This system includes green infrastructure elements associated with energy or flows related to our power supply, food supply, and waste disposal.

METABOLIC FUNCTIONS
energy production, material production, food production, recycling and reuse

PERFORMANCE METRICS
climate impact, carbon footprint, recycling rates, sequestration of carbon, and improvement of air quality

CASE STUDIES: PLANNING AND POLICY

CASE STUDIES: HIGH PERFORMANCE LANDSCAPES

METABOLIC SYSTEM RESOURCES

Cambridgeshire GI Strategy Reveiw 2009-10

ianmell — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:00:28 CST

DESCRIPTION AND/OR LINK
anything special about the context or purpose? a key insight? or just drop in a link to the main webpage...

PROJECT PARTNER(S)
recognize principal authors or stewards of the place or project

LOCATION
where is it...nation, state or province, city or county? ideally, create a google map view and embed it as a widget.
be sure to also create a link on the case studies: planning and policy page under the appropriate location.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
links to any other sources of info about this case study

GI Benefits

bmaryman — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:26:09 CST

Ecological Goods and Services (EGS)
EGS are the natural processes that maintain a sustainable life support system. The concept of EGS is gaining recognition as we come to terms with the need to recognize natural resources and natural areas for the value that they give us. EGS includes clean water, fresh air, carbon sequestration, our food and fibers. In considering that the bulk of our economic system is based upon natural resources in our environment, it is becoming more apparent that natural areas and ecological functions perform services for humanity at a cost that is much less than those that we can engineer. Currently, the value of EGS is only captured in be economic framework through the value of the commodity. We need to determine how to recognize our “Natural Capital” into the economic framework. EGS like soil, clean air, fresh water or biodiversity, are not usually reflected in accounting practices - nor are our impacts (i.e. ecosystem degradation) on EGS taken into account.

Biological Diversity
Biological diversity – or biodiversity – is the great variety of life we find on Earth, and the natural patterns it forms. It is the variability among plants, animals and microorganisms and the ecosystems they inhabit. Biodiversity is the diversity within a species, among species, and comparative diversity among ecosystems. Biodiversity includes · Genetic diversity - diversity of genes, of a population or individuals, within a same species; · Species diversity - diversity between species in an ecosystem; · Ecosystem diversity - diversity at higher levels of organization, the variety of ecosystems on Earth

Connection to Nature
As a facilitator of movement for human populations green infrastructure is proposed as a way of motivating, encouraging, and engaging people with the landscapes around them. Consequently, the development of green infrastructure resources that are accessible, connected, and functional spaces can provide cultural, ecological, and psychological between people and the environment. This process has also been debated as encouraging social inclusion and communal cohesion, as well as lowering anti-social behaviour.

An article in the journal The Lancet Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study

Social and psychological well-being
The role of green infrastructure in promoting public health, education, and a better quality of life has been discussed in detail in a number of forums. Green spaces and green infrastructures have been examined in terms of post-operative recovery, early years education, and in terms of promoting more cohesive places to live, work and recreate. A large literature exists in Europe outlining the role of green infrastructure in promiting social inclusion and the development of Sustainable Communities especially in high density or post-industrial environments.

The research of the Countryside Agency and Groundwork (2005) in their report the Countryside in and Around Towns (CIAT) outlined ten areas they felt that more appropriate and innovative green space or green infrastructure development could deliver a myriad of benefits for local, regional, and national populations. The areas covered the following themes;

i) A bridge to the country, ii) a gateway to the town, iii) a health centre, iv) a classroom, v) a recycling and renewable energy centre, vi) a productive landscape, vii) a cultural legacy, viii) a place for sustainable living, viiii) an engine for regeneration, x) a nature reserve.

Countryside Agency & Groundwork (2005) A vision for the Countryside in and Around Towns. http://www.groundwork.org.uk/upload/publications/publication3.pdf

Nature Makes Us Nicer People, New Study Says, Treehugger, 10.05.2009

Economic development
The development of inclusionary green infrastructure resources promotes the use of the landscape in economic terms. With a landscapes that is easily accessible and encourages use people start to integrate these areas into their daily lives. These spaces subsequently offer economic opportunities for developing small business or innovation. Green infrastructure also contribute to the health of a population lowering the need primary medical care, and promoting a healthier working population who take less days of work.

Public Health
Dangerous by Design from Transportation for America

Environmental and Policy Determinants of Physical Activity in the United States

BENEFITS TO EDUCATION
The landscape can be used extensively to promote by outdoor living and schooling for all age groups. The outdoor classroom has been a key innovation in Scandanvian teaching for young children allowing them to learn through play and an active engagement in the landscapes that surround them.

GI Organizations & Initiatives

ncormier — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:50:34 CST

Green Infrastructure Community of Practice	a collaborative network of organizations and agencies that are actively involved in promoting and/or implementing the green infrastructure approach
The Conservation Fund	leader in strategic conservation planning; offers case studies, courses, etc. in green infrastructure planning, especially at the regional scale
Green Infrastructure Partnership	BC initiative with water focus; waterbucket is their webzine; lots of canadian news and calculator tools
EPA Green Infrastructure Partnership	EPA focus on stormwater; case studies, benefits, funding, etc.
University of Washington Green Futures Lab	UW research lab of landscape architecture professor Nancy Rottle, ASLA
Green Playbook	guidance and resources to local government on green building, green neighborhoods, and green infrastructure; cool interface
Heritage Conservancy	Pennsylvania preservation organization focused on open space planning, sustainable communities, etc.
Center for Neighborhood Technology	CNT is a creative think-and-do tank that combines rigorous research with effective solutions. CNT works across disciplines and issues, including transportation and community development, energy, natural resources, and climate change.; very cool calculators and tools
Cascadia RGBC Living Site and Infrastructure Challenge	site version of Living Building Challenge
Urban Greenspaces Institute	Mike Houck's Portland NGO; great motto: "In Livable Cities Is Preservation Of The Wild"
ASLA Green Infrastructure Guide	GI resources compiled by American Society of Landscape Architects
MSU Land Policy Institute	Michigan State GI strategies
Casey Trees	urban forest issues in Washington, D.C.
Tree People	integrating urban ecosystems and community engagement in Los Angeles
Sustainable Sites Initiative	LEED for sites in development
TPL Center for City Park Excellence	great resources, especially on economics
CABE Grey to Green Campaign	UK Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, edgier design take on GI
Urban Biofilter	guerrilla style, but thoughtful, GI interventions in Oakland and Tijuana
University of Melbourne Green Infrastructure Research Group	university research group focusing on urban elements--green roofs, walls, gardens, street trees, etc.

GI Definitions

ncormier — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:48:52 CST

Conservation Fund	At The Conservation Fund, we see green infrastructure as a network of natural areas and open spaces—such as woodlands, wetlands, trails and parks—that conserves ecosystems, helps sustain clean air and water and provides many other benefits to people and wildlife.
US EPA	"Green infrastructure is an approach to wet weather management that is cost-effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Green Infrastructure management approaches and technologies infiltrate, evapotranspire, capture and reuse stormwater to maintain or restore natural hydrologies." and in glossary..."An adaptable term used to describe an array of products, technologies, and practices that use natural systems – or engineered systems that mimic natural processes – to enhance overall environmental quality and provide utility services. As a general principal, Green Infrastructure techniques use soils and vegetation to infiltrate, evapotranspirate, and/or recycle stormwater runoff. When used as components of a stormwater management system, Green Infrastructure practices such as green roofs, porous pavement, rain gardens, and vegetated swales can produce a variety of environmental benefits. In addition to effectively retaining and infiltrating rainfall, these technologies can simultaneously help filter air pollutants, reduce energy demands, mitigate urban heat islands, and sequester carbon while also providing communities with aesthetic and natural resource benefits."

US Conference of Mayors	"The US Conference of Mayors defines green infrastructure as the interconnected network of open spaces and natural areas, such as greenways, wetlands, parks, forest preserves and native plant vegetation, that provide wildlife habitat, natural drainage, recreational opportunities and help to sustain our Nation’s cities..."
Environmental Council of States	"green infrastructure is a cost effective and environmentally friendly approach to mitigating sewer overflows and works by diverting stormwater from the sewer system and directing it to areas where it can be infiltrated, evapotranspirated or re-used..."
University of Melbourne Green Infrastructure Research Group	"Green Infrastructure is the network of designed and natural vegetation found in our cities and towns. It includes public parks, recreation areas, remnant vegetation, residential gardens and street trees as well as innovative and emerging new urban greening technologies such as green roofs and green walls."