 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Biodiversity and Smart Growth Decades of unbridled sprawl have taken a huge toll not only on the quality of people's lives, but also on the quality of our natural environment. Uncontrolled development has led to increasingly congested traffic, fewer options for outdoor recreation, and often, higher taxes. In contrast, smart growth represents a new approach to planning our communities in a way that provides more options for where we build and how we live. It is an approach that allows us to make considered choices about the future of our communities. The very nature of our communities is at stake. As development pushes further and further out, farmlands and wildlands disappear, and with them the habitats on which wildlife depend. Even at low densities, poorly planned development can fragment natural habitats, greatly reducing the value of remaining open spaces for biodiversity. And as many communities have experienced during recent fire seasons, building homes in wildland areas where periodic fires are a natural phenomenon can be hazardous to property and lives. It does not have to be this way. Around the country communities are taking a fresh look at how to more intelligently plan for their future. Many of these efforts focus on creating what has been termed green infrastructure—parks, preserves, and ecological corridors that complement the more traditional built-infrastructure, such as roads, sewers, and electrical grids. Protecting and maintaining ecologically important areas for the benefit of people and wildlife is key to creating healthy and stable human communities. National surveys of the most desirable and livable communities routinely show the importance of easy access to open space and natural areas. Unfortunately, in most places planning does not take into full account the biodiversity found in and around our communities. What is NatureServe Doing? Biodiversity is often not incorporated into land use planning efforts because ecological information is still difficult to find, and many planners are unfamiliar with how to effectively use this information in their work. NatureServe is working to promote smart growth by creating a decision-support system designed to help planners incorporate biodiversity considerations into planning efforts. Known as NatureServe Vista, this advanced GIS-based software allows users to harness the power of advanced computer mapping to visualize the environment and project alternative scenarios for the future. Now available in version 1.0, NatureServe Vista will enable users to:
NatureServe is also actively engaged with other organizations involved in the smart growth issue through the Consortium on Biodiversity and Land Use. Consisting of four leading non-profit organization—Island Press, Defenders of Wildlife, Environmental Law Institute, and NatureServe—the consortium members are individually and collectively developing a series of analytical products and tool kits designed to embed biological concerns into the heart of the planning process. Related NatureServe Products and Services NatureServe Vista: An important new software product that provides a tool for incorporating biodiversity considerations into smart growth and land use planning. Biodiversity Analyses: NatureServe and its member programs regularly provide data and expertise for statewide and ecoregional conservation planning, selection and design of nature preserves and conservation easements, and planning of open space, greenways, and biological corridors. Environmental Review: Most U.S. natural heritage programs and Canadian conservation data centers routinely conduct environmental reviews of proposed development projects to identify potential ecological conflicts. Other Key Resources Smart Growth America: A nationwide coalition offering a variety of resources promoting the application of smart growth principles at the state and local level. Growing Smart Project: Model planning and zoning legislation developed by the American Planning Association. Smart Growth and Wildlife Campaign: An initiative of the National Wildlife Federation to protect and restore species and habitats threatened by sprawl, by promoting smart growth alternatives.
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2008 |
|
Support Us
|
Endangered Species