GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND GRANT FUNDING - · PDF fileGREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND GRANT FUNDING SCAPA FALL 2015 CONFERENCE | MOUNT PLEASANT, SC | OCTOBER 14-16 NEW GRANTS PROGRAM The South

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND GRANT FUNDING S C A P A F A L L 2 0 1 5 C O N F E R E N C E | M O U N T P L E A S A N T , S C | O C T O B E R 1 4 - 1 6

NEW GRANTS PROGRAM

The South Carolina Forestry Commission received funds from the USDA Forest Service’s Southern Region to build a green infrastructure landscape scale model and to fund several implementation projects. The nonprofit firm the Green Infrastructure Center (GIC) was hired to build the model and test it in Berkeley County SC. There is also a planning guide which provides the steps for creating a plan. They also provided the illustrations used in this slide show. Today I will describe what green infrastructure planning entails, how the model works and the importance of the work to planners!


NEW PLANNING GUIDE

The planning guide we funded provides the steps for creating a plan. It also has the case study presented today in more detail. The Appendix shows how to build a computer model in GIS to create a green infrastructure network. Anyone can use this guide to build their own model and maps! The GIC wrote the guide under out grant. It can be accessed at: http://www.state.sc.us/forest/gic-sc15.pdf

SC Grants | Projects Awarded

Anderson County Darlington County Jasper County Santee-Lynches COG Town of Summerville East Cooper Land Trust (including Town of McClellanville, Town of Awendaw, Town of Mt. Pleasant, City of Isle of Palms, Town of Sullivan’s Island, as well as unincorporated sections of Charleston County)



OUR FORESTS NEED PROTECTION

The state’s forested watersheds fulfill a critical resource role as the primary supplier of clean public water.

In addition to beautiful landscapes, forests provide clean water and air, wildlife habitat, recreation, carbon storage, and soil protection.

South Carolina’s forested watersheds are well managed as documented by a 93.4% compliance rating with state water quality guidelines.


OUR FORESTS NEED PROTECTION

Lands suited for forestry should be considered in land planning.

Forests currently occupy 67 percent or 13.1 million acres of the land area in South Carolina.

From 1992-97 SC had the 9th fastest rate of land conversion – from ag and forest to urban development.



WE CAN THINK OF OUR FORESTS AND OTHER RESOURCES AS NATURAL ASSETS

Includes all landscape elements that support our existence.


NATURAL ASSETS ALSO SUPPORT CULTURAL ASSETS

OUR NATURAL ASSETS ARE OUR | Green Infrastructure! Benefits are …

Conserving working lands such as farms and forests, that contribute to the economy. Protecting and preserving water quality and supply. Providing cost-effective stormwater management and hazard mitigation. Preserving biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Improving public health, quality of life and recreation networks.


OUR NATURAL ASSETS | How can we keep the land connected?


We can keep land connected with development but only if we plan at a larger scale.

CALCULATING INTERIOR FOREST HABITAT | Is it a habitat core?

Take a distance of 2-3 “canopy heights (h) from the edge and multiply times 3.

So if your average tree was 100 feet tall, then 100 x 3 = 300 feet.

Subtract the edge zone (300 feet) from total area to get remaining “interior habitat.” Is it enough to be a core?

If smaller, it may still be a key “patch” or “site.”

Interior = Total Area – 3(h)

Ideal interior ≥ 100 acres


CALCULATING INTERIOR FOREST HABITAT | Division = less habitat

Dividing a large core into two smaller cores =

less interior habitat and more edge

Ideal interior ≥ 100 acres


EDGE |More Edge = More Impacts!


CONNECTIONS | Species can hop from across patches sometimes


CORE LOSS | When cores are lost some species may decline


CONNECTED LANDSCAPE | Cores Need to be Connected by Corridors


CORRIDORS | Needed to allow movement and survival

The ideal is 100 meters of safe space in the middle and 100 meters of edge.

minimum width = 300 meters wide


STATE HABITAT MODEL | Consultants from GIC built us a model to prioritize


This project built a model that can be run at any scale from regions to counties. Urban areas may also need tree canopy estimates.

CORE RANKINGS | Landscape quality varies – the model calculates values using several factors


CORE STATISTICS | The i tool tells users the results of each core


Core Statistics Use the i tool to query the database for any core Area: 3,673 acres Core Depth: 2,174 feet Species Richness: 143 Soil Diversity: 13 Perimeter/Area Ratio: 66.9 Stream Density: 24.7 ft/acre Wetlands: 1,408 acres (38%) Water: 16 acres Topographic Diversity: 7.12 RTE Species Abundance: 1 RTE Species Diversity: 1

i tool

PLANNING| Once we know the location and quality of landscapes we can apply this knowledge to planning!


ü Zoning Tools and Comp Plans

ü Park and open space planning

ü I.d. lands for PDR or TDR programs

ü New ordinance development

ü Species protection

ü Heritage tourism and viewsheds

ü Easements

ü Transportation plans: roads/trails

ü Land management

COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING | Maps can inform the comprehensive plan!


Article 3: Local Planning -- The Comprehensive Planning Elements

Key Elements related to Green Infrastructure

(1) inventory of existing conditions;

(3) a natural resources element which considers coastal resources, slope characteristics, prime agricultural and forest land, plant and animal habitats, parks and recreation areas, scenic views and

sites, wetlands, and soil types. Where a separate board exists pursuant to this chapter, this element is the responsibility of the existing board;

(4) a cultural resources element which considers historic buildings and structures, commercial districts, residential districts, unique, natural, or scenic resources, archaeological, and other cultural resources.

(7) a land use element which considers existing and future land use by categories, including

residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, forestry, mining, public and quasi-public, recreation, parks, open space, and vacant or undeveloped;

SIX STEPS | We use a six-step process


1) Set Your Goals: What does your community value? 2) Review Data – What do we know or need to know, to map identified values? Combine the state modeled data with local data. 3) Map Your Community’s Ecological and Cultural Assets – Based on the goals established in Step One and data from Step Two. 4) Risk Assessment – What assets are most at risk and what could be lost if no action is taken? 5) Rank Your Assets and Determine Opportunities – Based on those assets and risks you have identified, which ones should be restored or improved? 6) Implement Opportunities – Include natural asset maps in both daily and long-range planning (park planning, comp plans, zoning, tourism and economic development, seeking easements etc)

BERKELEY COUNTY | Habitat Cores and Corridors


All Habitat Cores (i.e. individual rankings not shown)

BERKELEY COUNTY | Habitat Cores and Corridors Protected


Which lands under easement?

Not all lands are protected.

BERKELEY COUNTY | Habitat Cores and Corridors At Risk


Some waters are impaired.

Some lands have higher

risk of wildfires.

BERKELEY COUNTY | Protecting the Forest Economy


Can show both current forestry activity as well as forest potential based on parcel size, amount and type of forests, etc.

WHY DO THIS WORK? | Many Benefits of Knowing Where Assets Are Located!


Forest cover protects surface water sources and aquifer recharge zones and reduces the cost of drinking water treatment. American Water Works Association found a 10% increase in forest cover reduced chemical and treatment costs for drinking water by 20%. (Ernst et al. 2004) Trees = cheaper water treatment



Trees provide more attractive areas for development, historic districts,

commercial areas opportunities for people to interact with nature. A study by the University of

Washington found that people shopped longer and more often in tree-lined retail areas and spent about 12

percent more money.

Trees = more tax revenue even in developed commercial districts!



Small companies, especially those that are have well paid and skilled workforce place a

strong importance on the “green” of the local

environment. Crompton Love and Moore, 1997

The creative class: artists, media, lawyers, analysts,

make up 30 percent of the U.S. workforce and they

place a premium on outdoor recreation and access to nature. Florida, 2002

Key message: Natural assets attract better paid jobs and thus a better tax base = $



q Access to fitness opportunities. (addresses obesity, nature deficit disorders)

q Clean air – trees absorb pollutants, VOCs, filter runoff, cool the city. (combat asthma)

q Well being and mental health - -people heal faster when they can see or access green. (hospitals need this for patients, reduces absenteeism of workers)

q Less crime occurs near trees. (issue especially for downtowns and public housing areas)

q Employees will exercise if they can access green where they work and on the way to work. (addresses employee health)

Key Message: Treed areas = healthy safer communities!

END


Frances Waite Coastal Region Urban

Forester SC Forestry Commission

(843) 571-0136

[email protected]

American Planning Association:

South Carolina Chapter

_

Fal l 2015 Conference _

October 15, 2015 _

USS Yorktown Mount Pleasant,

South Carol ina

BLUEWAYS AND GREENWAYS:

PARTNERSHIPS AND WEB MAPPING APPLICATIONS

Ashley Buffington

The Graduate School at the College of Charleston

Dual Degree Program: Master of Environmental Studies/Master of Public Administration

I. Partnerships i. Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Blue Trails Project

i. Goals ii. Blueways-Greenways: Developing Examples as Models for Other Communities

i. Funding ii. Purpose iii. Goals iv. Deliverables

II. Developing A Web Mapping Application i. Features ii. Tools iii. Examples iv. Live Preview

OVERVIEW

¡ Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCD COG) § Awarded Technical Assistance Grant through the Department of Interior’s National Park Service (NPS) § Partnered with local stakeholders and municipalities to lead the formation of a BCD Regional Blueways Coalition

¡ Project Goals: § Develop a master plan to attract users to regional waterways and related outdoor recreation § Provide education and outreach § Protect the area's natural resources

§ Link coordination/planning efforts on waterways § Enhance recreation, economic development, environmental stewardship

BERKELEY-CHARLESTON-DORCHESTER BLUE TRAILS PROJECT

A South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium (SCSGC) Funded Member Institution Study Group Project ¡ Funding § $25,000 + 50% match from College of Charleston

¡ Purpose § Facilitate contact between S.C. coastal communities and the SCSGC § Assist communities lacking ability to start own blueway/greenway projects § Engage with communities through outreach and deliverables § Dovetail with BCD Blue Trails Project

BLUEWAYS-GREENWAYS: DEVELOPING EXAMPLES AS MODELS FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES

¡ Primary Goals § Develop an example/template of a successful Blueways-Greenways project § Provide materials and guidance that can be used to help communities start their own projects

¡ Deliverables § Brochures § General Blueway and Greenway Information

§ “How to Get Started” including Funding Sources

§ Application/Website (usable on Phones, tablets, and computers) § ESRI’s Briefing Book

§ Expectations for Project Outcomes § Example Proposals/Projects

§ Applications for Grant Funding

BLUEWAYS-GREENWAYS: DEVELOPING EXAMPLES AS MODELS FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES

ØHighlight ing Trail

Systems in the Tri -County Area

ØProviding a User-Friendly Way to Explore Green Infrastructure

DEVELOPING A WEB MAPPING APPLICATION

Features ¡ Access Points ¡ Green Spaces § Protected Land § Parks

¡ Trails § Water Trails § Land Trails

¡ Conditions § Stream Gauges § Weather Stations § Wind § Weather Alerts

¡ Points of Interest § National Register

Historic Sites § Landmarks § Lodging

¡ Planned Features § Water Access § Parks

Tools (Widgets) ¡ About ¡ Legend ¡ Layer List ¡ Bookmarks ¡ Draw ¡ Directions ¡ Search ¡ Print

¡ Query § Select a Zone § Locate Access by

Water Body § Find Nearest: § Access

§ Point of Interest

§ Lodging

§ National Register Historic Site

WEB MAPPING APPLICATION

FEATURES OVERVIEW

About Legend Layer List Bookmarks Draw

TOOLS OVERVIEW

From one location to another

Example: Garris Landing to Mt. Pleasant KOA

DIRECTIONS

Zoom In

Zoom Out Home Extent

My Location

Locate Access Point by Water Body

QUERY

Zoom In


My Location

1. Select a Zone

2. Find Nearest Lodging

QUERY

Zoom In


My Location

LIVE APP PREVIEW

Contact Ashley Buffington

(803) 428-8891 [email protected]

[email protected]

Thank You

QUESTIONS OR

COMMENTS

Documents

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND GRANT FUNDING - · PDF fileGREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND GRANT FUNDING SCAPA FALL 2015 CONFERENCE | MOUNT PLEASANT, SC | OCTOBER 14-16 NEW GRANTS PROGRAM The South