The Nature of Cities, Alberta An Evergreen Workshop on urban green space protection and restoration

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The Nature of Cities, AlbertaAn Evergreen
Workshop on urban green space protection and
restoration
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Evergreen

• WHO WE ARE
• National not-for-profit founded in 1991
• Mandate to bring nature back to cities and towns
  through naturalization/restoration
• 3 Main Programs
• WHAT WE DO
• Grants, resources, forums, hands-on greening,
  outreach and education
• National support strategy

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What is urban green space?

• Includes urban parks, natural areas, community
  gardens, boulevards, etc.
• Natural urban green space includes areas where
  more than 50 of the area is native vegetation

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Issues and Challenges

• 80 of Canadians live in cities
• Natural systems that support us are undervalued
• Disconnect between people nature
• Limited budgets and growing demands

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National Context

• Evergreen research survey found
• More and better urban green space is needed
• Lack of effective policies and barriers to
  implementation
• Intensification a key challenge
• Limited funding
• Partnerships increasing but largely underutilized
• Lack of information about innovative tools and
  strategies

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Green Space Provision
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The Alberta Context

• Key Trends
• Booming population
• Rapid urban growth and expansion
• Changing demographics
• Growing importance of water issues

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The Alberta Context

• Key challenges
• Limitations of MGA
• Lack of regional planning
• Limited public and political awareness
• Municipal Parks , Open Space Master Plans,
  Ecosystem-based Planning

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On the Positive Side

• ALBERTANS VALUE THE ENVIRONMENT -
• 64 listed it as a high priority
• COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP - a growing movement
  citizens want to do more
• NON-TRADITIONAL ALLIANCES - Health, financial
  sectors

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Local Successes
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Urban Green SpaceTrends and Tools
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Social/Health Considerations

• Improves air and water quality ecosystem
  services
• Builds community ties and can reduce crime
• Encourages physical activity
• Promotes healing and reduces stress increases
  seniors survival rates

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Economic benefits

• Green Space pays in increased real estate values
• Property values increase by up to 20 if located
  next to natural areas
• Open space land pays more in taxes than it
  requires in servicing

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Economic benefits
Green space pays in reduced cost for green
infrastructure

• Saved 12,000 per dwelling unit in East Clayton,
  Surrey
• Seattle green streets reduce runoff by 98
• Reduced vegetation canopy in Puget Sound cost
  2.4 billion US in lost stormwater retention
  capacity

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Tools for getting greener

• Protection
• Acquisition
• Restoration and Enhancement
• Green Infrastructure

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1) Green Space Protection

• Green infrastructure inventory
• Conservation easements
• Cluster developments
• Comprehensive development zoning
• Integrated by-laws
• Landscaping standards
• Complete Master Park Plans

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Green Space Protection

• City of Calgarys Wetland Conservation Plan
• No net loss principle
• Mitigates disturbances through restoration/creatio
  n in watershed where loss occurs.
• Incorporates wetlands into Natural Areas network.
• Wetland management part of Citys Natural Areas
  Management Plan

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Protection tools in action
Green Space Protection

• District of Highlands
• Cluster development and amenity zoning 36 park
  land dedication
• 5 of a development site disturbed by layering
• Parkland dedication
• Covenants on private lands
• ROW vegetation standards.

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Protection tools in action
Green Space Protection

• Conservation Development Prairie Crossing
• Cluster development, 70 open space
• On-site stormwater drainage serves 22 acre lake
• Native landscaping in original residential
  development
• Development tied to local stewardship

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Green Space ProtectionObtaining Developer Buy-in

• Developer Consultation Workshops, Regina
• New regulations required - buffer widths,
  permeable surfaces, natural landscaping
• Nominal cost increase, offset by lower
  maintenance costs
• Better defined, more equally applied regulations

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2) Green Space Acquisition

• Tools include
• Development rights and density transfers
• Partnerships
• Parkland dedication
• Land swaps
• Eco gifting

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Green Space Acquisition

• Acquisition tools in action
• City of Vancouver 16 hectares new waterfront
  space in exchange for development rights in False
  Creek

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Green Space AcquisitionTransfer of Development
Rights (TDR)

• Acquisition tools in action
• Mongomery County, Maryland, US put TDR program in
  place that conserved 43,195 acres (2003) of
  agricultural land and rural open space the
  greatest conservation of agricultural land in the
  US

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Green Space Acquisition Utility Corridors to
Urban Greenways
City of Guelph partnerships

• Gained public access to new green space without
  buying it
• Challenges encroachment, liability, education

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3) Green Space Restoration and Enhancement

• Tools include
• Community stewardship
• Community education programs
• Partnerships
• Alternative Development Standards
• Landscaping Standards
• Natural Area Management Plans

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Green Space Restoration and Enhancement

• Community stewardship builds capacity.
• It can look like
• In-house stewardship coordinators
• Partnerships with local community
• groups
• Grants

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Restoration and Enhancement -Comprehensive
Stewardship Program

• Calgary -Natural Environment Adopt-A-Park
• Comprehensive volunteer screening/training
  policies
• Staff and volunteer rights and responsibilities
• Expanded volunteer base by 700 in 2 years.

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Restoration and Enhancement Community
Stewardship and Urban Revitalization

• Woodland Park, Vancouver
• Neglected park space
• Community takes back the park.
• Elements community visioning and design, art and
  ecology mix, cultural diversity represented

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Restoration and Enhancement Community Partnership

• Calgary Alternative Support Services
• Human service agency supporting adults with
  development disabilities
• Focus Urban farming/community gardening
• Diverse partners
• Builds self-esteem, employment skills and
  environmental awareness.

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Restoration and Enhancement Community Partnership

• Mahon Park, North Vancouver
• Suite of activites increase public involvement
• EG contributes 35,000
• Stewardship layered with planning and policy
• Increased public attention transformed park.

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Union Gas Corporate Partnership
Brantford Prairie, Brantford ON

• Lost ecosystems restored
• Participatory process involving community
• Trails, signage, brochures
• Unrestricted public access
• Considerable cost savings realized

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4) Green infrastructure

• Tools include
• Greenways
• Stormwater management
• Alternative development standards

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Seattle Street Edge Alternatives

• Retrofitted green streets
• Reduced impervious areas by 11
• Reduced total volume of stormwater leaving the
  street by 98 for 2-year storm event
• Involved residents in planting and maintenance
• Cost the same as typical curb and gutter system

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Parting Messages

• Natural green space ensures healthy communities
  and healthy ecosystems
• Integrating policies and programs is critical
• Bringing nature back to our cities requires
  creativity, resourcefulness and opportunism
• Much can be accomplished by working together -
  diverse partnerships are critical

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When one tugs at a specific thing in nature, he
finds it is attached to the rest of the
world. John Muir