Regional Blue-Green Infrastructure Project

The Richmond Regional Planning District Commission and the Crater Planning District Commission are proud to announce an exciting blue-green infrastructure planning effort. This endeavor is part of a multi-year grant project focused on Sustainable Communities that is funded through the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program.

Green infrastructure is a concept that has become increasingly popular over the past twenty years in the fields of land use and environmental planning. However, the green infrastructure concept originated well over one hundred years ago with planning and conservation efforts from landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead, various wildlife biologists, and ecologists. These early leaders espoused the importance of an organized conservation system for the health and well-being of both humans and wildlife. Generally defined, green infrastructure is a strategically managed network of natural lands, working lands and other natural spaces, that provides numerous benefits – ecological and economic - to human and wildlife populations. More specifically, green infrastructure provides for habitat preservation and diversity, water filtration and storage, and improved air quality.

The two Planning District Commissions joined with the Green Infrastructure Center in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Virginia Department of Forestry, and the Capital Region Land Conservancy for a regional green infrastructure planning project entitled Green Infrastructure Planning Tools for Connected Communities. The project began by looking at a statewide conservation lands model, the Virginia Conservation Lands Needs Assessment, and updating it to account for development since 2000. After the update was complete, regionally and locally available data on existing conserved lands and other green infrastructure resource assets was included for mapping and analysis. A review committee was created to provide insight and context for the data analysis and planning process; the committee consisted of local government representatives, land conservation groups, and other project partner organizations. The aim of the committee was to ensure that stakeholder input was seriously considered in the project. The result of this project is a report that includes an accurate and relevant regional green infrastructure map for the entire region.

Richmond Region Green Infrastructure Project Report

The Richmond Region Green Infrastructure Project Report was produced by the Green Infrastructure Center in cooperation with the RRPDC and the Capital Region Land Conservancy. The report explains the green infrastructure concept, identifies green infrastructure assets in the region as well as opportunities for connection and expansion of these assets.

The Richmond-Crater Region Green Infrastructure Project Report was produced by the RRPDC in cooperation with the Crater PDC and the Green Infrastructure Center. The report explains the green infrastructure concept, identifies green infrastructure assets in the bi-regional study area as well as opportunities for connection and expansion of these assets.

September 12, 2008 Review Committee Meeting:

Meeting Agenda

Meeting Presentation: Karen Firehock and Alisa Hefner. Regional Green Infrastructure Project. Green Infrastructure Center. Richmond Regional Planning District Commission Offices. September 12, 2008.

February 2, 2009 Review Committee meeting:

Meeting Agenda

Meeting Presentation: Karen Firehock, Alisa Hefner, and Sarah Smith. Regional Green Infrastructure Project Meeting # 2. Green Infrastructure Center. Richmond Regional Planning District Commission Offices. February 2, 2009.

February 12, 2009 RRPDC Board Meeting:

Meeting Presentation

March 13, 2009 Richmond Regional Green Infrastructure Workshop:

Materials and Presentations

Phase I Maps & Other Resources:

Study Area Map

Ecological Core Map

Ecological Core Map – Updated 2007

Ecological Integrity and Conservation Map

Natural Resource Based Recreation Map

Heritage Resources Map

Water Resources Map

Green Infrastructure Planning Principles

Virginia Natural Landscape Assessment Overview

Phase II

The RRPDC again teamed with the Green Infrastructure Center, as well as the City of Richmond, to bring the generalized nature of the regional assessment into focus in the City of Richmond. The scale of the Phase I regional green infrastructure assessment resulted in mapping and analysis of larger green infrastructure assets such as large blocks of natural land, parks, regional trails, wildlife management areas, etc. Smaller scale green infrastructure assets such as tree canopy, pocket parks and community gardens, green roofs, etc. were not included. These smaller scale green infrastructure assets are commonly the majority of assets in an urbanized area, such as the City of Richmond. The project team worked to ensure that all green infrastructure assets were included in the City of Richmond Green Infrastructure Assessment.

The City of Richmond Green Infrastructure Assessment was divided into two phases. First, the RRPDC worked with City of Richmond staff to identify and map existing green infrastructure assets. RRPDC staff then used CITYgreen© software to calculate the environmental and economic impact of ecological services provided by existing green infrastructure assets in the City of Richmond. Several development scenarios were also analyzed. These development scenarios illustrate how various forms of development can support population growth, economic growth, and green infrastructure expansion.

For the second phase, the Green Infrastructure Center worked with the project team to identify and inventory vacant parcels in the City of Richmond. These vacant parcels, in conjunction with existing green infrastructure assets, can be used to improve the current green infrastructure network in the City and to promote economic development and quality of life for City residents as well.

Phase II Products

Green Infrastructure Assessment Phase 1: A Green Print Pilot Program for Richmond

Green Infrastructure Assessment Phase 1: A Green Print Pilot Program for Richmond was produced by the RRPDC after consultation with the City of Richmond and the Green Infrastructure Center. The report identifies green infrastructure assets in the City of Richmond and provides CITYgreen © analysis these assets.

Virginia Department of Forestry City of Richmond Urban Tree Canopy Analysis

Virginia Department of Forestry City of Richmond Urban Tree Canopy Analysis as produced by Virginia Department of Forestry and the Virginia Geospatial Extension Program (VGEP) at Virginia Tech’s Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. The goal of the project was to apply the USDA Forest Service’s UTC assessment protocols to the City of Richmond. This analysis was conducted based on year 2008 data.

Green Infrastructure Interest Links:

Capital Region Land Conservancy (http://www.capitalregionland.org/)

Crater Planning District Commission (http://www.craterpdc.state.va.us/)

Green Infrastructure Center (http://www.gicinc.org/)

Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (http://www.deq.state.va.us/coastal/)

Virginia Conservation Lands Needs Assessment (http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/vclna.shtml)