Green Infrastructure Network Design Goals

What is Green Infrastructure?

• Meet the Steering Team
• Team Member Resources
• Meeting Schedule

GI Initiative

• Project Timeline
• Mission and Purpose
• Network Design Goals
• Program Goals and Committee Structure
• Steering Committee
  • Technical Sub-Committee
  • Outreach/Education Sub-Committee
  • Grant Coordination & Administration Sub-Committee

Links and Resources

GI Home

Rev.10/15/08

The New River Green Infrastructure network will promote sustainable growth and development that protects the value and function of critical ecological features, the cost-effective services they provide, and significant cultural and historic areas. Some of the services provided by these natural features include: maintaining aquifers and streams; filtering, cooling, and storing water; cycling nutrients; conserving and generating soils; reducing greenhouse gas emissions; filtering air pollutants; pollinating crops and other plants; and mitigating flood impacts.

In order to continue to provide these and other services, the GI network targets six landscape components/features, as described in the goals below:

Water: Protect and enhance the water resources of the New River Valley, including watersheds, wetlands, groundwater, and source water area, to protect water quality, and provide a continually safe and abundant water supply for its citizens.

Forest and Farming Lands: Protect the working landscapes of the New River Valley, including its forests and agricultural lands to provide a source of regional economic support and maintain the region's rural character.

Natural Hazard Areas: Protect human life and property in the New River Valley by identifying potential natural hazard areas, such as floodplains, steep slopes, unstable soils, and karst areas, for special consideration during development discussions.

Habitat and Ecosystem Diversity: Protect and enhance the natural landscapes and biodiversity of the New River Valley, to provide habitat for the region's plant communities, wildlife and fisheries, including unique ecological communities and rare, threatened, or endangered species, and other areas of environmental concern.

Recreation and Health: Protect and enhance parkland, open space, connecting land and water corridors of the New River Valley, to provide for outdoor recreation opportunities, such as fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, paddling, camping, and trail-based activities.

Cultural Heritage: Protect significant cultural sites, historic and archeological resources, and scenic viewsheds of the New River Valley, to provide an opportunity to continue to tell the stories of our nation's past, and the settlement and growth of the New River Valley region.

For more information please contact Regina Elsner at [email protected].