The need for planned growth and development and the protection of open space becomes clear upon review of the most recent and comprehensive studies on land development trends in regions across the United States. The trends are startling as signature woodlands, wetlands, farmlands, and open spaces are transformed into other land uses. Some regions are losing an average of more than forty acres a day to new development. In response, many communities are planning ahead for future growth by first identifying their most valued landscapes for conservation.
Greenways Incorporated has worked in dozens of locations of rapid growth (including Las Vegas, Nevada, Archuleta County, Colorado, Charleston County, South Carolina, and Wake County, North Carolina) to develop strategies for the conservation of valued natural and cultural landscapes and areas critical to native plant and wildlife species. We believe that protecting open space and setting it aside as part of development has an extremely positive impact for the local environment, economy, and the intrinsic value of an area.
As in all of our planning efforts, we invite local stakeholders, community representatives, and the general public to participate in the open space planning process. Listening attentively to these stakeholders is vital to understanding their most valued landscapes. Once such landscapes are identified, we help them develop visions and goals for conservation. We produce mapped inventories of protected and unprotected landscapes, and confirm areas for potential protection.
Areas for protection vary according to each community; commonly identified landscapes include: riparian areas, wildlife habitat, areas of significant tree cover, scenic and/or historic landscapes, areas that support endangered or threatened species, farmland, and corridors that provide connectivity for trails and/or wildlife.
