Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and CommunitiesMark A. Benedict and Edward T. McMahon
HD 1391 .B46 2006
Benedict and McMahon assert that green space preservation needs to be linked to community growth and development planning. They recognize that preservation efforts over the last 50 years have been very successful at protecting open space, especially those prized for their natural beauty or recreation potential. However, these efforts are predominantly local and are often isolated from one another. When conservation efforts are considered as a part of long-term land development planning, patterns of development such as urban sprawl which are expensive and infrastructure intensive can be avoided. At the same time, open spaces can be set aside to capitalize on recreation potential, habitat preservation and pollution mitigation. This book defines "green infrastructure" as a new way to think about land use and a reconceptualization of the process of development planning. This book should be considered by politicians, urban planners, and developers as well as those interested in environmental conservation.
