The Urban Green Infrastructure Initiative
The Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) Initiative was established in 2018, with the goal of expanding the Center beyond regional-scale conservation and land use planning issues to also include applied research and education focused on the elements of green infrastructure planning and design in urban and surrounding areas that are relevant to maintaining natural processes and ecosystem services.
What is Green Infrastructure?
“Green infrastructure can be defined as the “interconnected network of natural areas and other open spaces that conserves natural ecosystem values and functions, sustains clean air and water, offers stormwater or flood management infrastructure, and provides a wide array of benefits to people and wildlife.”
Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and Communities, Benedict and McMahon, 2006
Components of a Green Infrastructure Network
Topics of interest for the initiative include:
Urban Green Space Protection Planning & Nature Based Recreation
Ecosystem Services
Coastal Storm Surge Protection & Sea Level Rise Resiliency
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Climate Wise Landscape Design
Human Health Benefits of Urban Green Space
“This initiative is a core part of the Center’s applied research and education efforts. It makes the connection between green infrastructure at the statewide, regional and community scales to address issues of resiliency and climate, land use change, underserved communities and ecosystem services that directly affect human communities and welfare.”
Mike Volk, Assistant Director of the Center for Landscape Conservation Planning
Learn more about Urban Green Infrastructure Initiative
