Northwest Florida Green Infrastructure Design Plan
SITE UPDATED: January 4, 2012
In June 2010, the West Florida Regional Planning Council entered into an agreement with the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services Division of Forestry for the promotion and development of a Green Infrastructure plan for a 10-county area within Northwest Florida.
The plan and program will educate local officials, the general public, and other entities involved in the management of urban and urbanizing areas on the value of green infrastructure and how to incorporate it into their planning and development processes.
Green infrastructure allows for numerous social components including economic development, establishment of transportation corridors and active agricultural and silvicultural operations. In the process, provisions are made for retaining green spaces of various types, protecting water quality, and promoting tourism by providing both active and passive recreational opportunities. Management activities result in healthy ecosystems with high quality habitat for both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife species. Green infrastructure networks enhance the effectiveness of existing comprehensive planning efforts by promoting smart growth principles and healthy community practices.
The benefits of green infrastructure can be quantified in both ecological and economic terms. For example, healthy forests provide clean air and water, reduce energy use by shading buildings, enhance the quality of recreational experiences, and increase property values.
The desired outcome of this project would be to increase the degree to which green infrastructure is incorporated into future land use decisions.
To learn more about Green Infrastructure, please review our Northwest Florida Green Infrastructure Plan defining and explaining the concepts and principles of Green Infrastructure.
Additional materials include a brochure outlining relative information about Green Infrastructure and a PowerPoint Presentation highlighting Green Infrastructure.
For more information about Green Infrastructure Design, please contact Kathy Ahlen at Kathy.Ahlen@wfrpc.org (850) 332-7976 Ext: 210 or 800-226-8914 Ext: 210.
