Green Infrastructure Vision: Bringing Nature to People

Nearly a century ago, Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett unveiled their 1909 Plan of Chicago, a framework for growth in the greater Chicago area. Often called the Burnham Plan, their vision included a network of forest preserve districts, open spaces and trails that have become a legacy unique to this region. Now, almost 100 years later, members and partners of Chicago Wilderness are building on that legacy to bring nature to people and make this region an even more exceptional place to live and work.

The Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Vision (GIV) paints a bold picture of what our region can look like if we are careful to protect the natural areas, corridors, and open spaces that are critical to our quality of life. The nearly 370,000 acres of natural areas that make up Chicago’s Wilderness comprise our “green infrastructure,” and are as critical to the people in this region as our built environment and transportation systems. The GIV identifies 1.8 million acres of prospective protection and restoration areas in the Chicago Wilderness region — spanning from southeast Wisconsin, through northeast Illinois into northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan.

The Vision is a call to carefully think about how we can live in and among natural areas in a sustainable way and to mutual benefit, by using tools such as conservation development, conservation easements, and thoughtful land use planning. It is a guide to creating a region where healthy ecosystems contribute to economic vitality and a high quality of life for all residents.

Chicago Wilderness members coordinate the implementation of the Vision at four scales:

 

• Regional, by working with regional planning agencies to redefine how we think about sustainability and community health by incorporating conservation development principles and natural resource preservation into land use and transportation plans.
• Community, by incorporating principles of biodiversity conservation, sustainability, and people-friendly design into land use plans and ordinances.
• Neighborhood, by promoting the preservation of natural spaces, conservation design and access to nature into developing communities, and
• Site, by promoting native landscaping, the use of rain gardens and rain barrels, and through the greening of schoolyards and other community open spaces.

The Green Infrastructure Vision is the blueprint for a region in which nature is accessible to all residents, and the built environment reflects our commitment to sustaining a healthy environment for today, and for generations to come.

Download the Final Report and maps of protection areas in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and all three states combined.

 

The Sustainable Watershed Action Team (SWAT)

The Sustainable Watershed Action Team (SWAT) is an example of Green Infrastructure Vision implementation at the community and neighborhood scale. Local officials in northeastern Illinois identified a need for assistance to help them address the sprawling development that is occurring – to provide them with hands-on technical assistance to improve their planning infrastructure and incorporate sustainable development practices.

Chicago Wilderness responded by forming SWAT, a group composed of experts in conservation design, stormwater management, and use of native vegetation, to work directly with local officials and developers on specific planning or development projects.

SWAT professionals also host workshops and public charrettes to help communities understand how, through careful planning and design, it is possible to build and sustain healthy, livable communities. Click here to download Sustainable Development Principles for Protecting Nature in the Chicago Wilderness Region.

For more info on SWAT, please click here.

 

The Ecological Planning and Design Directory: Resources

The Ecological Planning and Design Directory is a wealth of tools and techniques for achieving sustainable development that is both environmentally sensitive and cost-effective. The Directory presents a set of best practices that individuals, businesses, governments, and other organizations can implement to the benefit of their communities.

Resources are presented in the following topic areas:

• Biodiversity and Natural Habitats
• Conservation Design
• Sustainable Development
• Natural Landscaping
• Water Resource Protection