WHAT IS A GREENPRINT?
A greenprint is a strategic conservation plan that recognizes the economic and social benefits that parks, open space, and working lands provide communities. Such benefits include recreation opportunities through the use of parks and trails, habitat protection and connectivity, clean water, agricultural land preservation, and increased resilience to climate change.
Through the development of a greenprint, stakeholders help to identify, map, and prioritize areas important to the conservation of plants and wildlife, water resources, recreational opportunities, and working landscapes. A greenprint reflects local shared priorities and culture. Greenprints can be created largely through technical and scientific input, though they usually involve engagement from the general public and local conservation groups or local government.
In its initial form, a greenprint can be a map-based representation of the open space assets with natural resource and community-based values across the region. The map and associated data can help landowners, local governments, land trusts, and public agencies focus development away from important natural areas and working lands, prioritize conservation areas, and help the public understand the tradeoffs of various land use decisions.
The schematic below is a visual representation of what a greenprint can incorporate. The figure shows the interconnection between various land uses and conservation values in the landscape. Physical and ecological processes support and maintain the delivery of these benefits over time.
WHAT A GREENPRINT IS AND WHAT IT ISN'T
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WHAT IT IS |
WHAT IT ISN'T |
| A document and framework to advance the pace and scale of voluntary conservation in a region | An acquisition map or regulatory plan that dictates land use for any public or private entity |
| An initial assessment that identifies features on the landscape that are important to participants including recreation, habitat, water resources, agriculture, climate change resiliency, and other community values | A complete inventory of everything important within an area or a new data set |
| An analysis that illustrates how conservation values may work in concert with one another | A comprehensive solution for natural resource protection |
| A resource that helps stakeholders understand shared priorities and facilitates collaboration | A requirement that stakeholders engage in projects |
| A statement of support that addresses the needs and opportunities for keeping working agricultural lands viable | An effort to subvert private property rights |
