Green Infrastructure Implementation Steps

The implementation of the Greening the Crossroads vision in many ways can help the region become more disaster resistant by increasing the amount of land available for natural stormwater retention, slowing runoff by replanting riparian areas with appropriate native vegetation and preventing the erosion of precious topsoil.

Implementation is a collaborative, decentralized process, relying on partners to use the Greening the Crossroads network in their daily work, use it to prioritize their limited funds and as an inspiration touchstone. Green infrastructure is not a government program but a planning approach so implementation of this plan is a matter of improving the coordination of existing programs rather than starting new programs. Some of the opportunities for implementation are highlighted below:

• The Central Indiana Land Trust will facilitate the creation of a Greening the Crossroads steering committee that will reach out through the community to stakeholders committed to implementing the vision.

• Each year the Central Indiana Land Trust will host a leadership forum to focus on the progress of implementing Greening the Crossroads among a range of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and concerned citizens.

• Greening the Crossroads will be provided to municipal and county officials as a reference for when they update comprehensive and park plans. Also, it will be an added resource for decision makers in the environmental review process where appropriate.

• Financial support for land conservation and the implementation of Greening the Crossroads can come from diverse funding sources. The Upland Brewing Company, in Bloomington, Indiana, has created a special draft beer, Preservation Pilsner, as a way to show support for land conservation. The brewing company donates 10% of the profits from the sale of Preservation Pilsner to local community groups, such as the Central Indiana Land Trust, that work on land conservation, preservation of family farms and the protection of forestlands.

• How would you like to have your property taxes reduced to a dollar a year? If you live in Indiana and own more than 10 acres of undeveloped forest, wetlands, scrubland or grasslands, you may qualify for reduced taxes in exchange for participating in the Classified Forest and Wildland Program. Landowners enroll in the program and agree to follow a professional management plan for their land. Currently only 3,700 acres of land are enrolled in this program within the green infrastructure network. Making more landowners aware of these tremendous tax savings and conservation opportunities is a key implementation step. By rewarding sound stewardship by private landowners, the green infrastructure network remains strong, supporting both wildlife and people.

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• Indiana has a remarkable state trails plan, “Hoosiers on the Move: The Indiana State Trails, Greenways and Bikeway Plan,” which calls for providing trail opportunities within 7.5 miles or 15 minutes of all Indiana residents by 2016. Many of the corridors highlighted in Greening the Crossroads are also highlighted as potential trails corridors. By using ecological principles to identify wildlife corridors, Hoosiers get a two-for-one benefit—corridors that can be used for both wildlife and recreation by people.

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