Land-of-Sky Regional Council (LOSRC) is working with leaders from
    across our four-county region to develop a strategic plan for
    conservation and development. The project will bring together data
    from public, private, and non-profit sources, resulting in a series of
    maps and other tools that can be used to help guide land use decisions
    across the landscape.  

    How does the Linking Lands Project differ from other land use
    planning efforts?

    The Linking Lands Project aims to understand how our natural systems
    function across the entire four-county region. While many groups and
    municipalities focus their land use-related efforts on smaller subsets of
    the region, the Linking Lands Project uses a landscape perspective to
    understand the region as a whole.  Natural systems don't stop at county
    boundaries, or at the edges of a land trusts focus area.  This regional
    approach provides a broader context that can help to knit together
    these disparate efforts and provide opportunities for leverage and
    partnership to implement conservation and growth management
    priorities.

    Project Methodology

    Using the green infrastructure planning approach, the Linking
    Lands project will identify a physical network comprised of region's most
    valuable natural systems - including lands that provide water resources,
    agricultural lands (farms and forests), wildlife habitat and large
    functioning ecosystems, recreation lands and cultural resources.

    This science-based approach incorporates the most current data from
    local and state agencies and the land trust community and the "on the
    ground" knowledge of local experts.  A series of ecological
    assessments (conducted by local partners) will be finalized in the fall
    of 2009 and serve as the backbone for the regional green
    infrastructure assessment.

    Following the green infrastructure assessment, partners will come
    together through a public charrette to explore future growth scenarios
    and other factors that impact the region's natural systems, including
    climate change, invasive species, and other natural disturbances. As a
    result, Land-of-Sky Regional Council will develop a Regional
    Conservation and Development Network that will serve as a
    resource for local governments, land trusts, landowners, and
    developers.  

    Implementation strategies and tools for land use planning, financing,
    management, and stewardship will also be explored.












The project is organized into
5 distinct steps:

1.   Develop broad-based partnerships
and recruit community leaders to
participate in the following four steps of
the project.

2.   Gather data, conduct ecological
assessments and develop maps for
key elements of our region’s natural
systems (i.e., green infrastructure),
including water resources, agricultural
lands, wildlife habitat, recreation and
conservation lands, and cultural
resources.

3.   Develop a science-based green
infrastructure network for the region
based on the assessments and data
collected above.

4.   Create a Regional  Network that
incorporates future development and
natural disturbance factors into the
green infrastructure network developed
above.

5.   Identify implementation strategies
for the Regional Conservation and
Development Network and engage
partners in these activities.        

Public outreach events are scheduled
throughout these 5 steps to solicit
feedback on all phases of the project
and share our results with the regional
community.

Click here to see the project
time line for 2009-2010
Linking Lands and Communities
in the Land-of-Sky Region
Creating a framework for conservation and development that    
respects community values and natural systems
339 New Leicester Hwy. Asheville, NC 28806
ph: (828) 251-6622     fax: (828) 251-6353
A Project of Land-of-Sky Regional Council