Linking Lands and Communities
in the Land-of-Sky Region


      
Creating a framework for conservation and development that    
respects community values and natural systems


    As our region continues to grow, we see more and more conflicts that arise between humans and the natural
    landscape. Decisions are made every day about the locations of a new residential development, water
    treatment plant, new routes for transportation, schools, shopping centers, trails, and parks.  Each of these
    decisions has some impact (positive, negative, or both) on both human and natural communities.  While we
    often have detailed information about economic trends, infrastructure needs, and housing densities, we rarely
    have comparable data and information about the natural landscape that provides the very places where new
    growth and development takes place

    In order to make more informed decisions about  how land is used, decision-makers need more accessible
    information to help them decipher the trade-offs of such decisions. New condominiums or a new park?  A
    paved road that goes through a forest, or one that curves around the perimeter?  Spending money on a new
    water treatment plan or spending money to protect a watershed? Protecting a parcel next to the French Broad
    River or in the West Asheville neighborhood?  In order to understands the benefits and drawbacks of each
    option, leaders and practitioners need to have access to good science and available data and information
    about natural systems at the local, county, and regional scales.

    The ecological assessments conducted for the Linking Lands Project serve to address this need, and pull
    together data from various state and county agencies, governments and conservation organizations and
    house it in one place. Three separate assessments were developed based on the priorities identified in the
    region:


           wildlife habitat and maintaining biodiversity?


    Based on the goals for each assessment, relevant data is used to rank lands based on their landscape
    features (e.g., spruce-fir forest, high quality stream, soil type, existing farm, or the presence of a rare species)
    to illustrate their high, medium, or low relative value related to the specific assessment goal.

    In addition to these three assessments, additional data was compiled to create an informational map that
    shows the region's recreation lands and conserved lands.  Unlike the assessments, the landscape
    features were mapped but not ranked or assigned any specific value.  A map showing the region's cultural
    resources is also being developed.

 To see a diagram of the Assessment Development Process, click here         

   For more information on each assessment, including the work group members, conceptual model, fact sheet,
  and list of data sources for each assessment, click on the Assessment title above.

   
  How Will the Assessments be Used?  .

  The assessments and the informational maps will be used:
  •  to identify the region's natural hubs and corridors that will make up the green infrastructure network.
  •  as a resource for planners and decision-makers at the local, county, and state levels
  •  as a resource for land trusts and other conservation organizations for evaluating conservation projects
                      
          The individual input data layers will also be available for those groups who are interested.
339 New Leicester Hwy. Asheville, NC 28806
ph: (828) 251-6622     fax: (828) 251-6353
A Project of Land-of-Sky Regional Council

Interested in learning
more about Green
infrastructure planning?
Check out these
upcoming training
courses offered by The
Conservation Fund

A Strategic Approach to
Conservation Planning
Using the Green
Infrastructure Approach

Planning for Climate
Change Using the Green
Infrastructure Approach

GIS Tools for Strategic
Conservation Planning