Linking Lands and Communities
in the Land-of-Sky Region
Creating a framework for conservation and development that    
respects community values and natural systems

                                                           
    Why a Regional Network of Natural Systems?

    A regional network of natural systems provides an important context for land use decisions that affect how our
    ecosystems function on a broader scale.  Healthy ecosystems produce a myriad of services that our
    communities depend on for survival -- like clean drinking water, carbon storage, flood storage, local food
    supplies, and other goods and services.  When a natural system isn't  functioning as it should (i.e., a stream
    is clogged with sediment or soil is eroding on a steep mountain slope), it loses its ability to provide these
    services.  

    It's All Connected

    Like any system, a healthy ecosystem is dependent on the ability for its parts to collectively function as a
    whole.  This is not unlike the human body,  where a person's health is dependent on all the systems in the
    human body working together. An injury or disease that impacts one organ or a group of organs can
    severely disrupt the entire body's ability to function.  Our ecosystems in nature function very much the same
    way - with many different systems - wetlands, forests, streams, riparian areas - all contributing to the larger
    landscape's ability to function.  When we sever these interconnected systems, or damage or remove them -
    other parts of landscape are affected.
       
    Identifying a regional network of naturally functioning ecosystems encourages us think about our natural
         landscape as an interconnected system, and to bring this awareness into the land use decisions that are
    made at the site,county, and regional scales.  Whether we are contemplating the future of a wetland,
         planning for a new road, developing a site plan for a new residential development, or targeting our
conservation dollars, thinking about the broader context in which these actions take place can be key to
protecting the ecosystems services on which our communities depend.

    Fragmentation of the Landscape

    Human activities on the landscape often result in fragmentation of natural systems. Habitat fragmentation
    occurs when a large area of habitat has been cut up into a collection of smaller patches of habitat.  It
    typically occurs when land is converted from one type of habitat  (or land use) to another. A new housing
    development, a road, or even a paved walking trail can separate one part of a forest from another, block an
    animal's migration route, and increase the edge effect (and subsequently decreases levels of biodoversity).

    By defining a regional network, we can minimize land use activities that fragment large functioning
    ecosystems in our high quality areas and direct them to places that are better suited. There are also some
    human activities are compatible with large intact natural systems.  For example, agricultural areas (if
    managed sustainably) can provide buffers between urban areas and more natural areas. A regional network
    of lands can help to identify compatible land uses and corridors that provide important connections between
    natural systems.

    Natural Systems Don't Stop at Jurisdictional Boundaries

    Due to the sheer size and complexity of the natural landscape, our land use and land management activities
    are conducted by dividing the land up into smaller pieces that are more manageable.  It just makes sense.     
    However, the result is a patchwork quilt of ownership patterns, regulations and management strategies that
    have little to do with how the landscape actually functions - or what it needs to function well.  Using a regional
    approach helps to bring together all of these agencies and organizations responsible for land use decisions
    to understand the broader context outside of their jurisdiction or focal area. A regional approach can
    encourage partnerships and collaborative activities that serve local communities as well as the natural
    landscape that they share


The Regional Network also addresses a number of challenges currently facing the Land-of-Sky region.
339 New Leicester Hwy. Asheville, NC 28806
ph: (828) 251-6622     fax: (828) 251-6353
A Project of Land-of-Sky Regional Council