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.
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