Connecting fragmented landscapes and policies: Green infrastructure in Connecticut

As biologists warn of mass extinctions of species---caused largely by human fragmentation of the natural landscape---there is a need for new models of thinking about the relationship between human development and the biosphere in order to pursue sustainable land use policy and proactive conservation of biodiversity.; The definition of green infrastructure or "smart conservation," proposed by Benedict & McMahon (2006), offers a holistic approach to conservation planning by identifying and mapping the ecological value of undeveloped lands in order to establish networks of open space to support ecosystem services that sustain both people and wildlife. Green infrastructure applies science from conservation biology and landscape ecology to support ecosystem function, conserve remnant wildlife corridors and habitats, and identify potential connections between patches of forests, wetlands, watersheds, ridgelines and other natural landscape features, even as development ensues in designated growth areas.; This thesis reviewed statewide approaches to green infrastructure planning in Maryland, Florida and Massachusetts. Connecticut plans for conservation and development, open space planning, and forest and wildlife conservation were compared and contrasted to green infrastructure.; A focus group of conservation professionals, land use planners and representatives from Connecticut state, regional and local government conducted an analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) of current conservation policy and the potential for green infrastructure planning in Connecticut. Participants identified opportunities to incorporate green infrastructure in future updates of Connecticut's open space plan and Conservation and Development Policies Plan. Also identified were potential strengths of green infrastructure in providing a blueprint for habitat connectivity, and an ecological basis for determining locations where communities should promote growth and where they should protect land from development. Focus group participants also identified a potential weakness of overreliance on digital maps versus field surveys and a perceived threat to property rights from state green infrastructure.; The author concludes that adoption of green infrastructure principles in state-level policies could promote protection of sensitive habitats in Connecticut by nonprofit organizations and all levels of government.; Key words. green infrastructure, strategic conservation, biodiversity, landscape connectivity, habitat fragmentation, land use planning.