CitiesGoGreen - February 2009 - (Page 27) The Case for an Ecological Level of Service The environment supplies important services, such as groundwater recharge. How can we maintain those services affordably, predictably, and at the level needed for a growing population? by Ramesh Buch, Program Director Alachua County Forever emember ecospheres, little globes containing shrimp, a twig and some algae? Properly maintained, these little worlds are touted as self-sustaining—no need to add water, oxygen or food. But what if you add more shrimp but no more water, light or space? What do you suppose the quality of life would be for the shrimp? Ideally, as we add shrimp, we’d have a checklist of items that we also need to increase, enhance and improve. After all, we do not want the first shrimp to notice a decrease in the standard of living or to resent the new neighbors. We’d also want to provide the new arrivals with a life comparable to that of the original inhabitants, so there’d be no inter-shrimp conflicts. The ecosphere is an example of sustainability, an often overwrought and emotionally charged topic. But if used rationally in a community-planning context, it provides a powerful guide for creating vibrant and livable communities. AlaFebruary/March 2009 R chua County, Florida and its county seat, Gainesville, are among the most livable communities in the United States according to several publications. Gainesville, home to the University of Florida, is at the geographic, cultural and economic center of the county. The surrounding county is characterized by scattered townships and sub-urban development radiating from Gainesville along arterial roads, separated from each other by preserves and farms. One of the reasons Alachua County is considered so livable is that the county has made sustainability a key part of its governance philosophy. From facilities operation and fleet management to land conservation, the county attempts to model this good behavior. That well-deserved reputation is at risk. Facing a steady influx of new residents, perhaps attracted by that reputation, our elected officials are asked to approve development plans that would convert once natural and pastoral landscapes. While I am not opposed to new growth, I am concerned about the manner in which it is planned and implemented here and nationwide. While Alachua County has adopted some of the most progressive growth management policies in the state, the existing principles and processes do not fully account for the ecological impact of the additional development. We are aware of our ecological underpinnings only if there happen to be sensitive ecosystems within the four corners of the development parcel and if we happen to have regulations that protect them. This site-by-site process is not a rational and systematic way to consider the ecological footprint of growth and its impact on residents’ quality of life. I suggest adopting a new principle— Green Infrastructure—as a way to accommodate new growth while protecting the environmental functions on which that new growth will ultimately depend. 27 http://citiesgogreen.com/issues/february-2009/current-features/the-case-for-an-ecological-level-of-service http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0707/gallery.BPTL_then_now.moneymag/5.html http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/verde/citiesgogreen_200811/index.php?startid=17 http://www.CitiesGoGreen.com
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