Is It Good to Be Green? Assessing the Ecological Results of County Green Infrastructure Planning

Abstract

This study assesses the process and outcomes of landscape-scale green infrastructure planning as a strategy for supporting biodiversity and ecosystem services. The research examines how nine county planning agencies carry out green infrastructure planning and the effectiveness of those strategies in retaining, preserving, and connecting green space over time. The study develops and applies a new framework for green infrastructure planning and uses remote sensing, land conversion analysis, and a landscape ecology–oriented spatial analysis program (FRAGSTATS) to assess on-the-ground change. Results confirm the relationship between green infrastructure planning and green space outcomes, question conventional metrics, and highlight the importance of strategies that support connectivity and manage growth.