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About Greenways

Source: About Greenways and Trails, Office of Greenways & Trails, FDEP





What is a Greenway?

"A Greenway is a corridor of protected open space that is managed for conservation and/or recreation. The common characteristic of greenways is that they all go somewhere. Greenways follow natural land or water features, like ridges or rivers, or human landscape features like abandoned railroad corridors or canals. They link natural reserves, parks, cultural and historic sites with each other and, in some cases, with populated areas. Greenways not only protect environmentally sensitive lands and wildlife, but also can provide people with access to outdoor recreation and enjoyment close to home."

Within the landscape, greenways serve at least three major functions: they protect and/or enhance remaining natural, cultural and historical resources; they provide linear open space for compatible human use; and they maintain connectivity -- between conservation lands, communities, parks and other recreational facilities, and cultural and historic sites. Connectivity is a critical landscape characteristic important to the health, well-being, and aesthetic values of human communities and vital to the maintenance of functional native ecosystems. While the ability of greenways to "link" other resources is important, not every greenway is a connector. Some stand on their own as important linear recreational resources, like trails and bikeways.

While greenways are important conservation and recreation areas in and of themselves, what sets the greenways concept apart from other initiatives is its emphasis on connections. The Florida Greenways Commission recommended creating a system of greenways for Florida, a green infrastructure as carefully planned and as well funded as our built infrastructure (like electric power and transportation systems). That doesn't mean connections should be made for connections' sake alone. Nor does it mean that the focus on conservation land acquisition should shift from protecting large, functioning ecological preserves to protecting greenways. Greenways is not a "connect-the-dots" concept applied without justifiable ecological or human need. But often, connecting greenways and core reserves results in a system that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. A healthy, well-functioning system can support wildlife communities and provide innumerable benefits to Florida's people, as well.

A greenways system is composed of large hubs, links and smaller sites made up of natural, historical, cultural, and recreational features (see below). The hubs anchor the system and provide an origin or destination for people and wildlife moving to or through it. Hubs come in many different sizes, from large protected reserves to smaller regional parks and preserves. Links are the connections that enable the system to work. They range in size and function from large landscape linkages to smaller conservation and recreational corridors. Sites are smaller features that serve as points of origin or destination but are not always linked with hubs or with each other.

Greenways systems can be designed and implemented at many different scales. A local greenways system can encompass natural and cultural features within a single community or county. A regional greenways system might link conservation areas and trails within one or more watersheds. A statewide greenways system can link community and regional greenways systems. Multi-state greenways systems constitute the building blocks for national conservation and recreational strategies.

While categorizing greenways helps us understand their different forms, in reality types blend and overlap. From a conceptual standpoint, it is possible to divide greenways into different types. But in reality, all greenways fall along a continuum of natural and cultural/historical landscape features and functions and associated human uses that depend upon discrete, site-specific factors, management considerations and overall public purpose.

Greenways often encompass natural landscape features, such as rivers and floodplains, ridgelines, interior or coastal wetland systems, shorelines, beaches and barrier islands. They can also encompass a variety of altered or human landscape features, such as historic and archaeological sites, utility and abandoned railroad rights-of-way, canals, dikes, and roadside corridors.

Greenways can be as wide as a watershed or as narrow as a trail. Some are publicly owned; some are established on private land by easements or other methods that protect valuable natural areas and cultural/historic sites or allow public access along trails. Some are managed only to conserve native ecosystems, and some are purely recreational. Some are "green," following ridgelines or other upland features, some are "blue," following rivers and wetlands, and others are more urban in nature.

A wide variety of building blocks or components make up a greenways system. These include greenways, the links in the system, as well as parks, preserves and cultural/historic sites, which can serve as system hubs.



Types of Greenways

Although best considered as a continuum of features and opportunities, many different types of greenways can go into creating a greenways system. For example:

Landscape linkages

Large linear protected areas, such as the Pinhook Swamp that connects the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the Osceola National Forest, provide sufficient areas of space for native plants and animals to flourish while serving as corridors connecting ecosystems and landscapes. Landscape linkages can also provide space for the protection of historic sites. Typically, development is limited in these greenways, and they are often located in pristine natural areas where there is little human encroachment or urbanization. Some provide opportunities for human use like hunting, fishing, canoeing, swimming and hiking.

Conservation corridors

Less extensive linear protected areas, such as the upper Hillsborough River, serve as biological connecting corridors between larger patches of habitat dedicated to conservation and, in many cases, also provide outdoor, resource-based recreational opportunities. These corridors / greenways are transitional habitat and that they only need to provide the necessary resources for plant or animal movement from one area to another. However, if the greenway corridor is large enough it can also provide for wildlife habitat. Trails and other passive recreation opportunities can be developed within a conservation greenway.

Greenbelts

Protected natural lands or working landscapes, such as the one being planned around Lakeland, surround cities and serve to preserve agricultural productivity as well as to balance and direct urban and suburban growth.

Recreational corridors

Linear open spaces, such as the Pinellas Trail, are primarily managed for moderate to intense public recreational use and enjoyment through trails.

Scenic corridors

Corridors of land, such as the Old St. Augustine Road in Leon and Jefferson counties, Old Bellamy Road in Alachua County, and Old Cutler Road in Dade County, are protected for scenic quality and other aesthetic considerations.

Utilitarian corridors

Linear features, such as powerline and pipeline rights-of-way and canals, whose primary purpose is utilitarian, may also help connect recreational, cultural or natural system features.

Trails

Trails are marked routes on land or water, with protected status and public access for recreation or transportation. Trails can have many forms - - narrow, winding wilderness paths like the Florida National Scenic Trail, primitive woods roads, converted rail and canal corridors, beach and other water-based trails along rivers, streams and coastlines. If they fall within protected corridors, trails are greenways. Trails provide access to and appreciation of the values of natural areas and greenspaces plus provide diverse resource based outdoor recreational opportunities, and enhance the understanding of historical sites and cultural diversity. Trails are different from other links in that they do not exist alone but instead occur in conjunction with other system components.

Although these and other system links are addressed to some extent by existing public and private programs, only the greenways movement focuses specifically on linear connections. Moreover, the greenways movement also focuses on building partnerships to coordinate and expand ongoing public and private efforts.

While greenways that serve as connectors are the focus of this guidebook, every greenway does not have to be part of a larger system. Some greenways stand alone and have discrete beginnings and ends, like the Pinellas Trail. Some, like the proposed Lakeland Greenbelt, encircle urban areas.



Types of Hubs and Sites



Natural, recreational, and cultural/historic hubs and sites are the other critical components of greenways systems. System hubs and sites come in all shapes and sizes, and for that reason serve different purposes in greenways systems. For example:

Reserves

Large protected areas, such as Everglades National Park/Big Cypress National Preserve, serve as primary sites for conserving biological diversity and natural resources such as fisheries and fresh water. Reserves also can protect important historical and cultural sites and provide some nature-based recreation opportunities.

Regional parks and preserves

Less extensive hubs of regional significance, like the San Felasco Hammock State Preserve outside Gainesville, or Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Collier County, provide ecological benefits and offer important recreational opportunities.

Ecological sites

Smaller sites, such as Wakulla Springs south of Tallahassee, or Devil's Millhopper State Geological Site outside Gainesville, conserve important or unique natural or geologic features.

Working Landscapes

Privately-owned rural lands of all types that have been modified by the hand of man and continue to be managed on a productive basis help sustain important environmental functions. Working landscapes include farmland of all types, privately-managed timber land, reclaimed mine land, and other privately owned rural lands maintained in a predominately open and undeveloped state;

Cultural/Historic/Recreational Sites

Community parks, remaining open spaces, plazas, boulevards, neighborhood and community parks, waterfronts, museums, visitor centers, environmental education centers, and other interpretive facilities and linear corridors and cultural, historical and archaeological sites provide recreational opportunities, help protect and interpret Florida's cultural/historic heritage, and can often serve as a system origin or destination. Festivals and events reinforce cultural diversity as well as the cultural heritage of communities.

Urban Areas

Cities and towns, from large metropolitan areas like Miami or Tampa to small communities like Arcadia or Destin, serve as human hubs for greenways systems.

Many of these features are planned and managed by different national, state and local agencies and organizations, and are not the focus of this report. But whether they are connected by greenways or not, hubs and sites are critical components of a statewide conservation strategy. Every effort must be made to protect their natural, recreational, cultural and historic values and to involve their managers as partners in Florida's system of greenways.

Greenway Information



Property Owners & Tenant Concerns

Economic Prosperity

Recreational Access

Sustainable Future

Conserving Ecosystems

Conserving Historical & Cultural Resources

Working Landscapes


Greenways Home (Office of Greenways and Trails, FDEP)

Property Owners & Tenant Concerns



Liability    Crime    Property Taxes & Values    Private Property Rights    Maintenance    Privacy    Suggestions   



The concerns of landowners should be anticipated so their questions can be answered up-front to calm any fears. Try to determine whether their concerns are real or the result of misinformation, hostility toward government, or simple territorial instincts. Always listen carefully and make sure landowners know you take these matters seriously. Landowner opposition can sink a greenway project or color public attitudes so that funding is difficult to secure. Remember, the greenway will affect them as much as anyone, so explain how the greenway will benefit them. Common landowner concerns are:


Liability
Always be prepared to discuss liability issues. The state of Florida has a recreational use statute (Section 375.251 F.S.) to encourage private landowners to make available to the public land, water areas and park areas for outdoor recreation purposes by limiting their liability to persons going on their land and to third persons who may be damaged by the acts or omissions of the persons going on their land. The law states:

(2)(a)An owner or lessee who provides the public with a park area or other land for outdoor recreational purposes owes no duty of care to keep the park area or land safe for entry or use by others, or to give warning to persons entering or going on that park area or land of any hazardous conditions, structures, or activities thereon. An owner or lessee who provides the public with a park area or other land for outdoor recreation shall not by providing that park area or land: 1. Be presumed to extend any assurance that such park area or land is safe for any purpose, 2. Incur any duty of care toward a person who goes on that park area or land, or 3. Become liable or responsible for any injury to persons or property cause by the act or omission of a person who goes on that park area or land. (b) This section shall not apply if there is any charge made or usually made for entering or using such park area or land, or any part thereof, or if any commercial or other activity, whereby profit is derived from the patronage of the general public, is conducted on such park area or land, or any part thereof.

(3)(a)An owner of land or water area leased to the state for outdoor recreation purposes owes no duty of care to keep that land or water safe for entry or use by others, or to give warning to persons entering or going on that land or water of any hazardous conditions, structures, or activities thereon. An owner who leases land or water to the state for outdoor recreational purposes shall not by giving such lease: 1. Be presumed to extend any assurance that such land or water area is safe for any purpose, 2. Incur any duty of care toward a person who goes on the leased land or water area, or 3. Become liable or responsible for any injury to persons or property cause by the act or omission of a person who goes on the leased land or water area.

(4)This act does not relieve any person of liability which would otherwise exist for deliberate, willful or malicious injury to persons or property. The provisions hereof shall not be deemed to create or increase the liability of any person.

(5)The term "outdoor recreational purposes" as used in this act shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, hunting, fishing, swimming, boating, camping, picnicking, hiking, pleasure driving, nature study, water skiing, motorcycling, and visiting historical, archaeological, scenic, or scientific sites.

An issue some private landowners raise concerning this liability protection is that it does not address the cost of retaining legal counsel and mount a defense if the private landowner is named as a defendant in a court action. Legal defense is an element which many landowners view as the most important part of any liability protection system. The costs of legal defense in liability cases can easily exceed the final liability judgment. Thus even where private landowner protection exists, there is a significant disincentive to participation in public use programs, especially for small and medium-sized landowners. Another issue raised by some public landowners is that public entities are not covered by this recreational use statute. Both of these issues can act as a barrier to public recreational use of greenways.

It is important to remember the provision of public resources, such as trails, presents similar liability risks to the greenway or trail manager as other public recreation and transportation facilities. In today's environment of heightened of tort liability (liability for injury or harm due to negligence), the public greenway or trail manager must be aware of its responsibility to protect the user from harm. There are few noteworthy cases of tort liability related to greenways and trails. Although these types of cases are uncommon, private and public landowners can be sued. The most important element in determining negligence is the standard of care. The appropriate stand of care is defined as the customs, practices, written policies and standards which are judged reasonable under the circumstances. Greenways and trails require the same standard of care as do other public facilities.

A prerequisite for reducing tort liability is maintaining greenways, trails and their associated facilities so they remain safe. Beyond the appropriate minimum level of standard of care, it is important that the manager establish maintenance standards which it can meet both physically and financially. Maintaining safe conditions along the greenway and trail will require regular inspections of facilities and either repair or removal of discoverable hazards within a reasonable time. These standards should be reviewed periodically to identify discrepancies between the standards and actual maintenance in the field. Discrepancies should be corrected through improved maintenance, through modifying the standards to a reasonable safe level if maintenance levels can not be improved or through documenting why the standards could not be met for a specific time period. An agency which does not meet its own established standard of care could be found to be willfully and wantonly negligent without prior documentation as to why it did not meet its own standards.

A second prerequisite for reducing liability is to identify potential risks and to communicate that knowledge to the user. Identifying potential risks involve examining items such as the trail surface, road crossings, bridges, trailhead and associated facilities, dead or diseased trees which may fall on the trail, and multiple use by pedestrians and bicyclists. Communicating identified risks to the trail user is commonly done with signs and printed materials. Users should be warned of possible dangers where accidents have previously occurred, in areas of high intensity use and in areas that pose dangers which the ordinary, prudent person might not anticipate such as slippery conditions for bicyclists due to wet leaves on the pavement.


Crime

Even though there has been no documented increase in criminal activity on greenways, crime is almost always a concern. In Greenways for America, Charles Little cites the example of Seattle's Burke-Gilman Trail. Police officers who patrolled the trail were interviewed about problems with crime and vandalism. Their response was that "there is not a greater incidence of burglaries and vandalism of homes along the trail." The police noted that problems in parks are generally confined to areas of easy motor vehicle access. Despite fears that greenways will be used by "outsiders," it's usually the local citizens who use the path. Merely opening a greenway to public use may in fact discourage unsavory activities in derelict areas. Crime is discouraged because access to the trail is controlled compared to pre-trail access, and the large numbers of friendly and observant trail users who act as volunteer police that report suspicious activity. Trails naturally encourage "crime-watch" activity. In Long Beach, California, a 3.1 mile trail along a stretch of urban waterfront, known for its significant population of transients, reported reduced crime in the area as a result of the trail. The reduction was attributed by local citizens using the trail (Joe Chesler, Port of Long Beach, personal interview, 1989).

A 1992 study by the National Park Service of the impacts of rail-trails on nearby property owners found that "a majority of landowners reported no increase in problems since the trails opened. That living near trails was better than they had expected it to be, and that living near the trails was better than living near unused railroad lines before trails were opened" (Impacts of Rail-Trails, National Park Service, 1992). A 1988 survey of greenways in several states has found that such parks typically have not experienced serious problems regarding vandalism, crime, trespass, or invasion of privacy. Prior to developing park facilities, these concerns were strongly voiced in opposition to proposed trails. After park development, however, it was found that fears did not materialize and concerns expressed by the neighbors opposed to the trail have not proven to be a post-development problem in any of the parks (A Feasibility Study for Proposed Linear Park, Oregon DOT, 1988). A 1990 study by the Appalachian Trail Conference of crimes on the Appalachian Trail found despite use by three to four million persons annually, that there were only 0.05 crimes per 100,000 persons or 1 in 2 million. The odds are greater that a person is more likely to be struck by lightning or victimized in their home than as a hiker on the Appalachian Trail. Finally, a 1980 study by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources compared landowners' attitudes on a pair of proposed trails with landowner attitudes along a pair of similar trails already established. On the proposed trails, 75 percent of landowners thought that if a trail was constructed it would mean more vandalism and other crimes. By contrast, virtually no landowners along two constructed trails (0% and 6% respectively), agreed with the statement that "trail-users steal" (American Greenways Fact Sheet: Crime and Vandalism, no date).


Property Taxes and Property Values

Some people favor developing open space to expand the tax base. Expansion of the tax base, however, does not necessarily mean increased revenue to the locals government. Development almost always means an increase in infrastructure and public service requirements, and the cost of providing these services often outweighs the additional tax revenue.

The other property tax issue often raised is that the local government will increase taxes to pay for the greenway. In fact, increased tax revenues are usually generated by an increase in property values on land near the greenway. The exceptions would by jurisdictions where property assessments lag behind market values. Some communities have levied additional taxes to pay for greenways, but these taxes usually take the form of special assessments. Landowners who donate easements can actually reduce their own property tax assessments. In addition, easements reduce the cost of full acquisition.


Private Property Rights

Some landowners are opposed to putting land into public ownership or allowing public uses for any reason. It may simply not be possible to change their minds, but the benefit of the greenway to the community -- their community is a worthy point to advocate. Landowners can be financially compensated for public use or conservation through selling or donating conservation easements or leasing lands for public recreational use.


Maintenance

Greenways and trails must be managed and maintained. Many greenways and trails are effectively managed through partnerships between landowners and private volunteers associated with a trails or "Friends" organization. For example, the Florida Trail Association in partnership with both public and private landowners has constructed and maintain over 1,000 miles of hiking trails throughout Florida. Often the landowners share the cost of maintenance with the volunteers by providing the tools and materials which the volunteers use to maintain trails, campsites and trailheads. Demonstrating the ability to properly manage a greenway is key to allaying the concerns of property owners.


Privacy

Landowners frequently are concerned about trespassing and privacy or about public use interfering with agricultural or commercial activities on their property. To address this concern, some greenways use fences and landscaping to buffer private property. If possible work with the property owners and allow the landowner to lay out the alignment of the greenway through their property. Trail users generally will not stray from the trail if necessary facilities (restrooms and water) and access points are strategically located. Because trail use is a very directed activity, trail users tend to follow the trail and not enter adjacent properties. The larger number of persons along a trail may lessen the amount of privacy by adjacent residents, but the improved public visibility may serve to discourage criminal activities. Commonly along rail-trails that property owners and businesses will entice trail users to their property by opening a bike repair shop or selling cold drinks and food. Experience has shown trespassing, vandalism, loss of privacy and littering have been found to be much more perceived problems than actual problems.


Other Suggestions

Meet with landowners one-on-one in friendly surroundings at a time that's convenient for them. If possible, have a person who knows the landowner arrange and participate in the meeting. It may be wise to have the same person to meet with all the landowners to assure consistency.

Be honest and forthcoming, courteous, and persistent. Never give the impression that secret deals are being made behind anyone's back.

Know the property and its value to the greenway system. Know exactly what needs to be protected. A resource assessment and goals are critical to success. A landowner may, for example, object to a trail, but not to the protection of a historical building or wildlife habitat on the property.

Learn everything you can about potentially affected landowners including their financial situation, attitude toward the greenway and their current stewardship philosophy. Volunteers or people that know landowner may be able to share this valuable background information.

As stated above, anticipate the landowner's concerns. These concerns may include loss of privacy, wildlife impacts, fear of crime, possible increases in local taxes for management, or removal of lands form the tax base.

Know your facts. Have some national and state greenway statistics on hand. Be familiar with a successful greenway nearby and offer to arrange a tour of that greenway for the landowners and decision makers. If a landowner requests information, get back to them promptly.

Have a conceptual plan with good supporting data, maps, and so on. It is recommended that it only be a preliminary plan with the general outline of the greenway, not individual parcels of privately owned land. Do not put property owners on the defensive.

Have legal counsel available to answer questions about liability, tax benefits, and other matters.

Involve landowners in the planning process from the beginning.




Economic Prosperity



Creating Economic Prosperity With Greenways

A poll commissioned by the President's Commission on Americans Outdoors found that natural beauty was the single most important criterion for tourists in selecting a site for outdoor recreation ("Fact Sheet: Sign Control and Economic Development," Sign Control News as reported in Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails and Greenway Corridors, 1990). In 1985, the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission estimated that if natural area recreation was counted as an industry, it would have been the state's second largest (Endangered Ecosystems, A Status Report on America's Vanishing Habitat and Wildlife, 1995). That year nature enthusiasts pumped $1.3 billion into the state's economy and hunters and fisherman contributed another $3.8 billion. In 1994, the Florida Department of Commerce, Bureau of Research and Analysis indicated thirty percent of American travelers plan to take a nature based trip in the next three years. Combined with the fact that 40 million tourist visited Florida in 1994, there is great potential for nature based tourism to have a positive economic impact for communities. In 1994, approximately twelve percent of Florida's tourists visited parks or preserves and approximately six percent visited historical sites. Parks and preserves including the Florida Everglades were collectively the third most popular attraction to visitors arriving by airplane and the sixth most popular attraction to visitors arriving by automobile in 1994.

It is imperative to recognize that a vibrant economy is necessary to maintain the financial resources needed to assure environmental quality. As a dynamic and growing state Florida continually faces the critical question of how divergent interests in a community will work together to balance demands for development with the protection of natural resources. Many areas of the country have found that a system of greenways offers opportunities to support economic growth without sacrificing environmental assets. Developing greenways throughout Florida's communities and the state could not only save Florida's landscapes but also help disadvantaged areas and weaker economies regain much-sought-after stability.

Greenways are a positive economic stimulus for communities. The economic impact on the community as a whole by taking land of the tax rolls for greenway conservation is more than offset by other economic returns. First of all, lands conserved for greenways such as abandoned railroad lines and riparian corridors generally are assessed at low values. Conserving these lands as greenways may prevent potential property damage from flooding in the future actually saving community costs for damage mitigation. Many studies have demonstrated taxable properties that are adjacent to greenways, parks and public open space often increase in value and generate greater overall tax revenue for a community. Greenways and other public open spaces also generate economic activity for community businesses and serve as a magnet for tourists and businesses looking to relocate. The following describes the findings of many economic studies related to greenways and public open space.

The study Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails and Greenway Corridors (1990) stated "proximity to greenways, rivers, and trails can increase sales price, increase the marketability of adjacent properties, and promote faster sales." This study also reported that:

Property near but not on the Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle sold at an average of 6.5 percent more than similar property elsewhere. Property values directly adjacent to the trail were not affected, either in average price or ease of sale. Approximately 60 percent of the owners of homes and condominiums adjacent to the trail believed either their homes sell for more because of the trail or would not be effected. It was also found that homes and condominiums near the trail are easier to sell because of their proximity to the trail (Source: Evaluation of the Burke-Gilman Trail's Effect on Property Values and Crime, by the Seattle Engineering and Department Office of Planning, 1987).

In Minnesota, 87 percent of the landowners adjacent ot the Luce Line rail-trail believed the trail increased or had not effect on the value of their property; 56 percent of the farmland residents though the trail had no effect on their land values; and 61 percent of the suburban residential owners noted an increase in their property values. Trails were also found to be positive selling points for suburban residential property, hobby farms, farmland proposed for development, and some types of small town commercial property (Source: Converted Railroad Trails: The Impact on Adjacent Property, Kansas State University, 1988).

In Boulder, Colorado found housing prices declined an average of $4.20 for each foot of distance from a greenbelt up to 3,200 away, and in one neighborhood the average decline was $10.20 for each foot of distance. The study went on to state the average value of property adjacent to the greenbelt is 32 percent greater than similar properties 3,200 feet away. It also reported the aggregate property value was approximately $5.4 million greater than if there had been no greenbelt, and the tax revenue alone could recover the initial cost of the $1.5 million greenbelt in three years (Source: The Effects of Greenbelts on Residential Property Values, Land Economics, May 1978).

Other greenway and property value studies have found:

The Impacts of Rail-Trails: A Study of the Users and Property Owners from Three Trails (1992) found between 87 to 97 percent of the owners of lands adjacent to three rail-trails (including Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail south of Tallahassee) believed the trail has no effect on or increased the value of their property. Between 76 and 100 percent of the real estate professionals surveyed reported that these trail had no effect on or increase the resale value of adjacent residential property. Only 6.5 percent of all landowners and none of the real estate professionals believed that the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail caused their property values to decrease.

Of real estate agents interviewed in metro-Denver (Colorado) area, 73 percent believed a home adjacent to a trail would be easier to sell, and 55 percent agreed the home would sell for more than a comparable home in a different neighborhood. For homes located one block away from a trail, 64 percent believed it would be easier to sell, and less than 10 percent believed the home would sell for more. In older communities, 45 percent thought trails "had the propensity" to increase the market value of homes with 55 percent believing homes would maintain their market value. Of residents of single family homes adjacent to a trail, 57 percent felt it would make their home easier to sell, and 29 percent thought the trail would increase the value of their home. Of residents of townhomes, apartments, and condominiums adjacent to a trail, 42 percent believed the trail would increase the selling price of their homes with none believing it would decrease the value. For those living within one block of a trail, 17 percent were positively influenced by the trail in their decision to buy or rent their home with only 1 percent saying the trail caused misgivings.(Source: Colorado State Trails Program, The Effect of Greenways on Property Values and Public Safety,1995). Over 62 percent of the residents of Cary, North Carolina stated that greenways increase the value of lands adjacent or nearby (Source: Town of Cary Parks, Recreation, and Greenways Survey, North Carolina State University, 1989).

In Durham, North Carolina, a statistically significant relationship was found showing that market value of homes decreased by $5.51 for each foot away from the Eno River open space corridor (Source: The Economic Impact of Open Space Corridors: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Eno River Corridor, Duke University). Three common real estate sales practices related to greenways in the Raleigh, North Carolina area are: placing "For Sale" signs on the greenway side of properties as well as street side; advertisements list property's proximity to greenways; and office and commercial developers include nearby greenways in their amenity packages (Source: A Citizen's Guide to Greenways,1994).

Many studies have also linked the protection of parks and open space with increased property values and tax base. The National Park Service studies, Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails and Greenway Corridors (1990) and the Economic Impacts of Parks and Recreation Resource Book (1990), and "On the Value of Open Spaces," Scenic America Technical Information Series, Volume 1, No. 2, 1992, reported on the following studies:

Urban land in Salem, Oregon adjacent to greenbelt (rural farmland) was worth more than $1,200 more per acre than urban land 1000 feet away (Source: "Using Land Markets to Evaluate Urban Containment Programs," APA Journal, Spring 1986). Property surrounding four parks in Worchester, Massachusetts showed a house located 20 feet from a park sold for $2,675 more that a similar house 2,000 feet away if the house was not adjacent to active recreational facilities. For active recreation parks, property values increased one block away from the park. The study calculated that 219 acres of park land generated $349,195 of economic benefit (Source: "The Economics of Urban Parks," Parks and Recreation, August 1982).

In Dayton, Ohio, the proximity of a park and arboretum accounted for an estimated five percent of the average residential selling price, and in Columbus, Ohio a river and park were estimated to account for 7.35 percent of selling prices (Source: Parks and Property Values: an Empirical Study in Dayton and Columbus, Ohio, Miami University, 1985). Pennypack Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania accounted for 33 percent of the value of a plot of land 40 feet away from the park, nine percent when located 1,000 feet from the park, and 4.2 percent at a distance of 2,500 feet. Each acre of parkland generate about $2,600 in location rents, or increased value in the surrounding property (Source: "The Effect of a Large Park on Real Estate Value," Journal of the American Institute of Planners, July 1974). Properties where homes faced passive parks in Columbus, Ohio sold for between seven to 23 percent more than homes one block from the park. Homes that backed up onto the park sold at value similar to properties one block away. Homes that faced heavily-used recreational facilities instead of facilities sold for seven percent less than properties a block away (Source: "The Externalities of Neighborhood Parks: An Empirical Investigation," Land Economics, 49(1) 1973). The Secretary for California's Resources Agency estimated that an initial park bond investment of $330 million would return $100 million to local economies each year due to increased property values and business stimulation (Source: "Our Resources and Being Depleted," San Francisco Examiner/Chronicle, May 18, 1980). The Center for Rural Massachusetts found that homes in a cluster subdivision appreciated 12.7 percent faster over 21 years, compared with similar homes in subdivisions without open space. Property values of undeveloped land near the Boise River Greenbelt are $26,000 to $34,000 per acre contrasted with similar land elsewhere valued at $10,000 to !7,000 per acre (Boise, Idaho Parks Department). In Akron, Ohio, rehabilitation permits issued to properties close to a park were higher in value and the number of rehabilitation permits issued increased after parks were constructed ("The Value of Urban Open Space," The Trust for Public Land).

Findings of other studies linking the protection of parks and open space with increased property values and tax base include:

The National Association of Home Builders reported the value of residential property is 10 to 20 percent higher in the vicinity of park facilities (Source: Florida Planning, April 1995).

The 1994 Commonweath Fund/Harris Poll found that 57 percent of property owners living within two blocks of a city park in New York say that living near the park increases the value of their property (Source: Florida Planning, April 1995). The New Jersey Open Space Fund reported that publically owned open space added 15 to 20 percent to the value of nearby properties (Source: A Citizen's Guide to Greenways (1994). The Center for Urban Studies at the University of Akron reported that park property, particularly open areas, appears toincrease the value on property from 5 to 20 percent within 500 feet of a park (Source: A Citizen's Guide to Greenways (1994). Cities all over the nation like Baltimore, San Francisco, San Antonio, Seattle and New Orleans have demonstrated clearly that economic development follow the creation of well-designed and properly maintained parks, greenways, and other open spaces (Florida Planning, April 1995). The study The Economic Benefits of Open Space (1992) examined economic analyses throughout America and concluded that: open space produces a tax revenue surplus that subsidizes other land uses (meaning development does not pay for itself); and open space contributes public environmental benefits of substantial, measureable value that more than compenstate for preferential tax costs.

In a study of major land uses in Culpepper County, Virginia, it was found that "for every dollar collected from farm/forest/open space, 19 cents is spent on services" (Fiscal Impact of Major Land Uses in Culpepper County, Virginia, 1988). In Yarmonth, Maine, an analysis of costs of providing municipal services to a specific parcel proposed for parks showed that the annual cost of those services exceeded revenues generated by taxes by $140,000 annually. This was compared to an annual cost of $76,000 over 20 years to purchase the property (World Wildlife Fund, 1992). In Boulder, Colorado, the 1988 public cost for maintaining developed areas was estimated to be over $2,500 per acre. The cost for maintaining open space in the city was only $75 per acre, or less than three percent the cost of non-open space (American Greenways Program Fact Sheet, no date).

Greenways in many cases can also aid property owners through whose lands they pass by making them eligible for reductions in real estate taxes, income and inheritance taxes. Usually, the owner would retain the ownership of the land, but would agree to limit development in the greenway through a conservation easement. Other options include purchasing the land in fee-simple or leasing the land for a number of years (A Citizen's Guide to Greenways, 1994).

Conventional wisdom also tells us that businesses locate where quality of life indicators are high. There is widespread recognition that greenways help communities develop these characteristics and portray this image. Fortune magazine reported that in a survey of 1,000 of the largest U.S. corporations that "style of living for employees" was an important factor for 41 percent of the firms that had relocated and for 43 percent of the firms that plan to relocate ("The Contribution of Outdoor Recreation to State Economic Development," The Council of State Planning Agencies as reported in the Economic Impacts of Parks and Recreation Resource Book, 1990). Boulder, Colorado, and Raleigh, North Carolina, are examples of communities that have successfully attracted new businesses and retained existing businesses based in part on their environmental, recreational and cultural/historic amenities.

Small service-oriented businesses gravitate to areas where perceived consumer needs exist. Greenway users often create a demand for services, which in turn stimulates the growth of tourism-based businesses. Overnight accommodations, including bed and breakfasts, rental facilities, restaurants, art galleries and other small enterprises, often spring up in the vicinity of greenways. It has been estimated that Florida's canoe liveries generated $38.5 million in spending per year, and for every dollar paid to canoeing outfitters, customers spent five dollars for gasoline, groceries, restaurants, campgrounds and other lodging. Long-distance, multiple-use trails also attract tourists and residents from surrounding counties and states. Visitors are encouraged to extend their stay in an area with amenities including trails, craft shops and other local market and cultural interests. Extended visitor stays help increase the multiplier effect of tourism dollars in given communities. Along the lower Colorado River in Arizona, 13 concessionaires under permit to the Bureau of Land Management generate more than $7.5 million annually, with a major spinoff effect in the local economy (Bureau of Land Management, 1987). The Golden Gate National Recreation Area has contracts with ten primary concessionaires which totaled over $16 million in gross revenues, of which over 25 percent was spent on payroll (Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails and Greenway Corridors, 1990).

The Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails and Greenway Corridors (1990) stated visitors from outside of Leon and Wakulla counties to the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail spent $400,000 annually in trail-use related expenses. Restaurants, food and beverage and auto-related costs were the greatest trip-related expenditures averaging $11.02 per person per day. The study found trail users also spent $250.64 per person per year for durable goods related to trail use including equipment, accessories and clothing. This has resulted in a total annual economic impact of over $1.8 million on this rural, 16 mile-long trail (The Impacts of Rail-Trails: A Study of the Users and Property Owners from Three Trails, 1992). In 1993, approximately 170,000 persons used this trail, and the City of Tallahassee is currently extending it five-miles north to the Florida State University campus.

Other studies have found:

Users of the Elroy-Sparta Trail in Wisconsin spend an average of 25.14 per person per day for trip related expenses, and the total annual trail user expenditures were over $1.2 million in 1988 (Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails and Greenway Corridors, 1990). A 1973 economic impact study of the trail found that 72 businesses in five communities received a direct economic benefit of $295,129 in gross sales to trail users or 6.4 percent of their total sales. These sales generated $15,700 in local sales tax revenues. (Sources: Trail of Two Cities C.R.I.&P. Rail Corridor Plan and Economic and Tax Implications of Rail-Trails as reported in Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992).

The average daily per person expenditure of users of the Sugar River Trail in Wisconsin increased from $5.20 in 1979 to $10.99 in 1984. The estimated total annual contribution the trail made to the local economy ranges from $158,704 to $522,025 (Source: The Iowa Statewide Recreational Trails Plan as reported in Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992). Surveys of users of Minnesota's Sugar Valley Trail spent between $6.11 and $13.92 per person per day (Source: Trail of Two Cities C.R.I.&P. Rail Corridor Plan as reported in Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992).

Users of the Heartland State Trail in Minnesota were estimated to spend $7.49 a day on the trail with an annual total of $375,800 in direct spending by trail users (Source: Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992).

The study, Economic and Tax Implications of Rail-Trails: Illinois Railbanking Study, found that users of scenic rural trails spend an average of $25 per person per trip. Shorter day trips average per person spending was $1.00 for urban trails, $2.50 for trails in suburban areas and forest preserves, and $5.00 for scenic, close to urban area trails. It went on to find that for each dollar for local rail-trail expenditure resulted in $1.50 of economic activity locally and $2.30 in the state of Illinois. The study stated approximately 50 jobs would be created for every million dollars of direct expenditure by users. Annual local sales tax revenues range from $4,250 for low-use scenic rural trails, to $4,060 for moderately used suburban trails, to $12,500 for urban area trails (Source: Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992).

$6.2 million in sales from Katy-Missouri River Trail tourism generated $960,000 in sales tax revenue in 1987 (Source: Economic Impact of the Proposed Missouri River Trail, 1987 as reported in Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992).

The San Antonio Riverwalk, the anchor of the city's tourism industry (the city's second largest), contributes $1.2 billion annually to the economy with tourism and retail sales responsible for 50 percent of San Antonio's workforce. The Riverwalk is Texas' second most important tourist attraction visited by ten million visitors annually (Sources: San Antonio Department of Parks and Recreation as reported in Economic Impacts of Protecting Rivers, Trails and Greenway Corridors, 1990 and the San Antonio Magazine, 1987, as reported in Economic Impacts of Parks and Recreation Resource Book, 1990).

In 1988, recreation and leisure was the third largest industry in California. More than $30 billion is spent each year by Californians on recreation and leisure in their state. This amounts to 12 percent of total personal consumption (California Recreation Plan, 1988.)

Businesses and private citizens alike recognize the relationship between a healthy environment and a prosperous economy. Today environmental concerns are among the highest priorities of every business. Private sector success depends on business' ability to integrate economic and environmental goals and incorporate the values, systems and practices of sustainable development. Greenways are magnets for attracting environmentally sensitive development and businesses. The Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress reports that a city's quality of life is more important than purely business-related factors when comes to attracting new businesses, particularly in the high-tech and service industries (Sign Control News "Fact Sheet: Sign Control and Economic Development," November/December 1987).

The Tennessee Riverpark in Chattanooga has demonstrated how a greenway can be used to help a community attract new residential and commercial investment. This river park has helped stimulate more than a quarter-billion dollars worth of new development in downtown Chattanooga (Creating a Statewide Greenways System...For People...for Wildlife...for Florida, Florida Greenways Commission Report to the Governor (1994).

Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities (1992), reported the City of Pueblo, Colorado attributes the investment in trails and parks along the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek as one of this industrial city's most important economic revitalization components.

Designing development to protect open space and conserve greenways contribute positively to the quality of life and the lifestyle of a community. Greenways, trails and protected open space can decrease overall development costs and result in greater profits and faster sales for the developer (Economic Impacts of Parks and Recreation, 1990). Several examples include: Haile Plantation, outside of Gainesville, Florida, has an extensive greenway system which is this community's most significant and widely used amenity. The residents and developers consider the greenway system as a very positive feature. Properties adjacent to a greenway are priced at a premium of at least ten percent above other properties and they sell quicker than other properties. The developer stated they would not consider new development without greenways (Source: Personal interview, Robert Kramer of Haile Plantation Corportation, June 13, 1996.)

A developer of a second home subdivision in Front Royal Virginia donated a 50 foot wide by seven mile long easement to protect the Big Blue Trail. The developer realized the amenity value of the trail by selling all 50 parcels of land the which the trail passed through in four months (Source: Economic Impacts of Parks and Recreation, 1990).

Kingwood, Texas has greenbelt trails within 200-to 300-foot natural forest corridors that offer environetal protection, open space preservation and recreation opportunities. New and resale homes on streets with direct access to the greenbelts market well (Source: . Off-road trails in Woodlands, Texas link all the neighborhoods with schools, parks, retail centers and other popular destinations replacing the need for sidewalks (Source: Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992).

The Shepherd's Vineyard development in Apex, North Carolina has incorporated a greenway and trail system linking neighborhoods with the development's pool facility. Lots abutting the trail system have a premium of $1,000 to $3,000 placed on them and they still sell at a much faster pace than do other lots (Source: Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992).

Greenways also offer potential opportunities to sharing corridors with utilities and other linear facilities including pipelines and fiber-optic cables. The Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities (1992) reported several examples of income being generated form leases that allow linear facilities to share both above-ground and below-ground development rights. The Ventura County, California, Parks Department receives over $36,000 annually from utility leases along and across the Ojai Valley Trail. The Paint Creek Trail in Michigan receives $2,000 annually for electric and pipelines along the corridor. The Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle, Washington has a 25 year lease with to U.S. Sprint for a fiber-optics line which will generate $728,000. The Cedar Valley Nature Trail in Iowa granted a perpetual easement to Northwestern Bell for a fiber-optics \ line for $12,000. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has generated approximately $1 million from leases along the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Trail including $250,00 from AT&T, $10,000 annually from natural gas providers, $5,000 annually from television, cable and telephone companies, and $30,000 for fiber-optic companies (Source: Capital Trail Plan, Florida State University, 1989). AT&T purchased a 36 mile-long right of way for a fiber optics line and donated the surface to the State of Washington for the Iron Horse Trail. The University of Washington allowed U.S. Sprint to use 1.7 miles of a trail in exchange for $113,000 worth of fiber-optic cables in University facilities. A perpetual easement on The Glacial Drumlin State Park Trail was granted to U.S. Telecomm in exchange for paving the entire trail which cost





Recreational Access



Providing Public Recreation Close to Home With Greenways

City parks once were considered the hallmark of a liveable city. Many of Florida's city parks are crumbling for lack of maintenance, operating, and program funds and are even being converted to other uses. As demands on local budgets have grown over the past decade, urban parks and recreation areas have fared poorly. Florida's inner-city neighborhoods and urban youth are particularly under-served. In fast growing metropolitan areas, development is outpacing efforts to conserve open lands and cultural resources for public use. While urban parks and greenways alone cannot solve urban problems, they are critical to the health of our cities and growing metropolitan areas and to the quality of life in Florida.

More than 90 percent of Floridians live in the state's metropolitan areas. As Florida's urban areas continue to grow, a way must be found to meet the escalating need for parks and open space in the cities where people spend the majority of their time. For the many urban dwellers who lack the leisure time and disposable income to reach remote wilderness areas, urban greenways offer respite from the rigors of city life and the only means to appreciate the beauty of a scenic landscape or learn about the natural world. Several national studies have documented the need for urban open space. The 1962 Outdoor Recreation Resources Commission's report, "Outdoor Recreation for Americans," found that most people do not have the means to derive any consistent benefit from large public open space holdings in rural and remote areas. The report recommended that parks and nature be brought closer to people. Sixteen years later, in 1978, the "National Urban Recreation Study" revealed that urban open space needs remained unmet and were in fact getting worse. The report documented an increasing disparity between public funding for urban parks and recreation and assistance provided to suburbs and other outlying areas. In 1987, the President's Commission on Americans Outdoors concluded that our nation's greatest open space needs are in urban communities. The report identified the special recreation and open space needs of the aged, the disabled, people of color, the poor, and other population groups that tend to be concentrated in cities. Perhaps most importantly the President's Commission identified the tremendous potential for greenways to meet urban open space needs and provide public recreation close to home. Gilbert M. Grosvenor, Vice Chairman of President of the Commission wrote:

We need to bring open space to people, instead of expecting them to journey to find it. That's where greenways are contributing.

America's and Florida's most successful recreation-based greenways projects are predominantly urban. Portland, Oregon's 40-mile Loop links parks and open space to Portland's metropolitan area. Washington, D.C.'s C&O Canal and Towpath is most heavily used in urban Georgetown and the suburbs of Maryland. Riverwalks in San Antonio, Texas, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, have reclaimed urban waterfronts in the heart of these cities. Florida's most successful recreational greenways project -- in terms of public use and acceptance -- is the Pinellas Trail. Located in the state's most densely populated county, the Pinellas Trail traverses urban residential neighborhoods and commercial districts. In 1993, an estimated 1.5 million people used the Trail.When complete, Gainesville's Hogtown Creek Greenway will restore an urban stream corridor, eliminating litter, dumping, and soil erosion, reintroducing native vegetation, and protecting almost the entire creek floodplain from development. West Lake Park and Preserve has provided a valuable outdoor classroom for the urban residents of Broward County. The Hillsborough River Greenways project includes identification of recreational routes, the addition of an urban riverwalk along the downtown Tampa waterfront, and incorporates the existing Bayshore Boulevard promenade.

In Ecology of Greenways(1993), Daniel S. Smith says, "Greenways can tie communities together by linking features such as parks, historic sites, residential areas, and shopping districts and by allowing people to travel from place to place without the noise and rush of automobiles." Because greenways lead somewhere and can connect with other greenways that go to still more places, they attract people from all walks of life. Greenways are a tool to develop a sense of community by providing linkages to neighborhoods and parks, by saving unique elements of our natural and cultural heritage for public enjoyment, and by bringing people of different ages, race, incomes, and cultural backgrounds into common pursuits. Greenways provide a meeting place for cultural exchange plus provide opportunities for concerts, festivals, neighborhood cookouts and family reunions. Greenways are also vital to sustainable economic development in urban areas. They attract business and tourism, enhance property values, and serve as low-cost alternatives to perpetual spending on flood control, transportation systems, and criminal justice.

Greenways provide many opportunities for public outdoor recreation and wellness activities. Urban greenways promote public health and safety by encouraging physical fitness and providing positive alternatives to violence and crime, especially among young people. Greenways can serve as sites for passive pursuits, such as picnicking, camping, and wildlife observation. Greenways often pass through several environmental communities providing opportunities for outdoor classroom experiences in close to school settings. They provide opportunities for the public to interact with nature and learn firsthand the importance of respecting and conserving the natural environment (Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992). Greenways and trails provide help maintain strong public support for community conservation efforts because people can enjoy and appreciate what is being conserved.

To truly benefit residents and visitors, the community systems of greenways must be accessible. In fact, the Florida Greenways Commission's vision calls for every Floridian to be within a few minutes of a system of greenways that can be traversed via foot, bicycle, horse and canoe. That access often will come through trails. Trails provide a way of getting to the lands and waters of Florida's system of greenways. Trails provide opportunities for people to interact with the natural environment in ways which do not damage the qualities of the environment which are most valued (Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992). Trails and trail networks can connect origins with destinations linking cities, regional points of interest, different parts of the community, various transportation routes. They link people with the natural and cultural environments and foster new enthusiasm for community natural, recreational, cultural and historic resources. Trails provide access to special places that help create a strong sense of place and community in Florida. David Lillard, editor of American Hiker magazine, described the hikers' and trail club volunteers' commitment to the places through which trails pass.

To the hiker, a trail is not a medium for pursuit of a 'trail use.' It is a passageway to special places. Typically, the places themselves have been protected by legions of hikers and volunteers, using an ever-evolving toolbox in their efforts. They protect the land, water, wildlife, ecosystems and the trails that pass through them ... "

Trail users throughout Florida share this commitment to meld trails into the natural environment and their communities.

Trails can provide places for visitors and resident bicyclists, hikers, walkers, joggers, rollerbladers, horseback riders and physically challenged people to exercise and experience the many natural and cultural wonders of our communities. Greenways along rivers, lakes and the coast can also provide access to canoers, kayakers, and sailors. Greenways and trails complement traditional park facilities by providing multitude recreational experiences for persons of all ages and abilities, are easily accessible by residents of the neighborhoods they pass, can be less expensive to acquire and develop, and improves the visibility of the developers and managers of the greenways and trails. Trails can also be an effective tool for managing public access to sensitive resources by helping focus recreational to areas designed to accommodate that use. In many cases, they provide excellent opportunities for conservation and recreation groups, public agencies, landowners, companies, and dedicated individuals to work together on greenway projects. These partnerships are critical to protecting greenways and the trails which may pass through them.

Greenways and trails can also serve as alternative transportation routes for commuting to work, school, neighborhood businesses, restaurants, parks and recreation sites and sightseeing. Greenways have the potential to get people out of their homes and cars and into the open space of their neighborhoods and communities where they can meet their neighbors. Greenways are now being incorporated into neotraditional neighborhood designs linking communities and parts of communities through a series of open spaces and parks. Trails often can be designed in conjunction with utility corridors and pipelines. These alternative forms of transportation, if made convenient by greenways, can help reduce air pollution, road congestion, energy consumption, and are economical and healthy for the user and the community.





Building Florida's Sustainable Future With Greenways



One of Florida's greatest challenges is to build a sustainable future - - that is, a future in which the needs of the present generation are met in ways that expand rather than limit the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The concept of a sustainable future was further defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 as follows: "This Commission believes that people can build a future that is more prosperous, more just, and more secure. Our report, Our Common Future, is not a prediction of ever increasing environmental decay, poverty, and hardship in an ever more polluted world among ever decreasing resources. We see instead the possibility for a new era of economic growth, one that must be based on policies that sustain and expand the environmental resource base."

The importance of sustaining and expanding Florida's environmental resource base our -- green infrastructure -- to ensure a prosperous economy and a productive society has been articulated by Lt. Governor Buddy MacKay, Chair of the Florida Greenways Commission. Simply put, the "green infrastructure" is the system of native landscapes and ecosystems that supports native plant and animal species; sustains clean air, water, fisheries, and other natural resources; and maintains the scenic natural beauty that draws people to visit and settle in Florida. A healthy and diverse green infrastructure is, therefore, the underlying basis of Florida's sustainable future.

The rich cultural heritage of the state's first inhabitants, Native Americans, illustrates the close and mutually dependent connection among the environment, economy and society. But that close connection has not always been maintained. Many of Florida's native landscapes and ecosystems have been degraded or isolated over the years as wetlands have been filled, uplands have been paved and estuaries have been polluted. There is scientific evidence that Florida's green infrastructure cannot be sustained without watersheds, ridges and other natural corridors that connect its native landscapes and ecosystems. At the same time, there is concern that many Floridians have lost the sense of connection with their rich natural, historic and cultural heritage.

Greenways and greenways systems offer an exciting new opportunity to reestablish connections between the state's green infrastructure and its people. The greenways systems can help conserve native landscapes and ecosystems by protecting, maintaining, and restoring natural connecting corridors, they can reconnect Floridians with their natural, historical and cultural heritage through a system of trails and other connectors. Greenways heighten sensitivity to the natural environment, promote additional greenway and parkland development, and protect open space and promote livability within urban areas. Greenways can separate and buffer incompatible adjacent land uses, promote economically efficent and productive land uses of lands marginal for development, and provide opportunities for recreation, exercise and alternative transportation.

By conserving green infrastructure connections and by connecting people and the land in a manner that re-establishes the close connections between a communities' environment, economy and society, greenway systems can help build the sustainable future of communities. Community greenway systems have the potential not only to conserve the green infrastructure and aesthetic qualities of a community, but they can also provide important economic benefits by attracting users and businesses who serve them. Greenways are one of the features which improve a community's quality of life making it attractive to potential residents and businesses. Greenways also improve a communities' quality of life by people to both escape the hustle and bustle of urban living and provide opportunities for personal interaction, involvement, socialization and community-building. Greenways often become a unifying feature for communities and become expressions of community character in which they take great pride (Transportation Potential and Other Benefits of Off-Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities, 1992).







Conserving Native Ecosystems with Greenways



The report Endangered Ecosystems, A Status Report on America's Vanishing Habitat and Wildlife (1995) found that Florida's ecosystems are facing the greatest overall risk of any in the nation based on the number of ecosystems most-endangered, the percentage of the state's species that are imperiled and the amount of existing development and threat of continuing development. Florida has the fourth greatest biological diversity in all the contiguous United States and has more species than any state west of the Mississippi River (including more than 3,500 species of vascular plants, 425 bird species, 184 amphibian and reptile species, 126 fishes and 75 mammals). Approximately 115 vertebrate species and nearly 300 vascular plant species are found only in Florida, and 13 of state's the 81 ecological communities are also found only in Florida. In the past 150 years, Florida has lost at least 34 native plants and animals, and 44 percent of the state's non-marine vertebrates are declining. There are 117 animals the are listed by the state as endangered, threatened or of special concern, and there are more than 200 species of plants that are listed or are candidates for listing as federal Endangered species. Only California and Hawaii have more threatened and endangered species than Florida.

Urbanization, road construction, and conversion to agriculture have all reduced the integrity of Florida's natural biodiversity and our ability to conserve it with traditional methods. Florida's population of nearly 14 million is projected to increase to 16 million permanent residents by the year 2000, a rate of 1,000 persons a day (Endangered Ecosystems, A Status Report on America's Vanishing Habitat and Wildlife, 1995). Over the past 50 years, population growth annually consumes 77,100 acres in urban areas with crop lands and rangelands expanding at an annual rate of 83,000 acres. Florida only has 12 percent of the longleaf pine forests it had it 1936, and only two percent of quality longleaf pine stands remain. More than half of Florida's wetlands have been drained or developed. Between 65 to 75 percent of Florida scrub has been lost as have 60 to 80 percent of the tropical hardwood hammocks, 98 percent of the pine rockland communities and virtually all of Florida dry prairies have been lost. At present approximately 30 percent of Florida's land area is agricultural, 13 percent is urban, and 56 percent is forested or "semi-natural." Much of the forested land is made up of tree farms or has been modified for other forms of human use. Much of the state's conservation land is dedicated to uses in addition to that of conserving biological diversity, such as water management, and human recreation.

While technology gives us the ability to produce "petri-dish panthers," continued land development threatens the open spaces in which they could be reintroduced. Most worrisome of all is the loss of ecological integrity that comes from the continued fragmentation of native landscapes and the increased isolation of parks and preserves within human-dominated surroundings. Habitat fragmentation plays a prominent role in the loss of Florida's biological diversity. As fragmentation progresses, habitat patches become smaller and more isolated. Florida is losing one percent of forest area each year, more than twice the rate of deforestation in Brazil. Just in the past 50 years Florida has lost more than 8 million acres of forest and wetland communities. The presence of a healthy forest products industry in Florida during this period has kept fragmentation and losses to the land uses from being much greater.

Fragmented landscapes and the patchwork of current conservation lands favor generalist plant and animal species such as raccoons, opossums, coyotes, crows and jays, while large and/or wide-ranging species are heavily discriminated against. Native ecological relationships and processes have been drastically altered, and the state's top predators (Florida panthers, red wolves, 12-foot alligators) have been eliminated or severely reduced in number. Along with increasing numbers of smaller mammals such as raccoons, a variety of domestic pets radiate from urban centers, leading to the proliferation of diseases such as rabies and Lyme's disease. These same generalist species and domestic species not only prey on game bird nests but also jeopardize scores of ground-nesting species such as turtles and songbirds. Florida has for many years worked to conserve its biodiversity by protecting, managing, maintaining and restoring natural areas. These efforts range from large-scale acquisition of land to voluntary actions by private landowners and businesses, to regulatory actions associated with environmental statutes and growth management. One of the best hopes for protecting and restoring natural patterns of plant and animal life and the ecosystems that support them is the creation of a statewide, integrated conservation system. This integrated system would build upon the conservation of threatened or endangered ecosystem types, "hotspots" of endangered species, and underutilized habitats, and connect them through a system of greenways that transcends landscapes.

Conservation corridors and landscape linkages are critical components of integrated conservation systems. The ecological value of greenways will only be realized when they serve as effective connectors within a larger system composed of biological reserves, multiple-use conservation areas, working landscapes, and buffers. These integrated conservation systems will become increasingly necessary for the effective conservation of native biological diversity as Florida's human population and built environment continue to grow. This green infrastructure can help conserve our natural heritage while providing recreational opportunities and sustainable economic activities. When considered from a statewide view, the system would showcase Florida's biological resources, facilitate their interconnection, and emphasize the sense of place that is quickly disappearing for many Floridians.

In theory, comprehensive landscape planning optimizes connectivity by linking certain preserves, parks and buffers comprised of appropriate land uses into an integrated conservation system. The goal is to protect and manage an overall landscape that effectively protects biological diversity while supporting other compatible and productive land uses in a sustainable manner. Although native ecological communities are the standard for protecting biological diversity, altered ecosystems can also contribute in special ways. For example, lands devoted to less intensive forms of agriculture and silviculture or rangelands provide habitat for wildlife that constitutes prey for species such as the Florida panther. Indeed, because such land uses often occur in large tracts and can be effectively managed, they can contribute habitat values that may not be achieved in any other manner. Similarly, agriculture land uses can buffer ecological preserves and other public conservation areas from the effects of more intensive urban land uses. Therefore, such integrated conservation systems could result in gradient patterns from full protection to intensive use. Ideally, connected reserve lands would be surrounded by compatible agricultural activities such as silviculture and ranching, which would then grade into more intensive agricultural land uses. In combination, preserve lands relieve pressure on the private sector to worry about each and every species while at the same time private lands allow the all-too-small preserves to function as refuges for wide-ranging species such as the panther.

Native ecosystems and landscapes also contain non-living components that are important for greenways. Archaeological sites, which are often best preserved in native ecosystems, are the only record of millennia of human history. These remains are now thoroughly integrated in native ecosystems where they provide special environmental conditions of elevation, drainage, and soil that contribute to the variety and distribution of plant and animal communities. Such sites do not diminish the concept of pristine native ecosystem; rather, the protection of the pristine ecosystem also carries with it the ethical obligation to preserve these sites that are inextricably part of ecosystems.

Greenways can provide the connections for this integrated conservation system. Greenways that serve as ecological connectors are often referred to as conservation corridors or landscape linkages. Conservation corridors are smaller linear features, such as the Upper Hillsborough River, that facilitate the movement of animals, plants and their genes into other populations. Landscape linkages are larger areas that maintain vital ecological processes and in some cases provide critical habitat for rare threatened or endangered species. The Pinhook Swamp project, a land acquisition effort that will connect Osceola National Forest to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, is an example of a landscape linkage. By increasing the effective size of the habitat and providing wildlife access to varied areas, greenways provide a mechanism to counter the effects of habitat fragmentation by linking parks and conservation areas even though the greenway itself may not actually be large enough to serve as habitat.

Forests that occur along the banks of a river, lake or pond represent another critically important form of linkage. When properly designed, these riparian corridors, such as the one along the Wekiva River, reduce and remove pollutants from the air; reduces noise; cool streams and soils through shading; protect and enhance the water quality of rivers and lakes by filtering and removing nutrients, sediments and other pollutants from stormwater runoff; recharge groundwater aquifers; store and convey floodwaters; buffer developed areas from floodwaters saving lives and property; and facilitate connectivity across the landscape and possibly aiding animal movement. Greenways have an especially significant role in connecting watersheds and coastal areas because of the productivity of these native ecosystems and their key role in maintaining Florida's green infrastructure. Similar benefits are also associated with some upland or ridge corridors. Taken together, riparian and ridge corridors can form much of the structure of greenways systems across the state.





Conserving Historical and Cultural Resources With Greenways



Nearly all lands in Florida have been modified to some degree by people over the past 12,000 years of human habitation. For more than 95 percent of that time Florida was occupied by Native Americans who left no written records; most of what we know of the people and environment of this time results from investigations of archaeological sites. These are the places on the land where people lived in the past. These archaeological remains are now incorporated into landscapes of all types, and they are an important source, often the only source, of evidence about past ways of life.

Since the time of European contact in the sixteenth century, Floridians have continued to leave their mark on the land. The tangible reminders of our past few centuries include not only archaeological sites but also more visible and recognizable features that make up our built environment: houses, stores, forts, earthworks, bridges, old roadways--large numbers of structures and features from Florida's past that contribute to our heritage and our current sense of place. Places such as the Castillo de San Marco and the surrounding historic district in St. Augustine, the Lake Jackson Mounds in Tallahassee, the Cape Florida Lighthouse, and Mt. Royal on the St. Johns River which so impressed Florida explorer William Bartram in the eighteenth century, are significant historical features that have a prominent place in contemporary Florida. Greenways could be planned to retrace historic trails and roads such as the Bellamy Road, the Military Trail, the King's Highway, and the DeSoto Trail. These places and historic transportation routes define Florida's history and illustrate the state's past.

Historical resources are important greenway components because they have educational, scientific, and recreational value. Historical resources reflect what Florida was like at all moments in time up to the present, and can convey better than any other means a sense of time as well as place. Each archaeological and historical site is part of a finite pool of resources. Once destroyed, these resources cannot be replaced--they are absolutely non-renewable.

Over the past several decades Florida has developed a strong historic preservation system. The historic preservation program is based on public-private partnerships and cooperation to accomplish inventory, assessment, recording, protection, and interpretation of historical sites of all types. Information on more than 85,000 archaeological and historical sites is currently available and can be used not only to ensure protection of such sites, but also to interpret them and make them more accessible to the public.

Archaeological and historical sites can be protected, preserved, interpreted, and connected by greenways. Archaeological and historical sites provide yet another dimension to link people with landscape; they provide a sense of place as well as a sense of origin. These sites enrich the user's experience by helping them understand, interpret, and appreciate how the connections between people and the environment have developed and changed over time. Archaeological and historical sites provide a direct and unique link between people and the environment. Today, as in the past, Florida enjoys a diverse multiplicity of ethnic groups and cultures. The richness of Florida's heritage stems in large part from the vibrant mix of cultures that left their distinctive architectural styles and unique changes upon the landscape. Today this diversity continues to mold the character of Florida's communities and the built environments.

Community systems of greenways can provide excellent outdoor classrooms where students can learn about native plant and animal species, ecosystems, and ecological processes. Greenways can serve as living laboratories for students and as sites for studying historic, archaeological and cultural resources. Florida is rich in history, containing sites and structures from Florida's Native American people to the early pioneer days of statehood to the boom years of the Roaring Twenties. Greenway connectors that overlap historical transportation corridors offer rich opportunities to interpret history and the relationship between people and the land.

Greenways that incorporate cultural diversity offer opportunities to build new relationships. Greenway users will have greater access to communities and cultural events that are different than their own, and Florida's system of greenways can gain the broader support of groups and individuals who might not otherwise participate. Partnerships between cultural organizations and greenway organizations can be mutually beneficial as they cooperate to develop and achieve common goals.

Events such as historical reenactments, recognition of the Chautauqua Trail, market days, folk and music festivals, food festivals, crafts fairs, county fairs, outdoor concerts, among many others, can be a focus of greenways planning and use. While these are periodic rather than continuous attractions, they are often held in common locations that could be accessible by greenways.



Protecting Working Landscapes With Greenways



Greenways can be used to protect working landscapes such as farms, groves, and private forest lands. Many of Florida's most cherished landscapes - - the citrus groves of Central Florida, Marion County's horse farms, the red hills of Tallahassee, South Florida's ranch lands - - are privately owned. The tradition of good land stewardship practiced on these lands may best be perpetually maintained through private ownership. Greenways along scenic byways can provide the traveling public with a glimpse into the historic past of these lands. Greenways using conservation and utility rights-of-way easements across these lands can allow traditional land uses to continue, while also providing corridors for the movement of wildlife and, where appropriate, people. Since the primary purpose of these lands is not resource preservation but resources used for economic gain, it is often overlooked that these privately owned lands provide valuable environmental benefits, especially if they are managed in an environmentally sensitive manner.

The vast majority of Florida is a human-altered landscape. Ranging from open rangeland and farm fields to large cities and small towns, these lands can make a significant contribution to greenways. They are vital to the statewide system of greenways and a sustainable Florida for the 21st century. The community greenways systems should include urban open spaces where people live, work, and play and rural landscapes that produce food, timber, and other renewable natural resources. These lands represent modified natural systems that still maintain important environmental functions. With thoughtful care and management, these lands can serve many of the needs of society on a sustainable basis.

Urban and working landscape components of community greenways system have a number of common characteristics. First, they are usually dominated by a mosaic of privately-owned land and may have a long tradition of private land stewardship. This ownership and management pattern lends itself best to cooperative public-private conservation techniques. These lands harbor many of Florida's most significant cultural and historic resources including historic districts, sites of historic settlement, archeological sites, and the agricultural landscapes that contributed to the state's early and continuing economic prosperity. These lands may be more accessible to the public; urban greenways in particular are generally the most accessible to the largest number of people. Finally, these lands -- the distinctively Florida historic urban forms and working landscapes -- make a vital contribution to the sense of place that is Florida.

Greenbelts, agricultural reserves or buffer lands, privately and publicly owned greenways in the working landscape are valuable growth management tools. These areas of protected lands around and through Florida's towns and cities can help shape urban form and mitigate urban sprawl. Greenways can help maintain delineation between urban and rural land uses and as barriers to unsightly views and noise if large enough in size. By protecting scenic vistas and landscapes using conservation easements along scenic roads, greenways can provide a sense of place or character for a particular area.

The urban open spaces, working landscapes, historical sites, and cultural resource components of community systems of greenways are critical to linking and providing buffers for the environmentally sensitive components of the system. They also provide places where people can begin to understand and appreciate the past, present, and future relationship between people and the land.




CONSERVATION IN FLORIDA



What is Being Done to Conserve Greenways and Trails in Florida



Office of Greenways and Trails





For more information contact:

Office of Greenways & Trails
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
325 John Knox Road, Building 500
Tallahassee, FL 32303-4124
(850) 488-3701