The Inaugural 2011 National Green Infrastructure Conference was a gathering of policy-makers, practitioners, and on-the-ground implementers of green infrastructure practices and design from around the country. Held from February 22 through 25 at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV, this was the first official conference of the National Green Infrastructure Community of Practice.
To see the agenda for the conference, including the speakers and session topics, click here.
Three community-based programs were honored with the first National Green Infrastructure Implementation Awards. These programs were recognized for their efforts to employ cutting-edge strategies to address local environmental and economic challenges. Find out the winners here.
The conference was offered by: The Conservation Fund in partnership with US Department of Defense, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish & Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, US National Park Service, Federal Highway Administration, American Planning Association, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Clean Water America Alliance and the Green Infrastructure Community of Practice.
The Fund's Conservation Leadership Network offers more than 20 collaborative learning courses and workshops.
Courses are offered at locations around the U.S., including the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV, the headquarters of the Network. The project profiles below illustrate the impact that CLN courses can have on the development of communities—communities with very different needs.
Poised for Success: Unicoi County, TennesseeKnown as “The Valley Beautiful,” this rural Appalachian community is prime for development but also home to great natural beauty – making decisions about land use difficult. CLN provided training for more than 60 community leaders and residents to help them make informed decisions about this special place. Our work has already inspired real changes on the ground. Read the story >>
CLN brought its workshop to Michigan to help the communities bordering Waterloo-Pinckney park lands develop a positive relationship with the public lands they border, one that encourages economic growth and community building.
Read the story >>
As the new host of the Boy Scout Jamboree the New River Gorge region will enjoy an economic boon, but can the area develop the necessary infrastructure and benefit economically from the event while retaining its rural character and natural landscapes?
Read the story >>
Throughout 2010, the Conservation Leadership Network worked with a broad array of partners, bringing together professionals at national, state, regional, and local levels to achieve common ground, and most importantly, on-the-ground results that benefit our treasured natural resources, economic health, and overall quality of life. Select highlights are included in this Year in Review, along with important information on several of our key events planned for next year—new courses, new projects, new partnerships, producing ever stronger results. We hope you enjoy the Year in Review!
 In 2010, the Conservation Leadership Network developed and offered two new pilot courses designed to address pressing problems and to facilitate conservation on the ground: Conservation Banking, a course for regulators, users, and bankers; and a course entitled Planning for Climate Change Using a Green Infrastructure Approach. We engaged new partners with both of these courses! Additionally, we welcomed many other new partners this year including the European Union Commission! Read more »  The Conservation Leadership Network was invited this year to work with four areas of the country (Unicoi County in Tennessee, the South Mountain Region of Pennsylvania, Southeastern Michigan, and the New River Gorge in West Virginia) as they seek to develop regional strategies for generating economic development while safeguarding their community character and natural assets. Read more » The goal of the Conservation Leadership Network is to bring together diverse constituencies to forge conservation solutions on the ground! While the development and offering of training programs plays a major role in achieving on-the-ground results, CLN also meets its goals through sustainability consulting, technical assistance/capacity building, and the development of strategic innovative projects that prove to be ground-breaking and offer transferable strategies. We like to work at the nexus of the environment and economy, and look forward to expanding our partnership opportunities in 2011!
Read more »  Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in the inaugural national Green Infrastructure Conference slated for February 23 – 25, 2011! Registration deadline is January 21, 2011. For information on all of national and regional workshops, courses, and partnership opportunities scheduled for 2011, please consult our website and continue reading! Read more » |
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Have a safe and happy holidays, and a happy new year from the
Conservation Leadership Network Team. See you in 2011! |
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Read past issues »
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Save The Date
Two events to be hosted by CLN in 2009.
With the theme of Looking Beyond the Transportation Footprint: New Partners and New Scales, the Transportation Research Board’s Environmental Analysis and Transportation committee’s summer meeting will be held at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) from July 13 – 17, 2009.
In partnership with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, National Geographic and a host of other partners, the Conservation Leadership Network will hold a workshop in the fourth quarter of 2009 on Climate Change and Green Infrastructure in the Chesapeake Region. Read more »
2008 Appalachian Gateway Communities Initiative Awardees Announced
Funding to enhance tourism in the region
 Through a partnership between The Conservation Fund and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, nine Appalachian communities received grants and technical assistance.
The awards are designed to help gateway communities benefit from tourism development by enhancing natural assets, developing local artistic resources, preserving local heritage and character, and supporting asset-based economic development. This program is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Appalachian Regional Commission. Read more »
Conservation Leadership Network Course Offerings
Training opportunities in 2009
Register now for the following courses:
Recent Training Courses & Events
Focus on green infrastructure in Fall 2008
 In September, we held a successful offering of Strategic Conservation Planning using a Green Infrastructure Approach at the NCTC, and then took the course on the road to Kenai, Alaska. In October, we piloted a workshop on green infrastructure planning for transportation professionals and began two months of focus group sessions for the NiSource Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan. Read more »
Have a safe and happy holidays, and a happy new year from the Conservation Leadership Network Team. See you in 2009! To receive future news and course announcements from the Conservation Leadership Network, subscribe today » |
Click to view these past issues of CLN Digest.
Green Infrastructure in Practice
The Conservation Fund begins major GI assessment.
On June 1, 2008, The Conservation Fund began work on a green infrastructure (GI) assessment as part of the NiSource Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP). This GI assessment will span parts of 14 states and cover 6.4 million acres of land. The Conservation Leadership Network will be conducting focus groups with state resource specialists to help inform placement of mitigation opportunities as part of this project. Read More »
Recent Training Courses & Events
A busy spring for the Conservation Leadership Network
 This spring the Conservation Leadership Network piloted a new course on Conservation Financing, offered a second pilot of the highly successful Mitigation Banking Course for Interagency Review Teams, and convened land-owners, land trusts, and government agencies in an action planning summit for the Chesapeake Forests. Read More »
Upcoming National Courses
Training Opportunities in Fall 2008
The Conservation Leadership Network (CLN) is offering a number of upcoming training courses this fall – don’t miss the opportunity to participate.
New CLN Team Member On Board
Briechle brings planning and community engagement experience to CLN.
 We are very pleased to announce that Kendra Briechle has joined the CLN Team as a Senior Training Associate. Located at our Arlington, Virginia headquarters, Kendra formerly managed the Fund’s Center for Conservation and Development. With a background in planning and community involvement, her expertise will be a great asset for our course participants. Kendra can be contacted by email at kbriechle@conservationfund.org or by phone at (703) 525-6300. Welcome Kendra! Read More »
To receive future news and course announcements from the Conservation Leadership Network, subscribe today » |
NiSource, a gas transmission company, is conducting a multi-species habitat conservation plan (MSHCP) to cover routine operation and maintenance activities for a pipeline it owns that extends from the gulf-coast of Louisiana to Pennsylvania. As part of this MSHCP, our Strategic Conservation Program will develop a system-wide approach to mitigation for the NiSource MSHCP using a green infrastructure approach for strategic conservation planning. Our green infrastructure assessment will extend beyond NiSource’s 15,500 mile network to encompass the adjacent counties, eco-regions and watershed units within the 14-state area.
The result of our assessment will be a framework that can be used to identify mitigation opportunities that provide the greatest benefit for the species. In total, 75 federally listed species have habitat within the NiSource boundary. The green infrastructure assessment will not be used to determine how much mitigation should occur in response to a take, but rather will be used to guide the types and locations for such mitigation opportunities at an ecosystem level. The key product will be a green infrastructure network design that will delineate a green infrastructure core, hub, and corridor network using criteria based on habitat requirements for endangered species outlined in the NiSource MSHCP.
The Conservation Leadership Network will be conducting focus groups with state resource specialists during the months of October and November to help inform placement of mitigation opportunities as part of this project.
Welcome to the resource webpage for Mitigation Banking and ILF Program Interagency Review Team (IRT) members. This webpage complements the Training Course for Mititgation Banking and In-Lieu Fee Program IRT's offered by The Conservation Fund in partnership with the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
This training features extensive interaction among participants, real-world examples, exercises, and a high-calibre cadre of instructors. Participants gain a thorough grounding in the relevant federal policy and regulations guiding the review, establishment and management of mitigation banks and in-lieu fee programs; solid expertise on how to effectively and efficiently review and oversee the establishment and operation of mitigation banks and in-lieu fee programs; and the leadership skills necessary to be an effective member of an IRT. For additional information on compensatory mitigation, see 'Related Links' at right.
The next course offering will be June 25-29, 2012 - click here for more information.
Below you'll find select resources from the June 2011 course offering. They are organized according to the modules from the course (download agenda)
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This Fall, the Conservation Leadership Network focused on green infrastructure. In September, we held a successful offering of the national Green Infrastructure course at the training center, and took the course on the road to Kenai, Alaska. In October, we piloted a workshop on green infrastructure planning for transportation professionals and began a marathon two months of focus group sessions for the NiSource Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan.
We partnered with the Maryland State Highway Administration to offer this workshop, which customized the Green Infrastructure curriculum for transportation professionals. The workshop was held at the State Highway Administration in October 2008 for approximately 50 transportation professionals and their resource agency counterparts. Through hand-on class projects, lectures, and case studies, participants experienced first-hand how green infrastructure network designs can inform both long-range and project planning along with mitigation selection.
First Wasilla in March of 2007, then Fairbanks in February 2008, now Kenai in September 2008 – Alaska may now boast the highest per capita rate of Green Infrastructure experts. We partnered with the Kenai Peninsula Borough, Kenai RC&D, Kenai River Center, Kenai Watershed Forum, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, to offer a week-long, placed-based Green Infrastructure workshop, held in September 2008. This unique training provided participants with a strategic approach for prioritizing conservation opportunities and a planning framework for integrating green and built infrastructure alike. Through hand-on class projects, lectures, and case studies, participants experienced first-hand how the green infrastructure approach can be used to provide a framework for linking economic and environmental benefits in their region.
The Conservation Fund is in the process of developing a green infrastructure network design for the NiSource Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan. This network design will serve as a system-wide framework for selecting mitigation projects. This green infrastructure network design will be the largest developed in the country to date -- it will extend beyond NiSource’s 15,500 mile network to encompass the adjacent counties, eco-regions and watershed units within the 14-state area. As part of the process to establish the network design protocol, the Conservation Leadership Network conducted 13 focus groups sessions with state and federal resource specialists from the effected states during the months of October and November. A total of 123 participants were reached through this outreach effort. Read the project profile »
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