3.1 The Vision: Lancaster vitality and quality of life of county residents has County’s Natural Life Support been established. Imagine that… System • Scenic natural landscapes, high quality Lancaster County’s green infrastructure – land, river and stream corridors, habitat for water, air, and the plant and animal species they native plant and animal species, and support – is vital to the health and well being other elements of Lancaster County’s of Lancastrians. As described in Chapter 1.0, natural heritage have been protected, the benefits provided by these resources are restored, and managed for ecological vast, ranging from ecological services such as health in a comprehensive, connected cleaning the air and water, controlling flood- system extending throughout the ing, and conserving native plant and animal County. diversity, to monetary benefits such as increasing property values, reducing energy consumption, • Green infrastructure is an integral part and generating economic activity. However, the of the County’s urban, suburban, and County’s once abundant natural resources have rural communities, as reflected in ele- been greatly altered by human activity, resulting ments such as a flourishing tree canopy; in extensive negative impacts such as the loss and green streets, roofs, and parking courts; Vision Strategic fragmentation of natural habitat and degraded air conveniently located parks and open and water quality (see Chapter 2.0). spaces; and community gardens and backyard habitat areas. Greenscapes seeks to reverse this long-term trend through comprehensive action to maintain, • Lancastrians walk and bike to work, restore, and enhance green infrastructure as shop, and recreate using safe and attrac- Lancaster County’s essential natural life support tive streets, paths, and greenway trails system. This system is envisioned as: that provide seamless connections within urban and suburban communities and A network of natural areas, green spaces, from these communities to rural destina- and greenways in rural, suburban, and tions such as county parks. urban areas that sustains ecological functions and values and provides a broad array of ben- • Productive and sustainable agricultural efits for the people of Lancaster County and lands are managed to conserve natural the surrounding region, including: resources, such as buffers of riparian • Environmental Quality: Natural re- vegetation along rivers and streams with source protection and the perpetuation exceptional water quality. of native plant and animal species. • Community Health: Water and air • Holistic approaches such as green build- quality, recreation, and mobility (walk- ings, biological stormwater and wastewa- ing and biking as integral parts of the ter treatment systems, and community- transportation system). wide tree plantings are used to conserve • A Sustainable Economy: Resource- energy, improve air and water quality, based economic activity, increased offset carbon emissions, and avoids the property values, energy conservation, financial and environmental costs of and reduced costs of engineered “gray conventional engineering solutions. infrastructure.” • Ecotourism – the sustainable enjoyment What does this vision mean for Lancaster and use of green infrastructure resources County looking forward ten to twenty years and by visitors – contributes to the economic beyond? Imagine a future in which a healthy, prosperity of Lancaster County’s com- interconnected network of natural and human munities. ecosystems that contributes to the economic Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element 69 • Governmental officials and agencies, composite layer on Figure 26, these resources institutions, nonprofit organizations, are the highest priorities for preservation as businesses, and citizens of all ages and part of the green infrastructure system. backgrounds appreciate, take pride in, and provide support for maintaining • Goal 2: Conservation and enhancing Lancaster County’s green Conserve natural resources and services infrastructure system. Instilled in school throughout Lancaster County’s urban, subur- children from an early age, the essential ban, and rural landscapes. value of green infrastructure as the The patchwork of natural resources that County’s natural life support system is threads its way throughout the County’s central to community life and discourse. urban, suburban, and rural landscapes performs a variety of important ecologi- • A conservation ethic and culture of cal functions. While the quality of these stewardship of natural resources has resources is not as high as those addressed been embraced by Lancastrians, who by the Preservation goal, the functions they understand the importance of green provide are essential to the health of our infrastructure to quality of life, commu- natural environment and to the quality nity health, and a sustainable economy. of our lives. Conserving these resources through wise use and management is critical to sustaining the ecological functions they 3.2 The Concept: Lancaster provide. Important natural resources (other County’s Green Infrastructure than the exceptional ones addressed by Goal System 1) include wetlands, 100-year floodplain areas, steep slopes and highly erodible soils, What will Lancaster County’s green infrastruc- medium-quality streams and riparian buf- ture look like when this vision is achieved? A fers, medium quality natural communities, physical concept of the proposed green infra- species of concern supporting habitat, forest structure system has been developed at a county- blocks less than 100 acres in size, and other wide scale based on the resource mapping and natural vegetation. Described in Chapter 2.0 analysis described in Chapter 2.0. The concept is and shown as a composite layer on Figure Strategic Vision Strategic a spatial depiction of resources that correspond 27, these resources should be managed to to the four primary system goals more fully de- maintain their ecological functions and natu- scribed in Chapter 4.0: Preservation, Conserva- ral carrying capacity. Important groundwater tion, Restoration, and Recreation. and wellhead protection zones also fall under the Conservation category but are not shown • Goal 1: Preservation on Figure 27. Preserve Lancaster County’s exceptional natural resources. • Goal 3: Restoration Lancaster County is fortunate to have a Restore ecological connections and natural number and variety of high quality natural resource systems throughout Lancaster County’s resources worthy of preservation. These areas urban, suburban, and rural areas. should be preserved, in perpetuity, as part The extent of degraded natural resources of the foundation of the County’s green in- throughout Lancaster County’s urban, frastructure system. The exceptional natural suburban, and rural landscapes is widespread resources that should be preserved include and readily apparent, even to the casual ob- the highest quality streams and riparian server. Sediment-laden stream water, ozone areas, unique geologic features, natural gems, alerts, and fish consumption warnings are all species of concern core habitat, the highest indicators of a highly stressed natural envi- quality natural communities, interior forests, ronment. Healing the landscape from three forest blocks greater than 100 acres in size, centuries of abuse will take both patience and important bird and mammal areas. and perseverance. Degraded natural resource Described in Chapter 2.0 and shown as a areas that provide opportunities for ecologi- 70 Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element Figure 26 - Preservation Areas Strategic Vision Strategic Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element 71 Figure 27 - Conservation Areas Strategic Vision Strategic 72 Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element Figure 28 - Restoration Areas Strategic Vision Strategic Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element 73 Figure 29 - Recreation Areas Strategic Vision Strategic 74 Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element Figure 30 - Lancaster County Green Infrastructure Concept Map Strategic Vision Strategic Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element 75 Figure 31 - Hubs and Greenways Strategic Vision Strategic 76 Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element cal restoration include low quality streams Figure 30 combines the four categories of re- and riparian buffers, low quality natural sources identified above into a complete green communities, priority restoration habitat infrastructure system concept map depicting areas, and areas that could be potentially exceptional natural resources to be preserved, established as forest corridors. Efforts to heal natural resources to be conserved, degraded natu- the County’s landscapes should focus on ral resources to be restored, and existing and pro- these areas, which are described in Chapter posed publicly accessible recreational resources. 2.0 and shown as a composite layer on Fig- ure 28. It should be noted that incorporation of green elements such as street trees, parks 3.3 The Structure: Green and gardens, green roofs, etc. into the built Infrastructure System environment is an important aspect of the Components restoration goal that cannot be mapped at a countywide scale and thus is not illustrated The green infrastructure system is not intended on Figure 28. to be separate and isolated from land uses such as residential or commercial development and agri- • Goal 4: Recreation culture, but rather to be integrated into the fabric Enhance the quality-of-life of