Sustainable Urban Managementand Recreation and Open Space

Management

Cities are the most sustainable way to manage human habitats

• Lower per capita footprint• Takes up less space• Requires less transportation• Fewer cars• No lawns• Smaller homes/less consumption• Uses less energy for heating

Problems with Cities

• Disease transmission• Air and Water Pollution• Urban heat island effect

Fastest Growing Cities• Asia & Africa

Other Benefits of Cities

• Reduces Birth Rate• Empowers Women• Better access to health care

Urban Sprawl

• Describe what is meant by urban sprawl– People moving out of a city into suburbs

Describe one benefit of urban sprawl

– Less human density, yards with plants and gardens

Describe three problems caused by urban sprawl

– Traffic congestion, air pollution, obesity, polluted storm water runoff

Describe one ecological problem caused by sprawl

– Habitat destruction, oil and trash pollution from runoff

Describe three ways to mitigate urban sprawl (methods of Smart

Growth)– High rise buildings, homes close to factories,

local mass transit

Smart growth development in South Pasadena

– Bike lanes on Marengo, Bump out curbs. High density developments, Shopping, schools, recreation, business, post office in walking distance, Bike racks, Metro station

Smart growth• Smart growth = urban growth boundaries and

other land use policies to control growth • Proponents promote:– Healthy neighborhoods and communities– Jobs and economic development– Transportation options– Environmental quality

• Building “up, not out”– Focusing development in existing areas– Favoring multistory shop-houses and high-rises

Principles of smart growth1. Mixed land uses2. Compact building design3. Range of housing opportunities and choices4. Walkable neighborhoods5. Distinctive, attractive neighborhoods6. Preserve open space7. Develop existing communities8. A variety of transportation choices9. Predictable development decisions10. Community collaboration in development decisions

LEED Certified Buildings

Describe one way to make a building LEED certified.

– Low flush toilets, – xeriscaping, – drip irrigation, – skylights, – south facing windows, – Solar panels, – bio swale, – Recycled materials, – Low VOC Paint and varnish

List 3 advantages of paying the extra costs for a LEED certified building– Lower electricity bills– Lower heating bills– Lower water bills– Lower health costs– More productive workers

Describe one design you have noticed at SPHS that make it more LEED

certified.– Skylights in the library– low flow toilets– Waterless Urinals

Disadvantages of LEED Certification

• Short term expenses

Air Pollution in US Cities

Describe two problems caused by air pollution in cities.

– Lung diseases– reduced visibility

–Acid rain

Describe two ways to mitigate those problems.

– Mass transit– Hybrid and electric cars – Building homes close to work– Solar Panels– Wind Power

Urban Heat Islands

DESCRIBE 3 problems that come from the heat island effect

– More Ozone, more air conditioning (more use of energy), discomfort

DESCRIBE 3 ways to mitigate the heat island effect

– Plant trees, reflective roofs, reduce pavement (dirt paths)

Urban Storm water (pavement and parking lots are problems?)

Describe 3 problems created by storm water

– Habitat destruction from pollution in oceans and streams, health issues from bacteria in oceans and streams, eutrophication

Describe 3 ways to mitigate storm water problems.

– Bioswales, wetlands, – permeable surfaces, – plastic bag fees/bans

Recreational Impacts

Describe 3 ecological harms caused by recreation

– Habitat destruction, – Fires– Air pollution– Water pollution

Describe 3 ways to mitigate the problems caused by recreation.

– Leave no trace practices, wildlife preserves, provide areas for ORVs or Shooting ranges

Managing Open Spaces

Describe 3 Benefits provided by open spaces

– Preserve Habitat, Solitude, Recreation, Enables Wild Populations to recover.

Describe 3 problems created by open space parks and nature preserves.– Restrictions on hunting, – restricts development of homes and businesses, – Loss of tax revenue– damage by wild species, – costs for maintenance.

Describe 3 ways to mitigate those problems.

– Reimburse for losses incurred by wild species– Allow times of year for hunting– Infill homes to stop the expansion of cities.– Charge fees for visits

Wilderness Act F Protects areas from development, including roads.

Antiquities Act D The law used to establish National Parks

US Forest Service B Manages public forests

Bureau of Land Management A

Manages public lands for public use like preservation, hunting, recreation, mining, forestry and livestock grazing.

National Park Service C

Manages and preserves public lands set aside for preservation but allows certain developments and roads to improve public access.

Monumentalism E The effort to preserve land because it is unique and spectacular.