Abstract

Linking Lands in the Land-of-Sky
Track: Urban and Regional Planning
Authors: Andrew Carroll

The Land-of-Sky Regional Council of Asheville, NC, working with local and regional interests, modeled and designed a framework for conservation and development that strategically guides future growth for Madison, Buncombe, Henderson, and Transylvania counties. This conservation network or "green infrastructure" identifies valuable ecological systems and resources, important working lands, and areas most suited for future growth and development. By using a collaborative approach and standardized GIS methodologies, toolkits, and spatial data, this effort helps to link urban and rural communities, while protecting the area's rich natural and cultural heritage. As an outcome of focusing design efforts on the development of a scalable and repeatable approach, this strategic conservation planning model can be replicated across the 25-county Blue Ridge National Heritage Area or in other regions across the United States of America.