Community Greenways

Click to view PDF

Linking Communities to Country, and People to Nature

When land is developed, whether for subdivisions, transportation, agriculture or forestry, there is an inevitable change to the balance found in natural systems. Drainage patterns are changed, trees are cut down, soil is moved and habitat is lost.

When these changes are small, natural systems can often absorb the impacts, and normal ecological functions can continue. As the size and rate of development accelerates, the ability of natural systems to accommodate change diminishes and the evidence of damage becomes more widespread.

We must continue to look for new ways to minimize our impact on the underlying natural systems that support us, and take advantage of opportunities to repair past damage. Community Greenways: Linking Communities to Country, and People to Nature provides forward looking tools that will help community leaders to understand the principles of the natural systems that support our lives.