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“The Sydney Green Grid underscores the value of green and open space as pivotal to the choices we make when promoting economic growth, health and well-being.” wrote Daniel Bennett. “As a network, it will provide links and connections between places, encourage walking and cycling, highlight landscape and heritage, and support local economies. Future investment in parks and recreation will play a vital role in Sydney’s ability to attract business and create jobs.”

A Blue-Green City aims to recreate a naturally oriented water cycle while contributing to the amenity of the city by bringing water management and green infrastructure together. As co-editor of the October 2016 issue of Sitelines magazine, Julie Schooling was responsible for developing the storyline and overseeing story development. “It was so exciting to have such a diverse and relevant group of contributors for this issue,” she said.

“Rooftops to Rivers II reveals just how far the use of green infrastructure has spread and just how adaptable it is to different regions and climates, to changes in geography and geology, and to the various issues faced by each city. Green infrastructure works everywhere,” reports Noah Garrison.

Green infrastructure is an approach to stormwater management that protects, restores or mimics the natural water cycle. “States whose communities have incorporated LID or green infrastructure into stormwater management include Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont and Washington,” reports Eva Birk.

The municipality has applied longstanding legislation – S.523 and S.527 of the Local Government Act – and amended its Zoning Bylaw to make a landscaping plan a building permit requirement for every lot in residential zones. “It is fair to characterize the District’s use of S.523 and S.527 as a basis for private property stormwater management and landscaping requirements as ‘cutting edge’,” stated Chris Bishop.

“It’s a major shift in the way we think about conservation — nature isn’t just ‘nice to have’ but an absolutely critical piece of our water infrastructure systems,” said Genevieve Bennett. “There are hundreds of communities all over the world who understood that years ago, and started figuring out how to make sure they were protecting their water sources. And now we’re starting to see that concept making its way into higher-level policy.”

“I love epic stories with universal meaning for varied audiences around the world. In sum, that is why I think Jonathan F.P. Rose‘s new book will become a must-read classic. And, if 400-pagers are not your style, it’s at worst a well-written, must-browse wonder, with relevant lessons for us all,” wrote Chuck Wolfe in a book review. “Even those who prefer the short length of a tweet should immerse themselves in Rose’s ideas.”

The report highlights several innovative green infrastructure stormwater projects. “By examining projects over diverse parts of the country, readers will be able to assess trends and techniques that consider various stakeholders in their stormwater projects,” wrote Margaret Buranen. “There are a variety of ways to handle rainwater runoff with green infrastructure and many factors to consider when evaluating options.”

“Our infrastructure should be as resilient as the New Yorkers that call this great city home, Managing stormwater is a critical step on our path towards sustainability. This project proves that taking care of our environment and providing amenities to the public are not mutually exclusive — in fact, quite the opposite is true. The more green infrastructure and open space we create, the greater the public’s stewardship,” stated New York City Council Member Stephen Levin.

“Changing the world—or even one small piece of it—requires a lot of trial and error. We divide the city into communities, needs, types, gradients, opportunities, public, private and quasi-government,” stated Howard Neukrug. “We do this because although it is mainly the land’s use and management that determines the nature and quality of all our city’s water, a water utility has little to no control over that land.”