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“To ensure the value of green infrastructure is recognised, our research found a connection between canopy coverage and the value of Australia’s favourite investment, the family home,” stated Roger Swinbourne. “The irony here is that the very development that often leads to the removal of trees suffers in the long run as the ‘double whammy’ of direct sunlight and more surface water increases maintenance frequency and cost.”

“Collaboration with Forester University means the Partnership for Water Sustainability will have created an online teaching resource that will keep on giving,” stated Richard Boase. “As a teaching tool, the webcast is intended to help these professionals ask the right questions. We would like them to focus on how they and others can apply science-based understanding, properly and effectively, turn the clock back.”

“The draft City-Wide Green First Plan will guide where green infrastructure will be installed to achieve the most cost-effective and beneficial results to the residents of Pittsburgh,” stated Mayor Bill Peduto. “The draft plan analyzed 13,700 acres in the City and proposes to manage runoff from 1,835 acres with green infrastructure over the next twenty years. “Going ‘Green First’ means improving the resiliency of our communities to disaster during extreme weather.”

“Urban land use has been degrading the natural environment for more than 100 years. Sit on that for a while. 100 years, perhaps more. Holy smokes,” wrote Marie Savage. “So what’s all this talk about developers and builders, the ultimate urban land users, protecting watersheds? It’s true. All it took was a twist and a twirl and the connection between runoff, sewers, and the resulting stress on natural systems came out of the pipework.”

“During the late 1960s, BC began its multi-faceted and ongoing journey towards sustainability,” stated Erik Karlsen. “In the early 2000s, inter-governmental partnerships were formed to address environmental challenges; and were supported by protocol agreements between the Province and the Union of BC Municipalities.” Watershed / Landscape-Based Approach to Community Planning, a landmark document, was developed by an intergovernmental working group.

“Unlike the built environment, healthy ecological services are self-sustaining, and don’t require expensive operations and maintenance costs. The ecological services provided by wetlands, aquifers, and community forests support stormwater management, drinking water protection, and climate change mitigation, all key issues for municipalities in BC,” wrote David Allen.

Commencing in 2003, consistent and repeated use of the phrase ‘design with nature’ has proven effective in facilitating a paradigm-shift in the local government setting. The phrase is borrowed from the title of a seminal book by Ian McHarg, published in 1969. His book Design with Nature pioneered the concept of ecological planning. Ian McHarg’s premise is simple: “that the shaping of land for human use ought to be based on an understanding of natural process.”

“Delivering green cities requires integrated and coordinated action by councils, urban water authorities, state governments and private industry, so it’s encouraging to hear that the Federal Government will develop a vision for greener Australian cities and work with the States to implement this vision,” said Jurg Keller of the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities at the University of Queensland.

“We will work with Australian cities to set decade by decade goals out to 2050 for increased overall tree coverage,” stated Acting Minister for Cities Greg Hunt. “Green cities — cities with high levels of trees, foliage and green spaces — provide enormous benefits to their residents. Increasing urban canopy coverage decreases heat, which improves health and quality of life.” He emphasised the susceptibility to extreme heat of people living in large cities. Urban development pressures can lead to treeless streets that amplify the “heat island” effect on hot days.

“Healthier watersheds can handle high and low rainfall better, and are therefore more resilient to the coming changes,” stated Kris La Rose. “From the regional perspective, mitigation of flood risk, water conservation and restoration and protection of our streams and rivers are all key priorities. The increase in extreme weather is highlighting the need to build better resiliency into the natural systems that we all rely so heavily upon.”