Green Infrastructure
The Use Green Infrastructure to Protect Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Integrate Nature Into the City Priority Program seeks to improve environmental, recreational, and transportation functions and improve the connection between people and the environment. This Priority Program addresses a key Imagine Austin goal of integrating nature into the City. Green infrastructure, as broadly defined in Imagine Austin is “strategically planned and managed networks of natural lands, parks, working landscapes, other open spaces, and green stormwater controls that conserve and enhance ecosystems and provide associated benefits to human populations.”
The Green Infrastructure Priority Program Implementation Team (GIPPIT) was chartered with the a goal of managing Austin’s urban and natural ecosystems in a coordinated and sustainable manner. The GIPPIT objectives are as follows:
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Continue public investment in green infrastructure
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Incentivize and/or require private investment in green infrastructure
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Maximize ecosystem function and services provided by green infrastructure on city-owned land
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Improve inter-departmental collaboration and coordination in the management of city-owned lands
Progress
Last November, City of Austin voters approved seven City of Austin bond propositions totaling $925 million. Proposition D allocated $72 million towards the purchase of open space lands as part of the Water Quality Protection Lands Program. The purpose of this conservation land is to protect the quality and quantity of water in Austin’s aquifers, springs, greenbelts, and parks; mitigate flooding; and preserve open space in perpetuity. Purchasing land in one of the fastest growing regions in the country both protects Barton Springs, the natural outlet of this segment of the Edwards Aquifer, and water for more than 60,000 people through private wells. To date, the City has permanently protected over 28,000 acres of these open space lands by using $155 million of voter-approved bond funding in combination with partnership contributions.
On March 31, 2019, the City added a new property to the Water Quality Protection Lands by purchasing a portion of the Anthem tract—250 acres in Hays County which had been slated for development. Preserving this land as open space helps protect both the quality and the quantity of water for Onion Creek. The Anthem tract is adjacent to two existing City of Austin conservation easements, is home to a tributary to Onion Creek, and has a number of significant karst features. Karst is the name for the limestone landscape, with caves and sinkholes, found on the western side of Austin. Explore Millenium Cave in virtual reality below! Learn more at atxwatersheds.com/VR-CaveTours
Program Champions:
Mike Personett, Erin Wood
Departments: Watershed Protection, Planning and Zoning, Development Services, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Austin Water, Austin Energy, Office of Sustainability, Austin Fire, Real Estate Services, Resource Recovery, Austin Transportation, Building Services, Aviation
Open Space Preservation
Promoting Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) refers to stormwater management practices that protect, restore, or mimic the natural water cycle. With an increased use of GSI systems throughout Austin, there is a need for these systems to be designed well, built to last, and maintained long term. There is a lack of workers qualified to install, inspect, and maintain GSI. To address these concerns, staff from several city departments, non-profits, and other entities met in February 2019 to discuss how the new National Green Infrastructure Certification Program can meet the professional development needs of existing GSI professionals and eventually jumpstart a large GSI workforce development program. Four city staff from three departments are now licensed trainers for the certification program and plan to hold the first certification training in 2020.
The Rain Catcher Pilot Program (RCPP) is an interdepartmental collaboration to integrate the City’s existing GSI programs and resources. The program addresses the need to improve the hydrology and aquatic life of our urban creeks via distributed small-scale GSI through a combination of demonstration projects (public land), residential and commercial systems (private land), and riparian restoration in the upper portion of the Waller Creek Watershed. RCPP sites include Reilly Elementary School, West Skyview Road, several right of ways, and private homes. An incentive package for residential properties has been developed utilizing existing city discounts, rebates, capital funding, and educational programs with the goal of increasing the number of cisterns and rain gardens in the pilot area. These GSI systems will achieve both stormwater management and water conservation objectives while providing other benefits like increasing wildlife habitat and adding to the urban forest. In Phase 1, beginning in 2018, the residential incentive package was offered to 25 pre-selected properties and will expand to a larger area in Phase 2 beginning in fall of 2019.
Community Tree Report
The City of Austin’s Community Tree Preservation Division created an innovative grant and funding program that has funded millions in diverse community- and municipally-led projects to benefit Austin’s urban forest. Through integrated maps, graphics, and narrative, the Community Tree Report explores the impacts of funding on stewardship across Austin. The report highlights the connection between Austin’s Urban Forest Plan and the community forestry projects that support it.
From 2015 through 2017 the program funded over $1.3 million in stewardship projects that positively impacted the community and our public urban forest.
Growing Projects | Funded at $757,000 and planted over 17,000 trees.
Caring Projects | Funded at $290,000 and supported 39 tree care and maintenance projects.
Informing Projects | Funded at $220,000 and supported education activities and events for over 1,900 community members.
Inspiring Projects | Funded at $124,000 and reached 771 people through engagement events, and over 500,000 impressions on social media.
Over the past decade, Austin has consistently featured on Forbes List of “America’s Fastest-Growing Cities.” With a population that has doubled in the past twenty years and growth expected to continue, many urban forests would topple under such rapid development. However, comprehensive tree regulations, a highly engaged public, and unique funding opportunities have fostered a community of stewardship that continues to bolster our urban forest through planting, maintenance, education, and more.
Top City for Wildlife
In 2019 Austin was named America’s Top City for Wildlife by the National Wildlife Federation. The city of Austin currently has a total of 2,616 Certified Wildlife Habitats, more than any other city in the country, and 121 of those are Schoolyard Habitats. The city is a signatory of the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge and a national leader in its efforts to restore habitat and improve city landscapes for the declining monarch butterfly. Austin is also a certified Community Wildlife Habitat and the city promotes the creation and conservation of wildlife habitats through the Wildlife Austin program.
“Austin’s progressive values and beautiful natural environment make it the best city to live in for our people AND our wildlife.”
- Mayor Steve Adler
As this vibrant city continues to grow, Austin is committed to continuing efforts to serve as a national leader in the education, restoration and preservation of monarch and pollinator populations. In October 2018, the first Roots & Wings Festival was held by the City as a combined celebration of monarch appreciation and arbor day. More than 2,000 people attended the event and celebrated all things nature. In the end, Austin is not just helping monarchs but promoting healthy natural environments for all pollinators and creating enhanced natural spaces for us all to enjoy.
Challenges
Public Land Management Coordination
One challenge faced by City staff is internal coordination and communication regarding the diverse array of land management activities performed at the City. The interdepartmental Public Land Management sub-team (PLM) of the Green Infrastructure Priority Program consists of land managers, program coordinators, landscape architects, arborists, foresters, planners, and environmental scientists that meet quarterly to coordinate land management issues that transcend departmental and technical boundaries. These meetings act as a clearinghouse for staff to share information and address issues other groups may not be aware of, and collaborate on potential solutions. This has helped address a diverse array of challenges related to contracting, public outreach, use of City GIS resources, compliance with City policy on pesticide usage, and many other issues.
Through PLM’s annual work plan, the group proposes tasks and projects to address broader land management issues at the City. Some recent projects include:
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Creating a framework for developing volunteer stewardship plans for community members interested in participating in park improvements and natural areas management
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Coordinating the City’s Emerald Ash Borer Preparedness Plan
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Agreeing on a framework for a land management classification system to characterize properties in the City’s database of City-owned real estate
The PLM sub-team is one of the most active Imagine Austin working groups. However, there are still many barriers to effectively meeting the Imagine Austin Priority Action to “Develop and implement unified, comprehensive land management of all City of Austin lands…” (CE A16). The 2016 City of Austin Land Management Programs Survey Responses and Report produced by PLM identified 20 distinct land management programs across 8 different departments. The managers and coordinators of each of these programs must meet the expectations of their management and the community members they serve. This can limit the time they have available to contribute to problem-solving on a broader scale. Additionally, staff or their management may consider interdepartmental coordination to be outside of their purview.
Funding for land management planning is generally limited, especially for planning activities that extend outside of the purview of a single department. Departments primarily utilizing General Funds often have difficulty budgeting their core activities, much less contributing to projects that integrate activities across departments. Similarly, rate- and fee-assessing (enterprise) departments can be constrained in their abilities to fund activities that fall outside of their department charters, even when funds are available.
One element that has contributed to the success of the PLM working group has been consistent support by departmental executives. While executives cannot offer panaceas to funding and coordination issues, they can greatly contribute to creating a culture of interdepartmental communication and goal-setting, as well as provide the vision and continuity needed to keep staff engaged and focused on problem solving. Ongoing support for public land management coordination activities at the executive level is essential to the continued success of this program.