SUSTAINABILITY Lisa M. Dunaway, LEED AP Owner, Sensible Ecology, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ECOLOGICAL & ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

Lisa M. Dunaway, LEED AP

Owner, Sensible Ecology, LLC Instructor of Urban Planning, Ball State University

Melissa Begley, AICP

Assistant Planning Director, City of Columbus, Indiana

Why does the environment work the way it does?

Landscape Ecology

Biodiversity

“Life” + Diversity

• Biodiversity is the variation of life forms

within a given ecosystem, biome, or the entire Earth.

• Biodiversity is often used as a measure of

the health of biological systems.

• The biodiversity found on Earth today

consists of many millions of distinct biological species.

• (Source: Wikipedia)

Web of Interdependence

Biodiversity

• We discover

18,000 new species a year

• 26,000 species

go extinct each year

Tree of Life

Source: Audubon Nov/Dec 2010

Why we need Biodiversity

• When biodiversity is high/healthy,

nature can keep everything in balance:

• Clean air
• Clean water
• New soil
• Minimal soil erosion
• Resources for creatures, including

humans

Ecosystem services

• Without biodiversity, our quality of life

decreases rapidly.

• Biodiversity provides:
• Plentiful & diverse food (veggies, fruits,

& fish)

• Lumber
• Oxygen
• Useable water
• Carbon sequestration
• Buffer large weather systems

Balance of nature

• Nature keeps a balance but humans
• verwhelm the system.

Why we need Biodiversity

• Biodiversity = Ecological health
• Ecological health = Economic Sustainability
• Biodiversity = Economic Sustainability

=

Threats to Biodiversity

• 1. Non-native species
• 2. Fragmentation

Emerald Ash Borer

Source: michigan.gov

Urban Sprawl

Source: planningwithpower.org

Native Species

What are native species?

• A species whose presence in a region is the

result of only natural processes, with no human intervention.

• Every natural organism (as opposed to a

domesticated organism) has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native.

• In the United States, native species are

typically considered to be those who were present before European settlement (~1600s).

• (Source: Wikipedia)

Non-native Species

• Introduced, alien, exotic, invasive, aggressive,

non-indigenous

• A species living outside its native distributional

range.

• Arrived there by human activity, either deliberate
• r accidental.
• Introduced species are damaging to the

ecosystem they are introduced into; they negatively affect agriculture, natural resources, and health of animals and humans.

• (Source: Wikipedia)

Why are they bad?

• Non-natives are often aggressive (invasive) and
• utcompete the native vegetation.
• They can hybridize native vegetation.
• Natives usually don’t have defenses against

alien invaders and will become ill or die.

• Non-natives do not contribute to the food web.
• They alter the frequency of wildfires.
• Change the availability of surface and ground

water.

Why are they bad? (con’t)

• Decrease soil biota diversity.
• Deplete soil nutrients.
• Degrade aquatic systems.
• Increase the threats to endangered species.
• Increase soil erosion.
• Introduced species of animals, plants and

microbes cost the U.S. $123 billion a year

• (Source: Scientific American)

Examples of Non-natives

• Pear Tree
• Zebra Grass
• Daylily
• Juniper
• Ginkgo
• Lilac
• Hosta

Hostas

Source: ligrows.com

Monocultures

• Lawns are a

monoculture

• Do not

contribute to biodiversity

• All the lawns

in the US add up to the twice size of Indiana!

Lawns!

Source: americanconsumernews.com

Invasive Species

• Emerald Ash Borer
• Dutch Elm Disease
• AIDS virus
• Kudzu
• Asian Carp
• Zebra mussels
• Rats
• Feral cats

Cats!

Photo: Lisa Dunaway

So what?

Natives Non-natives

So what?

• Every non-native planted takes the place
• f a native that could have lived there.
• The more natives the better:
• Safety in numbers
• Food source for native wildlife
• Provides ecosystem services

Food

• If you don’t have insects

– you don’t have anything.

• Non-natives aren’t good

for native wildlife:

• Don’t taste good
• Our wildlife hasn’t had

time to evolve with them

• Don’t recognize non-

natives as food

• Haven’t evolved the

means to digest them

• 90% of insects are

specialists

• Can’t use them as homes

Insect “damage”?!

Source: harpercollege.edu

Scary Facts

• Lawns in the US are the twice size of Indiana.
• We’ve bought in ~50,000 non-native species.
• There are 5,000 documented invasive plants in

the “natural” areas of North America.

• Introduced species of animals, plants and

microbes cost the U.S. $123 billion a year.

• (Sources: Tallamy, Milesi, Scientific American)

Native vs. Non-native

• “Aren’t some non-natives okay?”
• Play it safe
• Not a matter of IF but WHEN
• Supply & demand
• i.e. Chestnut blight
• Remember the global scale
• If you’re truly interested in

sustainability – plant natives ONLY

Best Natives for Wildlife

Source: Tallamy

North American Natives

• Oaks: 80 species
• Willows: 97 species
• Cherries & Plums: 31 species
• Birches: 16 species
• Poplars, Aspens, Cottonwoods: 8 species
• Crabapples: 4 species
• The berries: 21 species
• Maples: 9 species
• Pines: 35 species
• Elms: 7 species
• (Source: Tallamy)

Habitat Fragmentation

• Urban Sprawl

Fishers, Indiana

Source: Google Maps

Habitat Fragmentation

Fragmentation in Southern Indiana

Source: newsinfo.iu.edu

Patches

• Areas of similar

habitat

• Often left after

disturbance

Corridors

• Connections between

patches

Matrix

• The remainder of the

landscape

Patches

• Areas of similar habitat
• Edge v. interior habitat

& species

• Local extinction

probability

Source: Dramstad, et al.

Edges

• The perimeter of

patches

• Edge structural

diversity: horizontal & vertical

• Edge as a filter

Source: Dramstad, et al.

Corridors

• Connections

between patches

• Stepping stone

connectivity

• Distance between

stepping stones

• Loss of a stepping

stone

Source: Dramstad, et al.

Corridors

• Cluster stepping

stones (ideal)

• Also called “linkages”

Source: Dramstad, et al.

Matrix

• The remainder of

the landscape, the context

• Animal perception
• f scale of

fragmentation

Source: Dramstad, et al.

Local Extinction Probability

Local Extinction Probability

• New species are created more rapidly in

large habitats than small habitats.

• Species go extinct slower in large habitats.
• We have put all our wildlife into tiny islands.
• Inbreeding
• No genetic diversity
• They are trapped

Extinction Debt

“Extinction debt”

• We degrade habitat and there is a lag before

species begin to die off.

• When the “debt” is paid – we will lose all

native biodiversity.

• Restore habitat before it’s too late!
• (Source: Tallamy)

Scary Facts

• 1:1 correspondence
• If we lose 50% of the habitat, we lose 50% of
• ur species.
• We have taken & modified 95-97% of all land

in the lower 48.

• Effectively shrank wildlife habitat down to 1/20 of

its original size.

• By the time our current “debt” is paid we will

have lost 95% of the species that were here when the Mayflower landed.

• (Sources: Rosenzweig, Tallamy)

Scary Facts (con’t)

• Paved roads in the US cover an area 1.2 times

the size of Indiana!

• 2 million acres – size of Yellowstone – were lost

to development each year between 1982 and 1997.

• Suburbia has increased as much as 5,909%

since 1960.

• (Sources: Hayden, McKinney, Elvridge, Tallamy)

Restoring Connectivity

• Plan for restoration of corridors
• Bolster existing patches
• Find creative ways to link patches

Source: mw2.google.com Source: cache.marriott.com

Restoring Connectivity

• Establish and maintain functional habitat:
• Food
• Water
• Cover
• A place to raise young
• (Source: Indiana Wildlife Federation)

Food

• Supply as much food as possible through

native vegetation in order to meet the year- round needs of a variety of species.

• Trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants,

succulents, and even grasses produce foods such as acorns and other nuts, berries, fruits, and seeds.

• Buds, catkins, foliage, twigs, sap, nectar, and

pollen are all other important wildlife food produced by plants.

Water

• Like food, every living thing needs clean

water, for drinking, bathing, and sometimes breathing!

• Be sure to keep in mind the different types of

wildlife that might use your property when selecting and designing your water feature.

• An elevated birdbath is fine for flying and

climbing animals, but creatures like toads, rabbits and turtles will need water provided closer to the ground to meet their needs.

Cover

• Wildlife needs protective

cover as protection from predators as well as extreme weather.

• Plants play an important

role in creating this component of habitat.

• A variety of human-

designed wildlife housing can be built or purchased.

Bat House

Source: yardenvy.com

A place to raise young

• The same plants that

provide food will do triple- duty as a place to raise young.

• Wildlife can engage in

their courtship behaviors and where they can safely raise their young.

• Without this unique type of

cover, wildlife may pass through your habitat area but will not be able to take up a truly permanent residence in all stages of their life cycles. Native Prairie Restoration

Photo by: Lisa Dunaway

Factors to Consider

• Urban Heat Island
• Architecture
• Pollution
• Infrastructure

Urban Heat Island

Source: plg1.cs.uwaterloo.ca

Urban Heat Island Solutions

• Plant trees! (and
• ther vegetation)
• Reduce paving
• Utilize green

infrastructure methods

• Limit sprawl
• Utilize sustainable

building practices

Roof Garden @ Rice Plant Science Center

Photo by: Lohren Deeg

Urban Heat Island Solutions

Rain Garden

Source: mt.nrcs.usda.gov

Permeable Pavement

Source: mytorontohomeimprovement.com

Bird Un-friendly Architecture

• We lose one billion birds to

building strikes every year

• Building strikes are the #1

killer of our birds

• Many species are not

robust enough to recover those loses

Source: pictureninja.com

Bird Un-friendly Architecture

• Lots of glass in close

proximity to greenery creates lots of reflections that birds mistake for more greenery.

• See-through buildings with

a glass exterior and a lack

• f interior walls look like
• pen sky to birds.
• Open pedways, lobbies,

and courtyards make birds think they can fly through.

Photo by: Lisa Dunaway

Bird Un-friendly Architecture

• Buildings that are all

reflective glass can reflect the skyline in the background and be virtually invisible to birds.

• Buildings with large plants

inside, either real or artificial, that can be seen from

• utside invite birds.

Trump Tower Chicago

Photo by: Lisa Dunaway

Bird Friendly Architecture

• Windows and walls set at

an angle don’t confuse birds.

• Window screens make

glass surfaces much less reflective.

• Unnecessary exterior

lighting should be turned

• ff at night and curtains or

blinds should be drawn on lighted windows.

Aqua Building Chicago

Photo by: Lisa Dunaway

Bird Friendly Architecture

• Multiple panes &

external dividers break up the surface effectively.

• Glass that reflects

wavelengths of light invisible to people but visible to birds.

Source: designtopnews.com

Bird Friendly Architecture

• Read more at

http://birds.suite 101.com/

Michigan Avenue Buildings

Photo by: Lisa Dunaway

Pollution

• Pollution is

everywhere!

• Look for sources
• f pollution in the

eco-region

• Some vegetation

is good at removing pollution.

• When in doubt:

plant trees!

Source: euwfd.com

Water pollution

“Dead Zone” in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Source: dsc.discovery.com

Light pollution

Earth at Night

Source: nasa.gov

Light Pollution Solutions

• Keep them low

(close to the ground).

• Keep them

shielded, and minimize light trespass into the night sky or adjacent areas.

• “Dark Sky”

compliance.

Dark Sky Compliant Lighting

Source: floridahabitat.org

Light Pollution Solutions

• Use long-wavelength

lighting, as studies indicate longer wavelengths are less likely to impact aquatic wildlife.

• Avoid using

fluorescent and mercury, use LED.

Solar/LED Roadway Light

Source: solarlightingitl.com

Infrastructure

• Roads with high

speed limits are a threat to migrating wildlife.

• How might wildlife

conflict with transportation and utilities

• Power lines, cell

towers, and wind turbines

Source: safety.wa.dot.gov

How do we make all this happen?

Planning Approaches

Getting Started

• Leadership
• Educate elected officials and public
• Public design workshops or charettes, guest

speakers

• Integrate into a Comprehensive Plan
• Highlight successful projects in other

communities

• Develop a pilot project
• Create appropriate regulation or not

Benefits

• Positive effects to

humans and nature

• Health
• Water quality
• Reduce energy costs
• Reduce oil

dependency

• Environmental

aesthetics

Bioswale

Source: bellewood-gardens.com

Methods/Approaches

• Habitat Fragmentation
• Preserve Stream Corridors
• Flood Plain restrictions
• Steep Slope Ordinances
• Open Space Ordinances (private)
• Park Impact Fees - funding for open space acquisition

(public)

• Wetland protection/remediation ordinance
• Tree Preservation Ordinances
• Increase density levels in community

Methods/Approaches

• Lighting
• Lighting Plan
• Water Quality
• Stormwater Ordinances
• Green roof
• Erosion control Ordinances
• Partnerships with local farmers – BMP’s

Barriers

• People don’t see the need
• Conflicts with existing codes – Building

and subdivison codes

• Reliance on traditional stormwater control

devises

• Maintenance
• Decisions should be based on reason

rather than dogmatism

• Building infrastructure rather than

preserving natural systems

Low-Hanging Fruit

• Develop an

Environmental Features map

• Floodplains, streams,

steep slopes, tree stands, parks, poor soils, wetlands

• Site plan review
• Modify open space

requirements

Source: geology.isu.edu/geostac/

Low-Hanging Fruit

Conclusion

• Think of the BIG picture!
• Large scale
• Long view
• Biodiversity = Ecological health
• Without biodiversity, there is no Economic

Sustainability.

• Ecology + Economics = Sustainability

Sources

• http://silvis.forest.wisc.edu/publications/PDFs/
• Radeloff_etal_ConsBio2005.pdf
• http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/

1998/3/1/Getting-to-Know-a-Place-Site- Evaluation-as-a-Starting-Point-for-Green- Design/

• Dramstad, et al. Landscape Ecology Principles in

Landscape Architecture and Land-Use Planning. 1996.

• http://www.cfr.washington.edu/classes.esc.350/Su

burban%20wildlife%20paper.pdf

• http://www.elibrary.state.pa.us/dldoc.asp?

fn=4204522584mcp0275.pdf

• Adams, Lowell W. Urban Wildlife Habitats. 1994.

Sources

 http://www.springerlink.com/content/u457w1372867k8

07/fulltext.pdf

 http://depts.washington.edu/open2100/Resources/5_

New%20Research/ UrbanEcosystems.pdf

 http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/for/for74/ for7 4.htm  http://www.az.itu.edu.tr/downloads/papers/ vol04-

01/pdf/07sweeney-04n1.pdf

 http://indianawildlife.org  Farr, Douglas. Sustainable Urbanism, Urban Design

with Nature. 2008.

 Slone, Daniel & Doris S. Goldstein. A Legal Guide to

Urban and Sustainable Development for Planners, Developers and Architects. 2008.

Lisa M. Dunaway, LEED AP

Owner, Sensible Ecology, LLC Instructor of Urban Planning, Ball State University

Melissa Begley, AICP

Assistant Planning Director, City of Columbus, Indiana

THANK YOU!