Conservation development
Encyclopedia
Conservation development, also known as Conservation design, is a controlled-growth land use
development that adopts the principle for allowing limited sustainable development
while protecting the area’s natural environmental features in perpetuity, including preserving open space
landscape and vista, protecting farmland
or natural habitat
s for wildlife, and maintaining the character of rural communities. A conservation development is usually defined as a project that dedicates a minimum of 50 percent of the total development parcel as open space
. The management and ownership of the land are often formed by the partnership between private land owners, land-use conservation organizations and local government
. It is a growing trend in many parts of the country, particularly in the western United States
. In the eastern U.S., conservation design has been promoted by some state
and local governments as a technique to help preserve water quality
.
Land use
Land use is the human use of land. Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements. It has also been defined as "the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover...
development that adopts the principle for allowing limited sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
while protecting the area’s natural environmental features in perpetuity, including preserving open space
Open space reserve
Open space reserve, open space preserve, and open space reservation, are planning and conservation ethics terms used to describe areas of protected or conserved land or water on which development is indefinitely set aside...
landscape and vista, protecting farmland
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
or natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s for wildlife, and maintaining the character of rural communities. A conservation development is usually defined as a project that dedicates a minimum of 50 percent of the total development parcel as open space
Open space reserve
Open space reserve, open space preserve, and open space reservation, are planning and conservation ethics terms used to describe areas of protected or conserved land or water on which development is indefinitely set aside...
. The management and ownership of the land are often formed by the partnership between private land owners, land-use conservation organizations and local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
. It is a growing trend in many parts of the country, particularly in the western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In the eastern U.S., conservation design has been promoted by some state
State governments of the United States
State governments in the United States are those republics formed by citizens in the jurisdiction thereof as provided by the United States Constitution; with the original 13 States forming the first Articles of Confederation, and later the aforementioned Constitution. Within the U.S...
and local governments as a technique to help preserve water quality
Water quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
.
See also
- Environmental planningEnvironmental planningEnvironmental Planning is the process of facilitating decision making to carry out development with due consideration given to the natural environmental, social, political, economic and governance factors and provides a holistic frame work to achieve sustainable outcomes.-Elements of environmental...
- Low impact developmentLow impact developmentLow-impact development is a term used in the United States to describe a land planning and engineering design approach to managing stormwater runoff. LID emphasizes conservation and use of on-site natural features to protect water quality...
- Preservation developmentPreservation developmentPreservation Development is a model of real estate development that addresses farmland preservation. It shares many attributes with conservation development, with the addition of strategies for maintaining and operating productive agriculture and silviculture, often in perpetuity...
(farmland preservation) - Residential cluster developmentResidential cluster developmentA Residential Cluster Development, or conservation development, is the grouping of residential properties on a development site in order to use the extra land as open space, recreation or agriculture. It is increasingly becoming popular in subdivision development for its low impact and...
- Smart growthSmart growthSmart growth is an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in compact walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl and advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-use development with a...
External links
- "Green Neighborhoods: Open Space Residential Design in Massachusetts" - Massachusetts Audubon Society
- "Growing Greener." Case Studies in Pennsylvania. - Natural Lands Trust, Media, PA