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Smart growth development approaches have clear environmental benefits: improved air and water quality, greater wetlands and open space protection, farmland preservation, clean-up and re-use of brownfield sites, and habitat protection. This is because, as we all know, our built environment has both direct and indirect effects on our natural environment.
As noted in the previous section, the issue of environmental protection actually encompasses a wide range of goals. Fortunately, there are smart growth techniques that can be used to achieve many of these goals.
Maintaining cultural & recreational opportunities
...can be achieved by preserving our farmland and open spaces.
Smart Growth Strategies to achieve this goal:Reducing air pollution & greenhouse gases
- Farmland & Open Space Preservation (local_openspace.shtml)
- Parks, Community Gardens, & Greenways (strat_develop6.shtml)
- Stream Corridor Protection (streamcorridor.shtml)
- Habitat & Biodiversity Protection (biodiversity.shtml)
...can be achieved by reducing auto dependence and increasing energy-efficiency.
Smart Growth Strategies to achieve this goal:Improving water quality & preventing flooding
- Transit-Friendly Development (transitfriendly.shtml)
- Bike Lanes & Sidewalks (strat_transport2.shtml)
- Mixed-Use Developments (strat_develop2.shtml)
- Compact Developments (strat_develop3.shtml)
...can be achieved by reducing impervious surfaces, reducing runoff from cars and developed areas, reducing vehicle miles traveled, and protecting open spaces.
Smart Growth Strategies to achieve this goal:Cleaning up contaminated sites
- Transportation Strategies (local_trans_strat.shtml)
- Water Resource Protection Strategies (local_water_strat.shtml)
...can be achieved by redeveloping our urban areas.
Smart Growth Strategies to achieve this goal:Maintaining natural resources and ecological integrity
- Redevelopment Strategies (local_redevelopment.shtml)
...can be achieved by protecting habitats and ecosystems, and preserving our open spaces.
Smart Growth Strategies to achieve this goal:
- Farmland & Open Space Preservation (local_openspace.shtml)
- Parks, Community Gardens, & Greenways (strat_develop6.shtml)
- Water Resource Protection Strategies (local_water_strat.shtml)
- Habitat & Biodiversity Protection (A HREF="biodiversity.shtml">biodiversity.shtml)