Central Indiana Land Trust

GREENING THE CROSSROADS

What is Greening the Crossroads?

Greening the Crossroads is a science-based, landscape-scale strategic conservation vision for central Indiana. It was created with input from many stakeholders from around central Indiana and identifies high quality land in need of protection or continued environmental stewardship. Our plan is to partner with like-minded organizations, landowners, and government agencies to ensure that our natural resources are conserved.

What is Green Infrastructure?

The definition of green infrastructure is: a strategically planned and managed network of natural lands and working landscapes that protects ecosystem functions and conservation values while providing associated benefits to human populations. This network is based upon natural elements in our environment - forests, rivers, wetlands, and grasslands, as well as trails, greenways, and agricultural lands. A balance of these elements provides a framework to maintain a sustainable, healthy ecosystem.

Benefits of Greening the Crossroads

Habitat for Plants, Fish, and Wildlife
Recreation and Quality of Life
Decreased Stormwater Runoff
Natural Resources Jobs
Improved Air Quality
Drinking Water Filtration

The Process

The Central Indiana Greening the Crossroads Project is composed of four main elements:

1) Leadership Forums and Public Meetings:

Two Leadership Forums took place in July 2008 and June 2009. These forums allowed for conservation leaders in the community to help identify key green infrastructure areas and features.

Four Public Input Meetings held in August 2009 for local residents to learn about the project and provide their feedback. Topics discussed were: Working in an Agricultural Landscape, Connections Between People, Trails, and Greenways, Forest Interiors, and Water Quality and Quantity.

2) Network Design: The Network Design was created by the Conservation Fund. It maps out key working lands and natural landscapes critical to the maintenance and enhancement of the green infrastructure network. A team of experts provided technical expertise and chose focal species as indicators of key landscapes to be protected. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology was used to delineate hubs, cores, and corridors of forests, wetlands, and aquatic systems. Existing protected areas serve as anchors within the network, but our research indicated that they are not enough. The Network Design is large enough to provide functional habitat for the focal species and hundreds more and will take thousands of acres of private and public land protection to achieve.

3) Report: The Greening the Crossroads Report includes the results of the project in a book. Our team will also be available for presentations and meetings to talk about partnership possibilities.

4) Implementation: Greening the Crossroads is a long-term vision that will take many years, even decades, to implement. We are currently mapping out our plan for conserving as many targeted natural areas as possible. To be a part of the effort, contact Cliff Chapman at 317.631.5263 or cchapman@conservingindiana.org.

Thanks to our funder Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust and our partner The Conservation Fund. This project wouldn't have been possible without them.

For more information on green infrastructure, visit The Conservation Fund's Green Infrastructure website.