| |
> Discussion Forum > The Green "Audit" draft
The Green "Audit" draft| Author | | ssweeney
8/22/2009
11:44:19 AM | This was an interesting draft outline of some of the positive actions being championed by some of the City's key players. One observation in the draft that bears repeating, I think: for so much of the good, we are vulnerable in that we are dependent on the strength of some awesome personalities (Robin Stein, Erin McKenna, etc, etc.) rather than established systems and procedures.
Going further, though, to me, to qualify as an "audit", the document needs to cover the whole spectrum of what's being done and what's not. I'm by no means an expert at "Green" but some points that come to the mind of this pedestrian are:
1. Pesticides/Herbicides: What is the City's policy on, and actual practice concerning, use of pesticides in public spaces? What about controlling herbicide use at the corporate sites and in the watersheds? I believe that we're no longer using herbicides at some schools but I have seen, for example, "weed and feed" used in vest pocket parks where babies and puppies crawl through the grass. Further, I have seen pesticides used for cosmetic weed control on both private and public land near waterways and storm drains.
2. Street Trees: Where do we stand on street tree planting? More street-shading trees are coming down than growing up.
3. Public Transportation: What is being done to promote the use of public transportation in Stamford? The City, I hear, subsidizes the buses to the tune of $2 -$3 million a year yet the Atlantic Street connection point, which is the most used in the City after the Railroad Station, and which has street visibility that most companies only dream of, is filthy and lacks signage. The City web site doesn't give bus/train directions to, for example, the City Parks. Was the bus schedule consulted when deciding on holding this meeting on "Green" Stamford outside of the downtown area?
4. Conservation area protection: What overall programs are in place to protect the conservation areas such Mianus River Park, the Bartlett, the Stamford Museum and Nature Center, the Mill River Corridor, and Rosa Hartman Park from over-use by humans, unleashed dogs, invasive species, and browsing deer? Some programs are in process but is it enough? Do we need more dedicated staff, funding, and enforcement? Contrary to the statement in the "Audit" , none of these areas are under used. Indeed, most are suffering badly from over-use. All have been badly damaged by deer overpopulation and invasive species.
5. The coast line: What about environmental conservation along our coast line and tidal wetlands? Some valuable work is under way but is it enough? is an overall plan needed? The "Audit' notes a weakness here.
6. Storm run-off: Currently, storm run off including dangerous lawn and road chemicals drains into our water ways and then into the Long Island Sound. Some towns have at least pilot projects to filter out the bad stuff. I believe that the WPCA has a project on two in process. If so, what are they doing? What should we be doing?
7. Green volunteers: We have many willing hands from the corporations, churches, schools, neighborhood "friends of" groups, etc., via Keep Stamford Beautiful or otherwise, to pick up the trash, maintain the woodland trails, plant local parks, and battle the invasive species. However, as a general matter, except for trash collection (at which we excel), untrained, enthusiastic conservation-area volunteers need one trained leader for every 6 to 10 workers to prevent them from doing more harm than good. We have no program to train volunteer leaders. NYC Parks has some interesting programs that we could learn from.
8. Native plants: the wildlife (e.g. pollinators and butterflies) desperately needs diverse native plants in our yards and parks. Since home owners "plant what they see", an aggressive public policy to plant only native, especially local genotypes, in public spaces can have enormous influence. What is the City doing in this area? What could it be doing?
9. Homeowner composting; garden-lawn chemical and water use: The town has launched an educational program on sustainability. What else is being done? What else could or should we be doing?
10. Trash recycling: We've got some good stuff going here. What are we doing? How can we enhance it?
11. Traffic calming: a useful program was undertaken recently, what's next to promote pedestrian safety, reduce idling cars, etc?
12 Impervious urban material: Only too much of downtown is covered by hard surfaces that increase temperatures, storm run off, aggravate air pollution, etc. What are we doing to migrate this over time to, for example, "green" parking lot materials? | kbergstrom
8/27/2009
1:02:43 PM | Sue:
Thanks for this post. Some great thoughts on other missing pieces. I hope it will inspire others to post as well. For example, Milton Puryear emailed me yesterday with a suggestion similar to your #4, #5, #8 and #9. See below.
Per your #3, I did in fact advance the AITE site by taking the bus there. I would say from that experience that the intervals between buses in Stamford are way too long during the day, and even worse at night. But it is possible to get to AITE by bus from downtown, and the timing is not too bad for the start, but less than ideal for the end.
Per your last sentence in your #4, I was not speaking to the condition of the Nature Center and Bartlett and possible overuse in that sense, but rather that there is a fairly shallow knowledge among Stamford residents, and even among key city staff, of character of the Stamford natural system, its critical species, habitats, centers and corridors...and that the Nature Center and Bartlett could be part of the solution to closing this knowledge gap.
--Kip
Here's Milton's comment:
"I would add under Green Infrastructure that there are no widely disseminated best practices for property owners in the Rippowam and other watersheds that support riparian and marine habitat restoration, water quality and the long-term health of Long Island Sound."
| dkooris
8/28/2009
11:50:11 AM | On Point #2:
Looks like they re about to cut down another stand of mature street trees on the west side of atlantic presumably to be replaced by the better trees that they ve similarly planted on the east side of atlantic and the south side of Main.
What is the deal with this apparently downtown-wide strategy of tearing down all the mature trees and replacing them with wimpy little ones? As you and I have discussed, Kip, there seems to be a problem with the previous tree species but replacing them with smaller ones that don t have even remotely the same shadow production or visual aesthetic should not be permitted. The value afforded to adjacent properties (and downtown on the whole) by mature trees is lost in an instant and I do not believe fully recouped by more attractive sidewalks.
If nothing else, the policy of one for one replacement should be examined as we are tearing down mature trees while tree pits lie vacant elsewhere in the downtown (eg Atlantic frontage across street from Ritz, Washington frontage along northern St. John s tower, etc .).
Also, a policy of mandating that tree removal over a certain diameter should be replaced by trees larger than the common replacement should also be explored.
My experience of cities around the world and even of just different blocks of this city make plain the advantages Stamford has had going for it due the significant presence of large trees in the more historic and walkable sections of downtown. (imagine the McDonald s frontage without those trees!!) To lose this asset is to lose one of our greatest strengths and a foundation of our quality of life.
As a downtown resident and daily walker on her streets, I find it very upsetting that the magnitude of the loss is obviously not understood by whatever arm of the city manages this, replacement is performed to the minimum, and no apparent policy is in place for planting trees in new locations (even in existing empty pits).
Thoughts?
| ssweeney
8/30/2009
11:17:07 AM | It's a commn misconception that it's better to start with larger trees.
FYI - Trees, especially mature ones, don't adapt well to change. Accordingly, young skimpy trees are best to plant. Young trees recover from being moved and get on with the process of growing much faster than larger trees. This is especially true of street trees that have to endure rigorous conditions.
I've heard that you can use the tree's age to figure out its recovery time. So, a 3-year sapling will be recovered and growing within 3 years of planting but a 10-year old tree won't be fully decide whether to live or die for 10 years! This means at the end of 10 years after planting, the 3 year old tree will be larger and healthier than the tree which was 10 years' old when planted. | barryhersh
8/30/2009
11:51:47 AM | First, I thought the GreenAudit was well done and captured some of the key issues - and the discussion that has followed. Individuals always make the difference, and I want to be among the "grass roots" in Stamford
A specific itesm, our Condo, Chesterfield 2 (I am thankfully no longer Board President) is considering a solar panel system. We include one large building that has internal corridor, needing lights, HVAC most of the units are townhouses). The management company is working with a solar
group to see if we can put panels on the flat roof and handle much of the lighting, heating and AC
electric load. Any thoughts or assitance welcome
We have been adding green spaces in Stamford, as you know. The newer ones include the Treetops expanison, the Cove Island nature preserve, and the new waterfront park in Harbour Point (which has some planting in place but no access yet). Along with Mill River there is increased opportunity related to green links, ecological and pedestrian. Shouldn't forget some of the hard fought waterfront public access links nor the early green roofs. Once we have reserved green space, will leave the discussion of species and size to the more expert.
There is a lot more than could be done with existing buildings in Stamford, posibly using LEED EB cases. Also expect to hear more about all this and the transportation links that start at STC on Sept 17.
| Rockinrod
10/22/2009
2:25:23 PM | In my experience Chicago is the last word on many of these issues. mayor Daily was ridiculed years ago when he started his tree planting program, but in 2008 they planted 6,000 trees throughout the City of Chicago, the operative word here being "throughout." Planting trees in economically challenged neighborhoods has been directly linked to home ownership and pride of place in their studies.
Sadhu Johnston is the brilliant, young Chief Environmental Officer for the City and well worth bringing in as an inspired voice and expert in many of these areas of concern. | | |
| |
|
|
|
