US Fish and Wildlife Service: Green Infrastructure Design Grant for Mat-Su Borough

This project will identify and recruit stakeholders to participate in developing the natural resources map for a network design and implementation plan for the Green Infrastructure (GI) Plan for the MSB project area. The project also will include development of a preliminary natural resources map for use with stakeholder groups. The natural resources map will include, but not be limited to, the MSB core area between Wasilla and Palmer, and may be ultimately used to map more than one Green Infrastructure network design.

1) Define the Project Area – Work with the Friends of Mat-Su to examine the Matanuska Susitna Borough, including the MSB core area and establish a base natural resources map product.
A. Research, obtain, rectify and compile existing data layers into appropriate and compatible GIS layers, resulting in a base map product to include uplands and wetlands and associated vegetation classifications, waterbodies, roads, anadromous streams, and other layers necessary in identification of natural resources and recreation lands. Outcome: preliminary GIS compilation of base maps available late September or October 2008.
B. Make these base natural resources map products available to the natural resource experts planning group via appropriate print and electronic media and tools
C. Convene a natural resource experts planning group to identify priority areas of ecological significance to fish and wildlife within the GI project area. Functions of the group will be to:
a. identify areas of ecological significance (“core areas” )
b. identify the ecological “hubs” within the core areas
c. delineate the ecological connectivity (“links”)
d. draft at least one preliminary ecological network design
D. Convert preliminary ecological network design into a GIS layer.
Outcome: preliminary ecological network design available as a GIS layer with associated metadata available January 2009.

2) Identify Members for Steering Committee– We will recruit members from local community and land use and development stakeholder groups and significant agencies to participate in organizing the forums to develop the Green Infrastructure network design. Outcome: 1 to 2 representatives from each of 8 to 10 stakeholder organizations recruited to participate in the project. We have already established a steering committee (FWS, FOMS, MSB, GLT, NPS) – Maureen notes that we would like to see someone from development community involved in steering committee so that they have buy-in from the beginning.

3) Steering Committee Meeting(s) –The steering committee will meet to discuss organization, advertisement, additional recruitment and implementation of the Green Infrastructure network design forums Outcomes: Steering Committee meeting (s) held fall/winter 2008. Materials and agenda for network design forums and charette process developed.

4) Network Design Forums and Charettes – Stakeholders participate in network design forums, using the charette process, to draft a Green Infrastructure network design. They will utilize as much of the preliminary design described in (1) above as is then available.
Outcome: Draft Green Infrastructure network design for the Matanuska Susitna Borough Core Area completed by spring 2009.

5) Evaluation – Steering Committee will review draft natural resources map (from step#1 above) and green infrastructure network design results (from step #4) and determine next steps for integration and completion of final design.
Outcome: Summary analysis of Green Infrastructure network design completed by August 1 2009.