Links and resources for Green Infrastructure

Stormwater disconnection practice routing roof runoff to a perennial garden.

This page provides links to pages that address green infrastructure. We've particularly tried to identify pages that provide additional links to case studies, research work, and more.

General overview information

• Green infrastructure: Back to basics: short article on green infrastructure. Contains links to additional articles.
• Stormwater management: Low-impact development and green infrastructure: MPCA website with general information and numerous links
• Green infrastructure - wikipedia

Recommended listserves

• G3 Digest: "The G3 Digest" is designed to incorporate and disseminate information on sustainable products and practices related to sustainable transportation, green infrastructure, innovative storm water management, low impact development, context sensitive solutions, and innovations in transportation and community planning, economics, career development, policy, legislation and funding.
• Deeproot

Websites with extensive information on green infrastructure

• What is Green Infrastructure? - EPA: EPA's GI website containing information on performance, climate resiliency, research, benefits, cost-benefit resources, policy guides, integrating GI into federal regulatory programs, and a link to EPA's Green Infrastructure Webcast Series
• Green Infrastructure - Using natural systems to meet environmental challenges in urban, rural and coastal settings: State of Delaware website with links to information on site and landscape GI practices and links to resources
• Green Infrastructure - City of Portland Oregon: City of Portland website. Contains numerous case studies and a summary of numerous GI programs and efforts in the Portland area.
• BlueGreenCities: "A Research Consortium in England developed new strategies for managing urban flood risk as part of wider, integrated urban planning intended to achieve environmental enhancement and urban renewal in which multiple benefits of Blue-Green Cities are rigorously evaluated and understood."
• Professional Practice - Green Infrastructure - American Society of Landscape Architects: This website contains links to hundreds of articles, research studies, and organizations working with GI
• Municipal Outreach for Green Infrastructure and Low Impact Development. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Contains links to a wide range of information, including projects, brochures, and case studies.
• American Rivers - Green Infrastructure main page. Provides numerous links to more detailed information and reports on GI.
• Green Stormwater Infrastructure. Philadelphia Water Department. Link is to main page but additional links exist for tools, programs, projects, and more.
• NYC Green Infrastructure Program. New York City. Links to information on GI practices, reports, standards and specifications, demonstration projects, and more.

Green infrastructure manuals and guides

Delaware's Green Infrastructure Primer, published in 2016, is an excellent source of information on green infrastructure.

• Green Infrastructure Primer: State of Delaware, 2016 (52 pages)
• Blue Green Solutions. A Systems Approach to Sustainable, Resilient and Cost-Efficient Urban Development: Bozovic, Ranko; Maksimovic, Čedo; Mijic, Ana; Smith, K.M.; Suter, Ivo; Van Reeuwijk, Maarten; 2017. "This guide presents an innovative framework to systematically unlock the multiple benefits of city natural infrastructure; thus producing resilient, sustainable and cost-effective solutions. The framework is applicable at a building, neighbourhood and city-scale and is suitable both for new and retrofit developments."
• Low Impact Development Stormwater Management Planning and Design Guide. Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program, Toronto and Region Conservation. "The guide was developed to provide engineers, ecologists and planners with up-to-date information and direction on landscape-based stormwater management planning and low impact development stormwater management practices".
• Watershed Stewards Academy Rainscaping Manual. Watershed Stewards Academy. The goal of this manual is to provide a resource to design, install, and maintain Conservation Landscaping and stormwater management practices suited primarily to residential and small commercial or institutional properties.
• Enhancing Sustainable Communities with Green Infrastructure - A Guide to Help Communities Better Manage Stormwater While Achieving Other Environmental, Public Health, Social, and Economic Benefits. EPA 100-R-14-006, October 2014.

Papers on green infrastructure and sustainable stormwater management

• Key issues for sustainable urban stormwater management. Water Research. Volume 46, Issue 20, 15 December 2012, Pages 6787-6798.
• Green Infrastructure and Issues in Managing Urban Stormwater. Copeland (2016), Congressional Research Service report prepared for members and committees of Congress.

Benefits and cost

• The Value of Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits - Produced by the Center for Neighborhood Technology. 2010. "This guide distills key considerations involved in assessing the economic merits of green infrastructure practices. It examines the steps necessary to calculate a variety of performance benefits gained by implementing GI strategies and then, where possible, demonstrates simplified illustrative examples that estimate the magnitude and value of these benefits."
• Financing Green Infrastructure: A Best Practices Guide for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. US EPA.
• The Economic Benefits of Green Infrastructure A Case Study of Lancaster, PA. US EPA (2012).
• Water and Wellness: Green Infrastructure for Health Co-Benefits. Water Environment Federation Stormwater Report, April 2, 2014. A fairly comprehensive summary of benefits to the environment and human well-being.
• BANKING ON GREEN: A Look at How Green Infrastructure Can Save Municipalities Money and Provide Economic Benefits Community-wide. A Joint Report by American Rivers, the Water Environment Federation, the American Society of Landscape Architects and ECONorthwest April 2012.
• Benefits of green infrastructure. Report by Forest Research. 2010.

Projects and case studies

• Tools, Strategies and Lessons Learned from EPA Green Infrastructure Technical Assistance Projects. Since 2012 EPA has supported technical assistance projects in communities across the country. This report summarizes successes and lessons learned from this effort.

Green infrastructure organizations and programs

• Master Water Stewards Developed by the Freshwater Society, the master water stewards program is a volunteer education and outreach program. Stewards participate in a training curriculum and install green infrastructure practices.
• Metro Blooms is a nonprofit organization that partners with property owners and many organizations to promote environmentally sound gardening and landscaping, including green infrastructure practices.
• Blue Thumb is a public/private partnership that promotes ecologically functional landscapes – like native plants, raingardens, and shoreline stabilization projects – to reduce runoff and improve water quality.
• Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals.

Videos and webcasts

• Green Infrastructure. Forester University. Presenter - Andy Reese.
• Urban Forest Connections Webinar Series. United States Department of Agriculture - Forest Service.
• Towerside District Stormwater: A New Model of Green Infrastructure
• Green Streets: The Road to Clean Water. US EPA video on green streets.

Green infrastructure events

Past events:

• 2009 Land Conservation Clean Water Summit
• 2010 Clean Water Climate Change Adaptation Summit
• 2011 Clean Water Summit
• 2012 Clean Water Summit
• 2013 Clean Water Summit
• 2014 Clean Water Summit
• 2015 Clean Water Summit
• 2016 Clean Water Summit
• 2013 International LID Symposium

Cities, states, and regions with green infrastructure plans

• Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
• City of New York
  • plan
  • annual reports
• City of Philadelphia GSI Planning and Design Manual
• City of Chester, PA; GSI Infrastructure Plan
• GSI in Seattle
• State of Vermont GSI Agency Work Plans
• City of Palo Alto California GSI Plan
• Green Infrastructure Toolkit: Georgetown Climate Center