LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE NEWS RELEASE
Not for use before 13 May 2009
Green infrastructure to be taken as seriously as grey infrastructure argues new Landscape Institute publication
Green infrastructure needs to be taken as seriously as the more familiar ‘grey infrastructure’ of roads, railways and power lines, argues the Landscape Institute in a new publication: Green Infrastructure: connected and multifunctional landscapes.
Speaking at its launch today, Landscape Institute Policy and Public Affairs officer Stephen Russell says:
‘Green Infrastructure must have the same priority as more conventional infrastructure. We are faced with a wide range of environmental, social and economic challenges which include developing housing to meet demographic changes, ensuring that our environments are resilient to a changing climate, maintaining adequate supplies of water, managing flood risk, securing food and energy supplies and safeguarding against biodiversity loss. If we are to meet these challenges, everyone concerned with the planning, design and management of our places needs to consider a green infrastructure approach’.
Russell continues: ‘the Landscape Institute believes that GI represents an approach to land use that has a critical role in meeting many of these challenges. It achieves this through its multifunctional and connected nature and is underpinned by the concept of ecosystem services, an approach which recognises the many benefits that are generated by natural ecosystems.’
Landscape practitioners are currently playing a key role in GI delivery. The position statement explains the many benefits of GI; it demonstrates the critical role that landscape practitioners have to play in its development and it shows how GI works.
Green Infrastructure connected and multifunctional landscapes is available from the Landscape Institute website: www.landscapeinstitute.org/policy free of charge to download or for £5.95 including post and packing for the printed version.
ENDS
Further information:
Paul Lincoln, Director of Policy and Communications
T: 020 7299 4500
E:
Notes to editors:
The position statement was developed by a sub-group of the Institute’s Policy Committee, consisting of Annie Coombs FLI, Richard Copas CMLI, Martin Kelly FLI and Ian Phillips CMLI, RTPI. Case studies were provided by members of the Institute.
The Landscape Institute is an educational charity and chartered body responsible for protecting, conserving and enhancing the natural and built environment for the benefit of the public. It champions well-designed and well-managed urban and rural landscape. The Institute’s accreditation and professional procedures ensure that the designers, managers and scientists who make up the landscape architecture profession work to the highest standards. Its advocacy and education programmes promote the landscape architecture profession as one which focuses on design, environment and community in order to inspire great places where people want to live, work and visit.
The Landscape Institute represents 6000 members who include chartered landscape architects, academics, scientists and students. Our members work for a range of organisations such as local authorities, government agencies and in private practice. They are involved in a broad range of tasks including masterplanning, environmental assessment, public consultation and design.
The Institute provides services to assist members including support and promotion of the work of landscape architects; information and guidance to the public and industry about the specific expertise offered by those in the profession; and training and educational advice to students and professionals looking to build upon their experience.